If you're responsible for a team building a mobile app, you've probably wondered how long it should take to launch, add features, or fix bugs. The answer? Of course it depends! But here are some rules of thumb to give you realistic expectations, and ensure your team is on track. These benchmarks come from my experience working with all kinds of teams building mobile apps.

Let's dive in.

Quick Reference: Key Timelines

Here's a summary of the timeframes you can expect when building mobile apps:

3 months to build a releasable app from scratch. Iterate from there.
1 day to 1 week to deliver a new feature.
30 minutes per platform for builds.
2 hours for manual regression testing, though it can take up to 2 days without automation.
Up to 1 week for release approvals (longer if rejected).
1+ week to roll out a fix after discovering a production bug.
7 to 30 days for phased rollouts.
At least 1 day to update an out-of-date app, but significantly more time for older apps.
Mobile development takes longer than web.
Cross-platform is 2/3 the effort of native.
A single developer working natively will be twice as slow as building cross-platform.
Testing and releasing take the same time for native and cross-platform.
AI coding tools slightly speed up development.
Under an hour to build prototypes with AI.

Download the quick reference

Building a mobile app

3 months for a releasable app. Iterate from there.

From scratch, you should be able to release a functional app to your first users in about three months. If it's taking longer, consider adjusting your approach, reducing scope, or bringing in more experienced developers.

Taking longer than this for your first release increases the risk of shipping the wrong thing—or not shipping at all.

Once your app is released, you'll be in a position to iterate, adding and changing features to improve your app.

1 day to 1 week for a new feature

A well-functioning mobile team should deliver a new feature in under a week.

If your team is consistently taking longer, it's worth investigating why. Delays might stem from how tasks are broken down, your workflows, team processes, or project architecture.

30 Minutes per platform for builds

Building apps for distribution takes time, varying with factors like codebase size, platform choice, and test automation. Typically, building for iOS and Android takes about 30 minutes per platform. You'll need to build them separately even if you're using cross-platform.

Read about CI/CD for mobile.

Manual regression tests: 2 hours to 2 days

Unlike web, mobile apps can't be rolled back after release (yes, really!), making thorough testing critical. Manual regression testing ensures confidence before going live.

If you have robust automated tests, manual regression testing should take no more than two hours. Without automation, manual testing could take up to two days.

Is your team taking longer? Learn how to avoid over-testing your app.

💡 Real-world example

Reducing the cost of testing with a risk-focused strategy

Releases, Testing

1 week for App Store approvals (rejections take longer)

In order to release, you need to be approved on the stores. App Store approvals can take up to a week, though subsequent releases are often faster. First releases and rejections typically take longer.

Remember, approvals for iOS and Android are entirely separate processes, and timelines vary between platforms.

For apps under active development, aim for app releases every 2–4 weeks.

Get tips on navigating App Store approvals.

Fixes: Over 1 Week to roll out

If you a bug gets into production, it can take over a week to get a fix rolled out to your users. Development time is needed for the fix itself, followed by the store approval process.

For urgent fixes you can request expedited reviews, but these are not guaranteed.

Learn about app version updates here

Phased Rollouts: 7 to 30 Days

For high-risk updates, phased rollouts allow gradual release over 7 days, doubling the number of updated users each day. You can override the rollout at any time, and you can pause for up to 30 days.

Learn more about phased rollouts here.

Updating Out-of-Date Apps

Updating older apps can take longer than you'd expect, even for minor changes. Apps must comply with the latest iOS or Android standards for store approval.

A one-version lag may take 1 day to 1 week to address, but significant lags often require extensive updates—or even a full rewrite.

Why Mobile Takes Longer Than Web

Mobile development is inherently slower than web, so if your mobile team is delivering more slowly than your web team, that's to be expected. This is due to:

Slower build and refresh cycles during development.
Separate builds, tests, and releases for iOS and Android.
Store approval processes and administrative delays.
No rollback options for app releases (yes, really!), demanding more extensive testing.

Native vs. cross-platform development

Cross-platform is 2/3 effort of native

Using a cross-platform framework like React Native or Flutter allows you to build apps for iOS and Android from a single codebase. While this doesn't cut the effort in half, it reduces it to about two-thirds of what would be needed for native development. You still need to account for platform-specific behaviour, testing, and release processes, but it's more efficient overall. A typical cross-platform team of 3-4 people can deliver features as quickly as a native team of 5-6 people, though exact numbers vary by project.

A single developer will be twice as slow building natively

If you're relying on a single developer, building natively will take at least twice as long. Every feature built for one platform must then be re-created for the other. This duplication of effort makes cross-platform a better choice for small teams or solo developers looking to deliver quickly.

Testing and Releasing take the same time Regardless of whether you choose native or cross-platform development, the testing and release processes take the same amount of time. Both approaches result in separate iOS and Android apps, which must be tested and released individually for each platform.

Building mobile apps with AI

Slightly faster development

AI tools like GitHub Copilot can make mobile development faster by helping with tasks developers already know how to do, such as generating boilerplate code or improving efficiency. However, they're not yet capable of delivering complex mobile solutions.

This is because mobile APIs change frequently with annual platform updates, and there's often more than one way to achieve the same outcome. AI tools struggle to consistently combine these elements for more advanced or nuanced scenarios. While useful for speeding up smaller tasks, they don't yet transform the overall timeline for building features.

Rapid Prototyping

On the other hand, AI already shines in creating prototypes. Using free tools, you can build a clickable prototype in under an hour.

Watch me demonstrate how.

Final Thoughts

Understanding how long mobile development takes—whether for a new app, feature, or update—lets you to plan effectively, manage expectations, and deliver results.

While every project is unique, these guidelines can serve as a benchmark for assessing your team's performance and identifying areas for improvement. By focusing on good processes, the right technology choices, and a clear strategy, you can navigate the complexities of mobile development with confidence.