Commissioning a Mobile App: Process, Timeline and Cost (2026)

In short: commissioning a mobile app is not telling a company "build an app"; it is writing the scope down and tying it to a weekly plan. Five things set the timeline and the cost: the number of screens and flows, the backend and integrations, one or two platforms, whether the design exists, and maintenance after launch. Below are the steps GG Tech Teknoloji follows in a scoping call, realistic timeline bands, and the questions to ask when comparing quotes.

What does commissioning a mobile app mean?

Commissioning a mobile app is turning a product idea into software that runs on iOS and Android, is published in the stores, and has a server behind it. What you see on the screen is the small part of the work. User accounts, the database, notifications, payments and the admin panel sit behind the screen. The large price gap between quotes usually comes from this invisible layer: one quote includes it, the other does not.

The process: eight steps

1. Scoping call: what for, for whom, and what the first release will not do. The output is a written scope and a first timeline band.
2. Screen and flow map: every screen, every button, every error state, listed one by one. This number sets the timeline.
3. Technical choice: native (Swift, Kotlin), Flutter or React Native. The choice is written down with its reasoning; be wary of a company that proposes the same tool for every project.
4. Design and clickable prototype: the flow is tried on a phone before development starts; the cheapest fixes happen here.
5. Two-week development sprints: every sprint ends with a working build delivered through TestFlight and Google Play internal testing.
6. Testing and acceptance: device variety, slow networks, empty states, notification permissions. The acceptance criteria are the items in the scope document.
7. Store release: Apple App Review and Google Play policies. For new apps on personal developer accounts, Google Play requires a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days (Play Console help). Those two weeks belong in the plan from day one.
8. Maintenance after launch: OS releases, store policy changes, crash reports and small improvements. Without maintenance in scope, an app ages within a year.

How long does it take?

Scope sets the timeline, not the technology. The same team with the same tool builds a 6-screen app and a 40-screen app; the difference is in weeks. The bands below are GG Tech's planning approach; a quote always follows the scoping call.

The stores are part of the timeline too. Apple says 90 percent of submissions to App Review are reviewed within 24 hours (developer.apple.com/app-store/review). Google Play's 14-day closed-test requirement pushes the launch date of a new account back by two weeks.

What sets the cost?

GG Tech does not publish a price list; every quote is given as a band after the scoping call. The items that make up the cost, however, are the same in every project and can be known in advance.

• Number of screens and flows: the difference between 6 and 40 screens is not linear; every screen's error and empty states produce work too.
• Backend and integrations: payments, maps, SMS, a connection to an existing ERP or CRM. Per integration, the other side's documentation and test environment set the cost.
• Number of platforms: first release on one platform, the second later. Flutter and React Native produce both platforms from one codebase, but native features need extra work.
• Design: an existing design system shortens the weeks; brand and interface design from scratch is a separate item.
• Maintenance after launch: a monthly fixed fee or hourly. Left out of scope, it comes back with the first OS update.

For comparison: on Clutch, app development companies in Istanbul list hourly rates between 25 and 149 dollars (clutch.co Istanbul app developers list, September 2026). If you see a threefold price difference for the same job, compare who includes what, not the scope.

Native, Flutter or React Native?

The right answer depends on the project. Do not choose a company by tool alone; choose the team that proposes a tool with its reasoning and explains the second option as well.

Seven questions to ask when comparing quotes

1. Is the scope document attached to the quote? Without a screen list, what is the price a price of?
2. Are the backend, the admin panel and the integrations included, or "priced separately"?
3. Who owns the source code and the store accounts? It must be in the contract; store accounts should be opened in your name.
4. Will I see a working build at the end of every sprint, or wait for the delivery date?
5. Are the store release and fixes after a rejection in scope?
6. How is maintenance after launch priced, and for how many months?
7. Is there a named reference and a verified customer review? An unnamed reference cannot be checked.

How GG Tech works

GG Tech is a software engineering team of about 20 people in Kadıköy, Istanbul, building mobile apps, custom software and AI agents. A mobile project starts with a due diligence call: existing systems, target users, what the first release will not do. The output is a written scope, a weekly plan and a cost band. Development runs in two-week sprints; at the end of every sprint a test build is on your phone. Store release and maintenance are written as separate items in the scope document.