How Long Does It Take to Build an App? From Idea to Store

A simple app built with a no-code tool can reach the App Store in about 1 to 2 weeks. On a new personal Google Play account, allow about 3 to 5 weeks, because Google requires a 14-day closed test first.

A medium no-code app takes about 3 to 8 weeks from defined idea to store, and a complex one about 1 to 4 months. An app built by developers usually takes 3 to 9 months, plus the same store waits.

The biggest variable for a simple app isn't the build. It's your store account. A new personal Google Play account or a missing D-U-N-S Number can add more time than the build itself.

These figures assume your idea is already defined and that no rejection occurs. They're planning estimates, not guarantees.

Where GoodBarber fits. GoodBarber is a no-code app builder for content and mobile-commerce apps. It can shorten the build and handle store submission for you, but it can't shorten Apple's or Google's own waits.

Labels show where a claim comes from: (Official source) Apple's or Google's own pages · (GoodBarber data) our internal records or help pages, with their scope · (Our test) what we saw in our own build · (Our estimate) planning figures from 15 years of building app tools, not measured data.

It takes from about a week to about nine months or more, depending on how the app is built and where it's published. The route sets the build time. The stores and your account type set the wait.

The table adds the two together. Each total runs from a defined idea to a live app, assuming no rejection.

Table: Idea to live app, by route (Our estimate), using the store waits listed below

A simple app here means standard parts: content, a catalog, accounts and notifications. A medium app has more screens, products or integrations. A complex no-code app has many sections and detailed rules. If you plan to work on it part-time, stretch the build column.

Treat the developer figures as a rough guide. We found no recent independent dataset for this. The one survey still widely quoted is Kinvey's from 2013, in which 100 mobile designers estimated 18 weeks for a first version. Agency guides give ranges such as 3 to 7 months for most apps and 3 to 12+ months overall, but they cite no dataset, and agencies sell this work.

For a simple no-code app, waiting can take longer than building. On a new personal Google Play account, waiting is at least two-thirds of the timeline.

That share is our arithmetic: 14 to 21 days of testing and production review, against 3 to 7 days of building. Here's how the stages compare.

Table: The stages of a first app, for a simple app built with a no-code tool

Stages can overlap. Your D-U-N-S request can run while you build, and Apple's review can run during Google's closed test. So one store can go live while the other is still waiting.

Apple typically reviews 90% of submissions in under 48 hours. Google's timing depends on your account, and new personal accounts wait about three weeks before they can publish.

These waits apply to every route, including hired developers and AI tools.

Table: Waiting times stated by Apple and Google (Official source)

Neither company publishes a standard time for account enrollment or identity verification, so leave a margin. Google says you must verify your developer account before you can submit apps. Our publishing help page notes that an Apple individual account is usually available right after payment and acceptance of the terms.

Apple and Google quote different maximums for a D-U-N-S Number, and neither is a promise. We use Google's 30 days as the cautious figure for planning.

If your launch is tied to an event, Apple lets you request an expedited review. It's a request for exceptional cases, not a fast lane to plan around.

It depends on what you already have. A company that already holds a D-U-N-S Number has the shortest path to Google Play, because the closed test applies to personal accounts.

Table: How the account type changes the wait (Official source)

Choose the account that matches who really owns the app, not just the fastest one. On Apple, an individual account shows your own name as the seller. Apps for regulated services generally must come from the legal entity providing the service.

Check whether your company already has a D-U-N-S Number before you request one. Apple offers a lookup tool, and an existing number can remove the longest wait in your plan.

AI tools shorten the first prototype dramatically. They don't remove the store waits, and getting a native app to the stores can take much longer than the demo suggests.

(Our test) We built the same reference app on several platforms. On Base44, a first version appeared within a few minutes. On Bolt.new, a working web prototype took less than an hour.

The store version was a different job. On Bolt.new, it took considerably longer: a local developer toolchain, two developer accounts, code signing and manual submission. Apple rejected our first submission. We didn't time these builds with a stopwatch, so we can't give you a reliable total for this route.

AI tools are a quick way to test an idea. To estimate a real launch, ask what's needed after the prototype: accounts, payments, security, store submission and upkeep. Our guide to creating an app with AI covers those gaps.

The most common delays are scope, late content, account paperwork, testers and rejections. Most can be reduced before you submit.

• A growing feature list. Each extra feature adds build and test time. Launch the smallest version that's useful, then update it.
• Content that isn't ready. Placeholder text can get an app rejected. Gather it before you build.
• Late account setup. A D-U-N-S request sent just before launch can become your longest wait. Start accounts on day one.
• Testers who leave. A tester who opts out and rejoins must complete 14 consecutive days to count. Recruit more than 12, and use our guide to getting testers through the 14 days.
• Rejections. Each one means fixing the issue and being reviewed again. Our help page says a rejection delays publication by at least a few days.

Plan for at least one rejection on a first iOS submission. (Official source) Apple's 2025 Transparency Report shows 2,093,244 of 9,100,620 submissions rejected, about 23%, across all developers and including updates.

(GoodBarber data) On first iOS submissions handled by our publishing team, about 42% were rejected, and 91% of those were eventually accepted after the team stepped in. That covers 12 months to April 2026, on one platform, with sample size not disclosed. It isn't Apple's overall rate, and it can't be compared directly with the 23%.

Before you submit, check that the app has no crashes or placeholders, your privacy policy and support links work, and reviewers have a demo account if the app needs a login. Our App Store publishing guide covers the steps.

For a small business with no developers, the fastest realistic route is a no-code builder, a small first version and an early start on store accounts.

1. Check that a tool covers your must-have features. If it doesn't, the no-code estimates above no longer apply.
2. Start your developer accounts on day one. If you're a company, look up your D-U-N-S Number first.
3. Prepare your content before you build. This includes text, images, products, your privacy policy and support page.
4. Launch a web version first, if timing is tight. A progressive web app (PWA) needs no store review, so people can use it while the store versions are in progress.
5. Use a tool that produces iOS and Android from one setup. This saves a second build, though each store still has its own process.
6. Submit to Apple while Google's closed test runs. The stores don't need to go live on the same day, unless your launch requires it.

If your idea needs custom logic, such as real-time matching, this route may not fit. In that case, the realistic question is how small a first version can be. Our guide to the limitations of no-code app builders explains where tools stop.

For a simple no-code app on both stores, start at least 6 to 7 weeks before your launch date, unless your accounts are already in place. For a medium app on new personal accounts, start 9 weeks before.

Table: Latest sensible start for a no-code app on both stores (Our estimate)

We took the longest case for each situation, including up to 7 days for Google's app review, and added about a week for one rejection. For a company waiting on a D-U-N-S Number, the 30-day request runs alongside the build, so a medium app needs no extra lead time. That margin is our judgment. Anything that has to arrive by a fixed date, such as an event app, deserves more.

Publishing early is safer than publishing on the day. Apple lets you schedule the release in App Store Connect, and Google's managed publishing lets you choose when an approved update goes live.

#### (GoodBarber example) Where the platform saves time

• Build: templates and ready-made features can get a first version set up in a few hours, longer if you explore the customization options. Your content and testing take additional time.
• Stack: hosting, database, push notifications and payment connections are included, so you don't spend time assembling and connecting separate services.
• Web: a PWA is accessible from your domain a few hours after setup, with no store review.
• Native: one setup produces iOS and Android apps. Compiling a version takes about 15 minutes.
• Submission: with the optional GoodBarber Takes Care service, our team handles submission, store forms and screenshots, and manages rejections. It works on business days, and each step is normally processed within one business day.

Limits. We can't shorten Apple's review, Google's closed test or a D-U-N-S request, and no service can guarantee acceptance. You still hold the developer accounts, write the content and test the app. GoodBarber is built for content apps and mobile commerce. It doesn't build games, and it isn't the right tool for a complex marketplace like Airbnb.

Native apps start with the Premium plan, from €660 per year on Content apps, and store fees are extra. The 30-day free trial needs no credit card, but you need a paid plan before you can submit to the stores. See current pricing.

How long does it take to build an app?

With a no-code tool, a simple app takes about 3 to 7 days, a medium app 2 to 4 weeks, and a complex one 1 to 3 months. With developers, expect about 3 to 9 months. Store waits come on top.

What's the timeline from idea to a published app using no-code or AI tools?

With no-code, a simple app takes about 1 to 2 weeks on the App Store, or 3 to 5 weeks on a new personal Google Play account. AI tools can produce a prototype within minutes or hours, but a store version takes much longer.

How long does it take someone with no coding background to build a working app?

With a no-code builder, a first working version can take a few days, including some time to learn the tool. An AI generator can show a prototype sooner, but you may need technical help to fix problems and publish.

What's the fastest way for a small business to launch a mobile app?

Use a no-code builder, keep the first version small, and start store accounts on day one. If you need to be live sooner, launch a PWA first, because it needs no store review.

Can I build an app in a day?

You can build a prototype or a simple web app in a day. Getting a native app into the stores is unlikely in one day. Apple typically reviews 90% of submissions in under 48 hours, and a new personal Google Play account needs at least 14 days of testing.

If I need an app on iOS and Android quickly, what's the fastest approach?

Build once with a tool that produces both, then submit to each store separately. iOS will often go live first if you're on a new personal Google Play account. A PWA can cover both in the meantime.

How long does Apple take to review an app?

Apple says it typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours. Incomplete submissions may be delayed or may not pass.

How long does Google Play take to review an app?

Google says reviews can take up to seven days, or longer in exceptional cases, for certain developer accounts. New personal accounts must also complete a 14-day closed test and a production access review, which usually takes seven days or less.

Does a rejection restart the whole process?

No. You fix the issue and resubmit, and the app is reviewed again. Plan for at least a few extra days, and more if the fix is substantial.

Why does a D-U-N-S Number take so long?

It's issued by Dun & Bradstreet, not by Apple or Google. Apple says to allow up to 5 business days, then up to 2 more. Google says it can take up to 30 days. Individuals don't need one.

This guide was written by the GoodBarber marketing team. It started from questions people ask search engines and AI assistants, such as "what's the timeline to go from idea to a published mobile app using no-code or ai tools?"

Store rules and waiting times come from Apple's and Google's own pages, checked on November 6, 2026. Build ranges are planning estimates from our 7-step guide to making an app, not measured data. Totals are our own sums, rounded to the nearest week. They assume a defined idea, regular work on the app and no rejection. GoodBarber sells an app builder, so we benefit if you choose the no-code route. We've tried to state clearly what it can't speed up.

We review this guide at least every quarter, and when a store rule changes.

Sources

1. Apple: App Review
2. Apple: Enrollment, D-U-N-S Number
3. Apple: 2025 App Store Transparency Report
4. Google: App testing requirements for new personal developer accounts
5. Google: Required information to create a Play Console developer account
6. Google: Developer verification requirements
7. Google: Play Console Help on publishing and review times
8. Progress (Kinvey): How long does it take to build a mobile app?, 2013
9. Agency estimates: Chop Dawg, Cubix

Build your content or store app, and test it on your own phone before you pay anything. Then you'll know exactly how much of the timeline is left.

Start your 30-day free trial →

No credit card required. GoodBarber apps get a download every 4 seconds, and we have paying customers in 152 countries.

• How to make an app: the 7-step guide
• How to publish your app on the App Store
• Google Play closed testing: getting 12 testers through 14 days
• How much it costs to build an app without coding