The short answer
An MVP is the smallest version of a product that real users can try and pay for. That rules out a clickable prototype, and it rules out a full product with every feature on the wish list. The table shows what typical scopes cost with a small, experienced team. These are our typical prices, not a quote.
| Scope | Typical cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping sprint: plan, architecture and a fixed price for the build | $1,500 | 3–5 days |
| Simple web MVP: one user journey, accounts and a basic admin | $12,000–20,000 | 4–6 weeks |
| SaaS or marketplace: payments, two user roles, 1–2 integrations | $20,000–40,000 | 6–8 weeks |
| Mobile apps, AI features or several integrations | $40,000+ | 8+ weeks, in stages |
- Freelancers can be cheaper per project, but you manage the work, testing and release yourself.
- Large agencies often start well above these ranges because of account management and larger teams.
- Anything far below $10,000 is usually a prototype or a no-code build, which can be the right first step but is a different thing.
What you actually pay for
An MVP quote is mostly engineering time. A useful quote breaks it down so you can see what is included and what is not.
- Scope and architecture: the user journey, data model, integrations and what is deliberately left out.
- Design: screens for the core journey, usually built from an existing component library rather than a custom design system.
- Backend: data storage, business rules, authentication, permissions and the API the app uses.
- Frontend: the web or mobile interface for each type of user.
- Payments and integrations: Stripe or another provider, email, calendars, CRMs and other APIs.
- Testing, hosting and release: automated tests for the main paths, environments, monitoring and a deployment pipeline.
What drives the cost up
Two products with the same one-line description can differ in price by three times. These are the decisions that usually explain the gap.
- Number of user roles. A product for one type of user is much simpler than one where buyers, sellers and admins each need their own screens and permissions.
- Money in the product. One-off payments are simple; subscriptions, refunds, payouts to sellers and invoices each add work.
- Integrations. Every external system brings authentication, data mapping and failure handling. Budget one to two weeks for each non-trivial integration.
- Mobile. A responsive web app is cheapest. Native iOS and Android apps, or one cross-platform app with store releases, add cost and review time.
- AI features. The build is only part of it: prompts, structured outputs, evaluation on real examples and model usage costs all need planning.
- Regulated data. Health, finance or children's data adds security, audit and legal requirements before launch.
- Existing data. Importing records from spreadsheets or another system needs mapping and checks.
Three example budgets
Booking product for a service business: customers pick a slot, pay a deposit and get reminders; the owner manages availability in a simple admin. One role plus admin, Stripe and email. Roughly $14,000–18,000 and five weeks.
B2B SaaS with subscriptions: two roles (account owner and team member), Stripe subscriptions, a dashboard and one CRM integration. Roughly $25,000–35,000 and seven to eight weeks.
AI document tool: users upload files, an AI model extracts fields, rules check them and a person reviews exceptions. Roughly $20,000–30,000 for the first version, plus model usage paid directly to the provider.
These are illustrations of how scope maps to price, not quotes. A real estimate comes after a conversation about your users and systems.
Costs after launch
Budget for running costs from the start. They are usually small at MVP scale, but they are yours to pay.
- Hosting and databases: often free or under $100 a month at MVP traffic on platforms such as Vercel, Railway, Neon or AWS.
- Third-party fees: payment processing (Stripe's standard US card rate is 2.9% + 30¢), email sending, maps or SMS.
- AI model usage: from a few dollars to hundreds a month, depending on volume and model; estimate it before the build.
- Maintenance: a common rule of thumb is 15–20% of the build cost per year for fixes, updates and small improvements. Our monthly support starts at $1,200 for 20 hours.
How to keep the cost down without building the wrong thing
The cheapest MVP is the one that answers your most important question with the least software. Cutting quality on the core journey rarely saves money; cutting scope around it does.
- Build one complete journey for one type of user. Everything else goes on a later list.
- Keep the back office manual at first. A spreadsheet or a simple admin screen is fine for the first hundred customers.
- Start with a responsive web app unless the product only makes sense on a phone.
- Use proven services for login, payments and email instead of building them.
- Agree a fixed price per stage, so new ideas go into the next stage instead of the current invoice.
How to compare MVP quotes
Quotes for the same idea can range from $5,000 to $100,000. Before comparing the totals, check that they describe the same thing.
- Is the price fixed for a defined scope, or an estimate billed by the hour?
- Which user journeys, roles and integrations are included, and what is explicitly excluded?
- Are design, testing, hosting setup and release included?
- Who owns the code, repository and cloud accounts from day one?
- What happens after launch: is there a warranty period for bugs, and what does support cost?
- Who will you actually talk to: the engineer who builds it or an account manager?
Frequently asked questions
How much does an MVP cost?
With a small, experienced team, most web MVPs cost $15,000–40,000 and take four to eight weeks. Simple single-journey products can start around $12,000; products with mobile apps, AI features or several integrations usually start at $40,000 and are built in stages.
How long does it take to build an MVP?
Four to eight weeks for most web MVPs once the scope is agreed. Adding native mobile apps, regulated data or several integrations extends that, which is why larger products are better delivered in stages.
Can I build an MVP for $5,000?
Usually not as custom software with payments and accounts. At that budget a no-code tool, a landing page with a waitlist or a concierge version, where you deliver the service manually, often teaches you more for the money.
Is no-code cheaper than custom development?
At the start, often yes. It becomes more expensive when you hit platform limits, need complex integrations or grow into higher subscription tiers. Many teams validate with no-code and rebuild the parts that work.
Should an MVP be fixed price or hourly?
Fixed price works well when the first version is clearly defined, because you know the cost before you start. Hourly suits open-ended exploration. A paid scoping sprint is a good way to turn an open idea into a fixed-price plan.
What does it cost to maintain an MVP?
Plan for hosting and third-party fees, usually modest at MVP scale, plus 15–20% of the build cost per year for fixes and small improvements as a rule of thumb.
Get a fixed price for your project
Book a 30-minute call. If the scope is clear, you get a written fixed quote within one or two business days.