The short answer
A landing page or small website typically takes about a week, and a larger company website with a CMS up to two months. A first version of a web app, SaaS product or mobile app usually takes four to eight weeks, and an AI product typically needs one to two weeks to prove the idea and eight to twelve weeks to reach a first version people can use. The biggest variable is not the build but decisions: projects with one person who can approve work quickly, and content ready on day one, finish fastest.
How long does each kind of project take?
These are the timelines we work to at X-Studio, from the start of the project to launch. They assume a clear scope agreed in the first week and someone on your side who can make decisions within a day or two.
| Project | Typical timeline | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Landing page or small website | About a week | Whether the copy and images are ready |
| Company website with a CMS | A week to two months | Number of page templates and integrations |
| Web app or SaaS MVP | Four to eight weeks | Number of user journeys and integrations |
| Mobile app, first version | Four to eight weeks | Number of screens and use of phone hardware |
| Website and mobile app | Phased: the website first, then the app | How much the two share |
| AI product | One to two weeks to prove it, eight to twelve to a first version | How well the model handles your real task |
What are the stages of a website or app project?
Most projects move through the same four stages. What changes between a one-week landing page and a two-month platform is how long each stage lasts, not whether it happens.
- Scope: agree what is in, what is out and what success looks like. Usually the first few days, and the cheapest point to change your mind.
- Design: structure, interface and the design system, reviewed with you every week rather than revealed at the end.
- Build: design and engineering in weekly releases, so you use working software while it is being made.
- Launch: testing, content, store submission for apps, and the fixes that always follow a launch.
Why does a mobile app take longer than a website?
A mobile app has more moving parts and an extra gatekeeper. It needs a backend for accounts and data, it has to work on many screen sizes and operating system versions, and every release goes through App Store and Google Play review before people can install it.
Choosing one cross-platform app instead of two native ones is the biggest lever on an app timeline, because most of the work is done once. Our guide to native vs cross-platform app development explains when that trade is worth making.
What slows a website or app project down?
Projects rarely run late because the code is hard. They run late because something the build depends on arrives late. These are the usual causes.
- Content, images or brand assets that are not ready when design starts.
- Approvals that need several people, or nobody with the authority to decide.
- Scope added halfway through without anything being taken out.
- Access to existing systems, accounts or data arriving weeks into the project.
- Feedback collected only at the end, instead of every week on working software.
How can you get a website or app built faster?
The fastest way to launch is to launch less. Ship the smallest version that is genuinely useful, then add to what people actually use. Everything else is about removing waiting time.
- Rank features, and agree which ones can wait for a second release.
- Name one person who can approve work within a day.
- Have copy, images and logins ready before the project starts.
- Launch the website first and add the app once customers ask for it.
- Choose a team where the same people design and build, so nothing waits on a handoff.
Can a website or app be built in a week?
A landing page or small website can, when the content is ready and the scope is fixed. A working prototype of an app or an AI feature can also be ready in a week or two, which is often the best way to test an idea before committing to the full build.
A production app with accounts, payments and store releases cannot honestly be built in a week. If a quote promises that, ask what has been left out, and read our guide on how to choose an agency before you sign.
How do you get a reliable timeline for your project?
Send a short brief with what you want to build, who it is for and any date that matters. We reply within two business days, and after a free call you get a written scope with milestones and a fixed quote. Our guide on writing a project brief covers what to include, and the cost calculator gives you a starting price in a minute.