What Tech Stack Should I Use for a SaaS MVP?

Introduction

Choosing your SaaS MVP tech stack feels like making a commitment you can’t undo. Should you go with React or Next.js? PostgreSQL or MongoDB? AWS or Vercel? One wrong choice could mean months of technical debt or a complete rebuild.

Here’s what matters: your tech stack should match your MVP goals, not the latest trends. The right stack gets your product to market in 3-4 months, costs €15,000-€50,000 to build, and scales when you need it to. The wrong one burns budget on features you don’t need yet.

This guide breaks down tech stack decisions for pre-seed to Series A SaaS founders building their first MVP. You’ll see real cost comparisons, timeline impacts, and decision frameworks based on 55+ SaaS products we’ve launched.

What Is a Tech Stack (and Why It Matters for MVPs)

A tech stack is the combination of programming languages, frameworks, databases, and infrastructure that powers your SaaS product. Think of it as the foundation and structure of your digital product.

Your tech stack has three layers:

• Frontend – What users see and interact with (the interface)
• Backend – Server logic, business rules, and data processing
• Infrastructure – Where everything runs (cloud hosting, databases, CDN)

For MVPs, your tech stack determines three critical factors: development speed (how fast you launch), initial cost (€15K-€50K range), and scaling capability (whether you can grow without rebuilding).

The mistake most founders make? Choosing technology because it’s popular rather than because it solves their specific problem. A fintech MVP handling sensitive transactions needs different infrastructure than a project management tool serving 50 users.

How to Choose Your Frontend Technology

Your frontend is what users interact with daily. The choice here affects your UI responsiveness, mobile experience, and how quickly you can iterate based on user feedback.

React vs Next.js vs Vue: Decision Framework

React works when you need a single-page application with complex state management. Best for dashboards, real-time collaboration tools, or products with frequent UI updates.

Development time: 8-10 weeks for standard MVP.

Cost: €12,000-€18,000.

Next.js makes sense when SEO matters and you want server-side rendering built in. Perfect for products with public-facing pages, content-heavy interfaces, or when page load speed directly impacts conversion.

Development time: 9-12 weeks.

Cost: €15,000-€22,000 (roughly 30% more than React).

Vue fits smaller teams or solo founders who want a gentler learning curve. Faster initial development but smaller talent pool for future hiring.

Development time: 7-9 weeks.

Cost: €10,000-€15,000.

TypeScript vs JavaScript

Use TypeScript when: Your MVP has complex business logic, multiple developers working simultaneously, or you’re building fintech/healthtech where errors are costly. Adds 1-2 weeks to development but prevents bugs before they reach production.

Stick with JavaScript when: You’re a solo founder validating quickly, budget is under €15,000, or your MVP is content-focused rather than logic-heavy.

Mobile Responsiveness Requirements

Every SaaS MVP needs mobile responsiveness – 68% of B2B users now access tools on mobile devices. Your options:

• Responsive web app – One codebase works everywhere. Fastest to market (included in standard timelines above). Best for most MVPs.
• Progressive Web App (PWA) – Works offline, installs like an app. Adds 2-3 weeks and €3,000-€5,000. Choose this when users need offline access.
• Native mobile apps — Separate iOS and Android development. Adds 8-12 weeks and €15,000-€25,000. Only necessary when you need device-specific features (camera, GPS, notifications).

Backend Framework Selection Guide

Your backend handles business logic, user authentication, data processing, and third-party integrations. This is where your competitive advantage lives—not in the technology choice, but in how well it executes your unique workflow.

Node.js vs Python vs PHP: What Fits Your MVP

Node.js (Express/NestJS) excels at real-time features—chat, notifications, live updates. Uses JavaScript on frontend and backend (one language for full stack).

• Development time: 6-8 weeks for backend.
• Cost: €8,000-€12,000.
• Best for: Collaboration tools, real-time dashboards, APIs with high concurrent users.

Python (Django/FastAPI) handles data processing, complex calculations, and AI/ML features. Rapid development with built-in admin panels.

• Development time: 5-7 weeks.
• Cost: €7,000-€11,000.
• Best for: FinTech, analytics platforms, products with AI features, data-heavy applications.

PHP (Laravel) delivers fast MVP development with mature ecosystem. Lower hourly rates (€45-€55 vs €60-€70).

• Development time: 5-6 weeks.
• Cost: €6,000-€9,000.
• Best for: Content management, booking systems, traditional B2B SaaS.

RESTful API vs GraphQL

REST API works for 90% of MVPs. Simple, well-understood, plenty of developers. Use this unless you have a specific reason not to.

GraphQL makes sense when your frontend needs flexible data queries, you’re building mobile apps alongside web, or you want to minimize API calls. Adds 20-30% to backend development time. Only choose this if you’re certain about the complexity ahead.

Authentication & Security Basics

Your MVP needs: secure password storage (bcrypt/Argon2), JWT or session-based authentication, role-based access control, and HTTPS everywhere.

Build vs Buy for Auth: Building custom authentication takes 1-2 weeks and costs €1,500-€3,000. Third-party solutions (Auth0, Clerk, Supabase Auth) cost €0-€230/month and integrate in 2-3 days. For MVPs, buy it unless authentication is your differentiator.

Database Decision: SQL vs NoSQL

Database choice affects data integrity, query flexibility, and scaling behavior. This is one decision that’s expensive to reverse – choose carefully.

PostgreSQL vs MySQL vs MongoDB

PostgreSQL handles complex relationships, ensures data integrity, and scales vertically. Industry standard for SaaS.

• Best for: Products with structured data, complex reporting needs, financial transactions.
• Cost: €0 (self-hosted) to €50-€200/month (managed).

MySQL works similarly to PostgreSQL but with simpler setup. Slightly faster for read-heavy operations.

• Best for: Content-heavy platforms, analytics dashboards.
• Cost: Similar to PostgreSQL.

MongoDB fits when data structure changes frequently during early iterations. Flexible schemas, fast prototyping.

• Best for: Early-stage products still figuring out data models, products with varied data types.
• Cost: €0 (self-hosted) to €57-€240/month (Atlas).

When NoSQL Makes Sense for MVPs

Choose NoSQL (MongoDB, DynamoDB) only when:

• Your data structure is genuinely unpredictable
• You need horizontal scaling from day one (unlikely for MVPs)
• You’re storing large amounts of unstructured data (logs, analytics events)

Most SaaS MVPs benefit from SQL databases. The structure forces you to think through your data model, which is valuable product thinking.

Data Migration Considerations

Switching databases later costs €5,000-€15,000 and takes 3-6 weeks. Pick the right one now by asking:

• Will I need complex queries? (Yes → SQL)
• Is my data structure still evolving? (Yes → consider NoSQL, but probably still SQL)

Cloud Infrastructure & Hosting

Where your product runs affects reliability, cost, and scaling flexibility. For MVPs, managed services beat custom infrastructure 95% of the time.

AWS vs Google Cloud vs Azure vs Vercel

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) Options

Heroku, Railway, Render – Deploy in minutes, scale with slider controls. Monthly cost: €15-€200 for MVP traffic. Trade-off: 20-40% higher cost at scale, but you launch 2-3 weeks faster.

Choose PaaS when: You’re non-technical, budget allows €50-€200/month hosting, and speed to market is critical.

Choose IaaS (AWS/GCP) when: You have technical co-founder, cost optimization matters long-term, or you need specific infrastructure control.

CDN & Performance Optimization

Content Delivery Networks cache your app globally for faster load times. Cloudflare (€0-€20/month) or AWS CloudFront (€10-€50/month) improve performance by 40-60%. Essential for products serving users across multiple regions.

Real Examples for Different SaaS Types

Cost Breakdown by Tech Stack Choice

Your tech stack directly impacts MVP development cost. Here’s how different choices affect your budget:

Development Cost Comparison

Cost Scaling by User Volume

Common Tech Stack Mistakes Founders Make

Mistake 1: Over-engineering for future scale Building microservices architecture for 50 users costs €15,000 extra and adds 4-6 weeks. Start monolithic. Split later when you have real scaling problems (usually after €500K ARR).

Mistake 2: Choosing trendy over proven Using the newest framework adds risk—fewer developers, less documentation, unknown bugs. Stick with technology that’s been stable for 2+ years.

Mistake 3: Underestimating integration complexity Third-party integrations (Stripe, SendGrid, analytics) often take longer than core features. Budget 20-30% of development time for integrations.

Mistake 4: Ignoring mobile from the start Adding mobile responsiveness later costs 40-60% more than building it in initially. Every MVP should be mobile-responsive by default.

Mistake 5: Not planning for data migrations Choosing the wrong database and migrating later costs €5,000-€15,000 and risks data loss. Think through data relationships before building.

How to Make Your Final Decision

Use this decision framework to choose your tech stack:

Step 1: Define your MVP requirements

• What’s the core user workflow?
• Do you need real-time features?
• Is SEO critical for acquisition?
• Will users access on mobile?

Step 2: Assess your team situation

• Do you have a technical co-founder?
• What’s your developer hourly rate? (€50-€70 in EU, €80-€150 in US)
• Can you hire for this technology easily?

Step 3: Calculate budget vs timeline trade-offs

• Budget under €15,000 → Budget Stack
• Budget €18,000-€28,000 → Standard Stack
• Budget over €28,000 + complex features → Enterprise Stack

Step 4: Test the decision with these questions

• Can I find 3-5 developers for this stack in my region?
• Does this stack handle my most complex feature?
• What’s the monthly hosting cost at 100, 500, and 1,000 users?
• How long to add my most-requested feature after launch?

Step 5: Validate with technical advisors Get your stack reviewed by an experienced CTO or agency before committing €15,000+. Most agencies (including us) offer free 30-minute technical consultations.

Questions to Ask Development Agencies

When hiring an agency to build your MVP, ask these tech stack questions:

1. “Why are you recommending this specific stack for my product?” (Look for business reasoning, not just technical preferences)
2. “What’s the monthly hosting cost at 100, 500, and 2,000 users?” (Good agencies know real numbers)
3. “How long to rebuild if we chose wrong?” (Understanding the exit cost matters)
4. “What parts of this stack would you change at €1M ARR?” (Shows they’re thinking about your growth)
5. “What’s included vs what costs extra?” (Authentication, payment processing, email services often cost extra)

Conclusion: Choose Technology That Fits Your Validation Plan

Your perfect tech stack isn’t about using the newest framework or copying successful companies. It’s about matching technology to your specific situation: your timeline, budget, team skills, and product requirements.

The right tech stack for your SaaS MVP:

• Gets you to market in 8-12 weeks (not 6 months)
• Costs €15,000-€35,000 for most B2B products
• Scales to 500-1,000 users without major changes
• Uses proven technology with available developers

Remember: You’re building an MVP to validate your market, not to win architecture awards. Choose the stack that helps you learn from real users fastest. You can always optimize later when you have revenue and usage data.

Most SaaS MVPs succeed with: Next.js or React frontend, Node.js or Python backend, PostgreSQL database, and managed hosting (Vercel/Railway/AWS). This combination launches in 10-12 weeks, costs €18,000-€28,000, and scales to your first €500K ARR.

The technology matters less than execution. The best tech stack is the one that gets your product in front of users while you still have budget to iterate based on their feedback.