The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, a web app MVP ships in 2 to 4 months, a full business platform in 5 to 9 months. Timelines stretch mainly because of three factors: integrations (ERP, payment, third parties), slow internal sign-offs and moving scope. To hold a launch date, shrink the scope of the first milestone and secure access to external APIs early.
Timeline benchmarks by project type
Timeline depends on the number of screens, user roles and integrations. 2026 orders of magnitude for a dedicated team.
| Project type | Scope | Timeline 2026 | Indicative budget (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | 1 journey, 8-15 screens | 2-4 months | 25,000 - 45,000 |
| Business app | 2-3 roles, reporting | 4-6 months | 45,000 - 80,000 |
| Platform | multi-role, integrations | 5-9 months | 80,000 - 160,000 |
| Heavy rebuild | data migration | 6-10 months | 100,000 - 200,000 |
| Linked mobile app | iOS/Android + back | +2-4 months | +30,000 - 60,000 |
A well-scoped MVP ships in 2-4 months because it handles only one journey; any feature added before launch pushes the date.
What stretches timelines
Delays rarely come from the code itself. Here are the aggravating factors and their typical impact on the schedule.
| Factor | Impact on timeline | How to limit it |
|---|---|---|
| ERP/payment integration | +3 to +8 weeks | secure API access early |
| Slow internal sign-offs | +2 to +6 weeks | one available decision-maker |
| Moving scope | +10% to +40% | freeze milestone 1, prioritised backlog |
| Data migration | +2 to +5 weeks | audit data quality upfront |
| Business user availability | +2 to +4 weeks | scheduled acceptance slots |
The costliest is moving scope: each unarbitrated addition can inflate the schedule by 10-40%. Prioritisation discipline is the best accelerator.
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Mini case study
James, managing director of a logistics firm in London, wanted to launch a client portal in 4 months. The initial scope (parcel tracking, invoicing, complaints, analytics) led to 7 months. By splitting into two milestones, the MVP (parcel tracking + notifications) ships in 3.5 months; invoicing and analytics follow at milestone 2. Result: time-to-market on the priority value is nearly halved, the first clients use the portal 3.5 months earlier, and field feedback refines milestone 2 before it is even built.
FAQ
How long for a realistic MVP? Between 2 and 4 months for a single, well-defined user journey. It is the ideal format to validate usage before investing in secondary features.
Why do integrations add so much time? Because they depend on third parties: getting API access, test environments, security sign-offs. Budget +3 to +8 weeks and secure that access at discovery.
Can we speed up by adding developers? Beyond a point, adding people slows things down (coordination, onboarding). Better to shrink the first milestone than inflate the team.
How do we hold a fixed launch date? By fixing the date and varying the scope: deliver the priority value first, defer the rest. The prioritised backlog is the steering tool.
Does mobile double the timeline? Not necessarily: a mobile app on the same back-end adds 2 to 4 months. A PWA may be enough for launch and reduce that delay.
Let's scope your project. Give us your target launch date, your scope and your integrations, and we will split it into milestones to hold time-to-market. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
