How Long Does It Take To Build An App In Singapore

The size of the mobile app market worldwide is expected to expand in value by a total of USD 2.63 trillion between 2025 and 2029. That growth is happening really fast, and businesses, especially in tech-driven markets like Singapore, now face harsh competition. In this race, speed is more important than ever. The faster you are, the sooner your audience accesses your app.

But how long does it take to build an app? This article gives you an estimate of the app development time. As you explore the process of developing an app in Singapore, you also figure out how to speed it up. Keep reading to check out!

Key Takeaways

• You’d need about 3 to 7 months to build an app from scratch.
• There is no right answer that fits all, as each project has its specific requirements. With some level of control and prioritization over factors that affect duration, you can cut the app development time and costs.
• Collaborating with trustworthy app developers, the project tends to be executed rapidly without compromising on quality.

App Development Timeline by App Complexity

The average app development timeline is around 3 to 7 months. You can find out the exact answer after considering how complex your project is. The complexity level of an app relies on its number of features and chosen technologies. Check this table first before we jump into the details:

Simple Apps (2–4 months)

Simple apps are those with basic app features. It has fewer screens and requires no complex backend. You don’t have to add many third-party integrations either. Because they are simple, you can build them in just a few months. Some developers use pre-built components and templates to cut the app development time even more.

Medium Complexity Apps (4–7 months)

Medium complexity apps have multiple screens and moderate backend logic. They have some third-party app integrations like push notifications, GPS, or cloud syncing. To develop such apps, you need about 4 to 7 months. This category is the most common choice for startups in Singapore because it doesn’t call for too many features while ensuring a functional product.

Complex or Enterprise-Grade Apps (7–12+ months)

Complex apps are large-scale systems. They come with advanced functionality and complex backends to adapt to high demands. Enterprise app development involves multi-role systems. Hence, it needs longer design, coding, and QA cycles. The developers have to work more on security and scalability. Integration also needs a lot of time to deal with.

App Development Timeline by Stages (Step-by-Step)

An app development process has multiple stages, each taking a few weeks to months. So let’s discuss the mobile app development timeline in phases.

1. Business Analysis

Duration: 1-2 weeks

To start any project, you need to gather and document your business goals. Target audience insights and functional app requirements are equally important in this discovery phase. The analysts conduct global and Singaporean market and competitor research. Then, they determine the value an app delivers, ensuring product-market fit.

2. App Design & Prototype

Duration: 2-4 weeks

You combine the outputs of the previous step into the technical part and the UX/UI design. Here, the solution architects and designers create wireframes, mockups, and prototypes. How long does it take to build an app prototype? Your team follows your initial goals, which can be simple or complicated. And once you’ve got the prototype, early users send feedback to help you improve it. Hence, this stage may demand several iterations, making the process longer.

 3. Planning

Duration: 1-2 weeks

Project planning is about defining the app development roadmap and project milestones. In the plan, you also need to set the team structure and development methodology, like Agile or Scrum. To prepare better for the process ahead, you should assess the risks, too. Often, this stage requires 1 to 2 weeks for small projects. If you work on the complex ones, expect more time.

4. Development

Duration: 8-20 weeks

App development takes the longest time to complete. It’s the core phase that shapes your app. Developers code the frontend and backend. APIs are included, too. As your team codes, they continuously review the app and its integrations. Collaboration cycles affect the mobile app development time as well. To save time for the coding phase, many teams choose cross-platform apps over the native ones.

5. Testing & QA

Duration: 2-5 weeks

After developing the app, you test it to make sure that it complies with functional, performance, and security requirements. Teams run both manual and automated tests for better results. App testing is essential as it helps you detect issues and fix them early. This stage needs 2 to 5 weeks and often overlaps with the development process.

6. Launch & Deployment

Duration: 1-2 weeks

Finally, you submit your app to the app store. App launch often involves final quality checks and pre-launch beta testing. App store optimization is also needed to promote your new app. How long does it take to launch an app? Well, you have to wait for approval, with the approval times varying. The marketing strategies you set up also impact the answer.

4 Key Aspects Influencing App Development Timelines

No two apps share the same timeline because the stages and the relevant factors are unique. Here are some aspects to consider when estimating the timeline for the whole mobile application development procedure in Singapore.

App Type & Complexity

Ask yourself: How hard is it to build an app? If your app type only needs basic features and a few screens, your project may take a few weeks to 3 months. For example, a calculator performs only one task. Thus, it must be fast to develop. Meanwhile, complex, feature-rich systems can extend to 9 to 12 months. E-commerce platforms and social media apps call for more integrations and custom logic.

Team Size & Expertise

The team size and their skill levels affect the app development time. Smaller and less experienced teams may face delays. In contrast, skilled teams can cope with unexpected issues thanks to their experience. That’s why many businesses opt for outsourcing software development to speed up timelines. No worries about the quality because the expertise of their partner follows high standards.

Platform Selection

Another thing worth considering for your app development time is platform selection. You may go with native, cross-platform, or web app development. With native, you’ll be writing separate code for each platform. More platforms mean more effort and time. On the other hand, cross-platform frameworks let you build a single codebase that runs across platforms, potentially reducing your development time by 20–40%. The tradeoffs are the lack of flexibility and low performance.

Design, QA & Testing

Your app design may need custom animations, transitions, and detailed visuals. These features require multiple iterations and testing. It means complex UI/UX designs take more time. Moreover, you have to invest in QA testing. Functionality, performance, usability, and security tests ensure your app can work well, but they lengthen the timelines. Even so, do not skip these steps. You don’t want to pay more for future delays and costly fixes.

How to Speed Up the App Development Process in Singapore

Want to release your product sooner to the Singaporean market? You cannot cut any step of the process of developing an app. Yet, the following tips can help shorten the time without affecting the quality.

Starting with an MVP

A minimum viable product (MVP) is the early version of your product with essential features. You can consider the feedback from users and update your app accordingly. The MVP saves time for you as it helps release you from extra work. You just use the resources to build only the most valuable features.

Opting for Cross-Platform Development

As we have mentioned, cross-platform frameworks, like Flutter and React Native, help you build a single codebase for various platforms. If you need faster delivery, go for this solution. The lower cost is another benefit.

Applying Agile Methodologies

Agile methodologies say that you split your project into small sprints. This way, you deliver the work in parts and get feedback continuously. Iterative releases enable your team to adapt quickly. Such an ideal solution for ongoing projects that need flexibility and constant improvement!

Utilizing Pre-Built Components

If you want to reduce coding time, use ready-made UI libraries, APIs, and backend templates. The pre-built components come with consistent quality. You can then focus more on the functionality. The features are also customizable to ensure you get the perfect elements for your app.

Implementing a Platform-Based Solution

Low-code and platform-based solutions provide preconfigured modules. Some offer automated workflows. These approaches cut a lot of development time. Startups and SMEs that aim to launch quickly with minimal technical complexity should go for this idea.

Accelerate Your App Development with Expert Support

So, app development timelines differ from project to project. If you want to build your app fast, then collaborate with a trusted app development company in Singapore. TechTIQ Solutions is what you need now. Our experts have over 13 years of experience in the industry. So we can handle surprises well. What’s more, our team leans on the Agile methodologies and provides full-cycle development services to guarantee that your idea is ready for market as an app. Call us today for a free consultation!

FAQs

How long does it take to develop an Android app?

On average, it takes about 1 to 7 months to develop an Android app. Primarily, you should take into account the complexity of your app when estimating development time. For example:

• Simple apps: 1 to 3 months
• Medium-complexity apps: 4 to 6 months
• Complex apps: Over 7 months

How long does it take to build an iPhone app?

To develop an iOS app, you need about 3 to 9 months. The answer varies as follows:

• Simple apps: 1 to 4 months
• Medium-complexity apps: 3 to 8 months
• Complex apps: Over 8 months

How much does it take to develop an app in Singapore?

The cost ranges from $5,000 for a basic app and up to $300,000 for a complicated one. Some aspects for consideration are:

• App’s complexity
• The chosen platform (iOS, Android, or hybrid)
• The number of features
• Design requirements

How often should the app be updated?

You should upgrade your app every 20 to 40 days in order to keep it working and running smoothly. And for every 3 to 6 months, major upgrades can happen.

How to measure the success of an app after its launch?

You can check these metrics to see how successful your app is:

• The number of downloads
• App store rankings
• Retention rate
• Session length and frequency
• Conversion rate
• Return on Investment (ROI)