How Long Does Custom Software Development Take?
Most custom software projects: 10-16 weeks. Simple MVPs: 6-8 weeks. Complex enterprise: 4-9 months. This guide breaks down each phase, what affects duration, and how to speed things up (or when you shouldn't).
Table of Contents
- Typical Timeline by Phase
- Timeline by Project Type
- What Affects Duration
- Can We Go Faster?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Typical Timeline by Phase
Discovery: 2 weeks — Requirements, technical audit, scope definition, fixed-price quote.
Design: 2 weeks — UX/UI, architecture, API specs. You sign off before we code.
Development: 6-12 weeks — Agile sprints, weekly demos. Most variable. Simple: 6 weeks. Complex: 12+.
Delivery: 1-2 weeks — Deploy, train, document, handoff.
Total: 10-16 weeks for a typical project. See our process guide for detail on each phase.
Timeline by Project Type
Simple MVP: 6-8 weeks. One core workflow, auth, basic payment. Minimal integrations.
Internal tool / operations platform: 10-14 weeks. Multiple workflows, integrations, reporting.
SaaS product: 12-16 weeks. Billing, team features, admin, polish.
Enterprise system: 4-9 months. Complex integrations, compliance, scale. Phased delivery.
What Affects Duration
- Scope — More features = more time. Stick to must-haves for phase 1.
- Integrations — Each integration adds 1-3 weeks. Legacy systems with poor APIs add more.
- Your availability — Delays in feedback, sign-off, or access to systems push the timeline.
- Complexity of logic — Simple CRUD vs. complex workflows, approvals, calculations.
- Design requirements — Custom design takes longer than UI library. Brand-heavy = more time.
Can We Go Faster?
Yes, within limits. Add developers to parallelize work — but some tasks don't parallelize (architecture, integrations). Reduce scope: cut phase 1 to the absolute minimum. Use a UI library instead of custom design. Be available for fast feedback. We can often compress 16 weeks to 12 with tight scope and good collaboration. Going from 12 to 6 weeks usually means cutting scope significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the clock start?
At kickoff — when we have access to requirements, systems, and stakeholders. Delays in onboarding (e.g., waiting for API access) push the start.
What if we need it in 4 weeks?
Scope down aggressively. Or use no-code (Airtable, Retool) for a v1. True custom in 4 weeks is only possible for very small scope — e.g., a single workflow, no integrations.
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