A focused first version of a web app usually takes 6 to 10 weeks. A small internal tool can take 3 to 5. A large product with many kinds of users and connections can take several months. Here is what those weeks are actually spent on.
A typical 8 week build
| Week | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Scope: who uses it, what they do, what it connects to. A written plan and fixed price. |
| 2 | Design of the main screens and the database. You click through a first version. |
| 3 to 5 | Building the core: logins, the main features, the admin. A live preview updates as we go. |
| 6 | Payments, emails, connections to other tools. |
| 7 | Testing with real people, fixing what they trip over. |
| 8 | Launch, then a week of watching it closely. |
What makes it faster
- A clear first version. Deciding what is not in version one saves more time than anything else.
- One person who can make decisions on your side.
- Using proven building blocks for logins, payments and email.
- Seeing it early. Clicking through a real preview in week two catches mistakes that a document never shows.
What makes it slower
- Changing direction midway. New ideas are good, and they usually belong in version two.
- Waiting on content, logos, prices or approvals.
- Outside systems with poor documentation, or old software that has to be connected.
- Building for every possible case before anyone has used it.
After launch
Launch is the start. Most products spend the next months adding what real users ask for. Plan for a monthly budget for hosting, fixes and improvements, usually $300 to $1,500 a month.
If you want a timeline and typical price for your own idea, our plan builder takes about two minutes. Read more about how we approach web app development.
Common questions
How long does it take to build an MVP?
A focused first version of a web app usually takes 6 to 10 weeks with an experienced team.
Can a web app be built in a month?
A small internal tool can be. A customer-facing product with logins, billing and an admin usually needs 6 weeks or more to be safe and stable.
What slows a software project down most?
Changing the plan midway, waiting on decisions or content, and connecting to outside systems that are poorly documented.
Get a plan and a typical price
Answer a few quick questions and see what we would build for you, what it typically costs and how long it takes. About two minutes, no account.