How Long Does It Take to Build a Full Mobile App (Idea to Launch)?

Hi everyone!

We’re planning to launch a mobile app in abu dhabi for our business and wanted to get some real-world input.

From idea validation to launch on App Stores, how long has it taken you or your team to build an app?

Rough breakdown I’ve seen:

  • Planning & UI/UX: 2–4 weeks
  • Development & QA: 8–16 weeks
  • App Store submission & tweaks: 1–2 weeks

Would love to hear your timeline stories or if there’s anything you wish you knew before you started!

Also, check this timeline breakdown I found super helpful →Mobile App Development Process. See here: Mobile app development - Wikipedia

I’m currently exploring different Amazon automation services to help streamline my FBA business, and I recently came across Ecomfly. They offer full-service Amazon store automation from product research and sourcing to account management and scaling.

Hello!
Launching a mobile app can take anywhere from 3 months for a simple MVP to 18+ months for complex platforms, with factors like feature scope, backend complexity, testing, and design iterations significantly impacting timelines. Real-world experience highlights the importance of not underestimating backend work, thoroughly validating the idea locally (in Abu Dhabi’s context), investing in UI/UX, planning for post-launch updates, having a user acquisition strategy, budgeting realistically, and considering local legal compliance. Your initial 2-4-8-16-1-2 week breakdown is a starting point, but expect potential variations.