How Much Does a SaaS MVP Cost in 2026?
Real numbers from 50+ SaaS products – not vague ranges or sales pitches
“How much does it cost to build an MVP?”
If you’ve Googled this, you’ve seen the same unhelpful answer: “It depends” followed by a range so wide it’s meaningless ($10K to $500K!). Here’s the reality: we’ve designed and built 50+ MVPs for SaaS startups. Most of them – the ones that actually get built, launched, and funded – cost between €15,000 and €50,000. Not €500K. Not €5K.
This guide gives you the real numbers, explains what drives costs up (and down), and helps you budget for an MVP that’s actually buildable—not a fantasy spec or a glorified landing page.
The Short Answer: What MVPs Actually Cost
Based on our portfolio of SaaS MVPs across B2B, PropTech, HealthTech, and FinTech:
| MVP Type | Cost Range | Timeline | What’s Included |
| Basic MVP | €15,000-25,000 | 6-8 weeks | Auth, 3-5 core features, simple dashboard, basic design system |
| Mid-Complexity MVP | €25,000-40,000 | 8-12 weeks | Multiple user roles, payment integration, 3rd-party APIs, analytics dashboard |
| Complex MVP | €40,000-50,000+ | 10-16 weeks | AI/ML features, marketplace logic, compliance (HIPAA, GDPR), complex integrations |
These ranges assume you’re working with an experienced agency in Europe or similar regions, not US/UK rates (which run 2-3x higher) or offshore rates (which may look cheaper but often cost more in rework).
What Actually Makes MVPs Expensive (And What Doesn’t)
Most founders think features drive cost. They’re wrong. The biggest cost drivers are:
1. Unclear Scope (The #1 Budget Killer)
“Can we just add one more thing?” is how €25K projects become €60K projects. Every undefined requirement becomes a negotiation, a change order, or a surprise. A proper discovery phase (€3K-5K) can save €20K+ in scope creep and rework.
2. Custom vs. Standard Solutions
- Auth from scratch: €3K-5K. Using Auth0/Clerk: €500-1K
- Custom payment flow: €5K-8K. Standard Stripe integration: €1K-2K
- Custom admin panel: €4K-8K. Using a headless CMS: €1K-2K
Smart MVPs use off-the-shelf solutions for non-core features and invest in custom development only where it creates real differentiation.
3. Platform Choices
- Web app only: Baseline cost
- Web + mobile (React Native/Flutter): +30-40%
- Native iOS + Android: +80-100% (two separate codebases)
For most MVPs, web-first is the right call. Mobile can come after you’ve validated product-market fit.
4. Integration Complexity
Every third-party integration adds time. Well-documented APIs (Stripe, Twilio, SendGrid) are straightforward. Legacy systems, custom APIs without documentation, or real-time data syncs can add €5K-15K per integration.
5. Compliance Requirements
- GDPR compliance: Usually built-in at no extra cost for EU agencies
- HIPAA (healthcare): +€10K-20K for proper data handling, audit logs, encryption
- SOC 2 preparation: +€5K-10K in security controls
PCI-DSS (payments): Mostly handled by using Stripe/payment processors correctly
Where the Money Actually Goes
Here’s how a typical €35,000 mid-complexity MVP budget breaks down:
| Discovery & Strategy | 10-15% | €3,500-5,000 | Requirements, user flows, feature prioritization, tech decisions |
| UX/UI Design | 20-25% | €7,000-9,000 | Wireframes, UI design, prototyping, design system basics |
| Development | 50-55% | €17,500-19,000 | Frontend, backend, database, integrations, API development |
| QA & Testing | 10% | €3,500 | Bug fixes, cross-browser testing, user acceptance testing |
| Deployment & Launch | 5% | €1,500-2,000 | Server setup, CI/CD, domain config, go-live support |
Your Team Options (And What They Really Cost)
The same MVP will cost very different amounts depending on who builds it:
| Team Type | Hourly Rate | Same MVP Cost | Trade-offs |
| US/UK Agency | $100-200/hr | $70K-150K+ | Same timezone, premium pricing, established processes |
| EU Agency (Eastern Europe) | €50-70/hr | €25K-50K | Strong tech talent, EU timezone overlap, cost-effective |
| Offshore (Asia) | $15-40/hr | $15K-35K | Lowest rates, timezone gaps, variable quality, higher management overhead |
| Freelancers | $30-100/hr | $20K-60K | Flexible, requires you to manage coordination, availability risk |
| In-House Team | Salary-based | $150K-300K/yr | Full control, highest overhead, 3-6 months to hire, ongoing cost |
Our Recommendation
For most non-technical founders building their first MVP, an experienced agency in a cost-effective region (Eastern Europe, Latin America) offers the best balance of quality, communication, and price. You get a proven process, multiple skill sets, and someone accountable for delivery – without US/UK agency rates.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Tells You About
Your MVP budget isn’t just development. Plan for these often-forgotten costs:
Before Development:
- Legal: €1K-3K for terms of service, privacy policy, contracts
- Branding: €2K-5K for logo, brand guidelines (if not included in design phase)
- Domain & trademarks: €200-2K depending on availability
Ongoing (Monthly):
- Hosting/Infrastructure: €50-500/month (AWS, Vercel, etc.)
- Third-party services: €100-500/month (Auth0, Stripe fees, email, analytics)
- Bug fixes & maintenance: €1K-2K/month or 15-20% of build cost annually
Post-Launch:
- Marketing: €2K-10K/month to actually get users
- Iteration: Budget 50-100% of MVP cost for post-launch improvements
Rule of thumb: Budget 20-30% on top of development for everything else.
Real MVP Examples: What €15K, €35K, and €50K Gets You
| MVP Type | Cost Range | Timeline | Features Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic MVP | €15K-25K | 6-8 weeks | Auth, 3-5 core features, simple dashboard |
| Mid-Complexity | €25K-40K | 8-12 weeks | Multiple user roles, payments, integrations, analytics |
| Complex MVP | €40K-50K+ | 10-16 weeks | AI/ML features, compliance, marketplace logic, SSO |
€15K-20K: Basic SaaS MVP
A B2B tool for scheduling social media posts. Features: user auth, connect 3 social platforms, create/schedule posts, basic analytics dashboard. Built on Next.js + Supabase. Timeline: 6 weeks.
€30K-40K: Mid-Complexity MVP
A PropTech platform connecting property managers with service providers. Features: two user types with different dashboards, service request workflow, payment integration (Stripe), notifications, admin panel. Built on Next.js + NestJS + PostgreSQL. Timeline: 10 weeks.
€45K-55K: Complex MVP
An AI-powered procurement platform for enterprise teams. Features: AI document analysis, supplier scoring algorithm, approval workflows, role-based permissions, audit trail, reporting dashboard, SSO integration. Built with custom AI components + enterprise auth. Timeline: 14 weeks.
5 Ways to Reduce MVP Cost Without Sacrificing Quality
- Invest in discovery upfront. A €3K-5K discovery phase prevents €15K+ in wasted development from building the wrong thing.
- Use boring technology. Next.js, Supabase, Stripe – proven stacks with large talent pools are faster and cheaper to build with than bleeding-edge tech.
- Launch with one user type first. A marketplace MVP doesn’t need both buyer and seller apps on day one. Validate one side, then expand.
- Be ruthless about features. Every feature you cut saves €2K-5K. Ask: “Can we learn what we need without this?” If yes, cut it.
- Consider fixed-price for MVP, retainer for iteration. Get budget certainty for the initial build, then switch to flexible hourly for post-launch improvements.
| Team Type | Hourly Rate | Same MVP Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| US/UK Agency | $100-200/hr | $70K-150K | Funded startups, same timezone priority |
| EU Agency (Eastern Europe) | €50-70/hr | €25K-50K | Best quality-to-cost ratio |
| Offshore (Asia) | $15-40/hr | $15K-35K | Very tight budgets, simple projects |
| Freelancers | $30-100/hr | $20K-60K | Technical founders who can manage |
The best MVP isn’t the cheapest one – it’s the one that proves (or disproves) your hypothesis as efficiently as possible. That usually means spending €20K-40K thoughtfully, not €100K thoroughly or €5K half-heartedly.
Not Sure What Your MVP Should Cost?
We’ll review your concept and give you a realistic scope, timeline, and budget – whether you work with us or not. No pressure, no vague ranges, just honest numbers from a team that’s launched 50+ MVPs.
→ Book a free 30-minute strategy call at inity.agency/schedule
Frequently Asked Questions
Most SaaS MVPs cost €15,000-50,000 when built by an agency. Basic MVPs (auth + 3-5 features) cost €15K-25K. Mid-complexity (payments, integrations, dashboards) cost €25K-40K. Complex MVPs (AI, compliance) cost €40K-50K+. US/UK agencies charge 2-3x more. Timeline: 8-12 weeks typical.
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