How Much Does It Cost to Build an MVP in 2026?

If you're a non-technical founder who just raised funding, this is probably your first question: "How much is this actually going to cost me?"

The honest answer? It depends. But that's not helpful, so let me break down exactly what you'll pay based on what you're building.

TL;DR: Quick Cost Ranges

• Simple MVP (landing page + waitlist): $5,000 - $10,000
• Standard SaaS MVP: $15,000 - $30,000
• Complex MVP with AI features: $30,000 - $60,000+
• Marketplace or multi-sided platform: $40,000 - $80,000+

What Drives MVP Cost?

1. Number of User Types

The more types of users, the more expensive:

• Single user type (e.g., just customers): Cheapest
• Two user types (e.g., buyers + sellers): 1.5-2x more
• Three+ user types (e.g., admin + vendors + customers): 2-3x more

Example: A simple SaaS tool for founders costs $15k. A marketplace connecting freelancers and clients? $40k+.

2. Core Features

Here's what common features cost to build:

Feature	Cost Range	Timeline
User authentication (email/password)	$1,000 - $2,000	2-3 days
Social login (Google, GitHub)	$500 - $1,000	1 day
Payment processing (Stripe)	$2,000 - $3,000	3-4 days
Admin dashboard	$3,000 - $5,000	5-7 days
Email notifications	$1,000 - $2,000	2-3 days
File uploads	$1,500 - $2,500	2-3 days
Search functionality	$2,000 - $4,000	3-5 days
Real-time features (chat, notifications)	$3,000 - $6,000	5-8 days

3. AI Features

AI adds significant cost:

• Basic AI chat integration (ChatGPT API): +$3,000 - $5,000
• AI-powered document search: +$5,000 - $10,000
• Custom AI agents: +$10,000 - $20,000
• Fine-tuned models: +$15,000 - $30,000

4. Design Complexity

• Template-based design: Included in base cost (and honestly, fine for most MVPs)
• Custom design (2-3 pages): +$2,000 - $4,000
• Full custom design system: +$5,000 - $10,000 (you probably don't need this yet)

5. Third-Party Integrations

Every integration you add increases scope—and cost:

• Simple API integration (Stripe, SendGrid): $1,000 - $2,000
• Complex integration (Salesforce, HubSpot): $3,000 - $5,000

Need five integrations? Budget accordingly. Each one takes time to build and test properly.

Real Examples: What You Get for Your Budget

$15,000 MVP (Standard SaaS)

What you get:

• User authentication (email + social login)
• 3-5 core features
• Payment processing (Stripe)
• Admin dashboard
• Email notifications
• Analytics tracking
• Responsive design
• Deployment + hosting setup
• 2 weeks of post-launch support

Timeline: 2-4 weeks

Good for: Simple SaaS tools, productivity apps, content platforms

$30,000 MVP (Complex SaaS or AI-Powered)

What you get:

• Everything in $15k package
• AI features (LLM integration, RAG)
• Advanced search
• Real-time features
• More complex workflows
• Custom design
• Multiple integrations

Timeline: 4-6 weeks

Good for: AI tools, chatbots, complex SaaS platforms

$50,000+ MVP (Marketplace or Enterprise)

What you get:

• Everything in $30k package
• Multiple user types
• Complex matching/recommendation algorithms
• Advanced admin tools
• Extensive integrations
• Custom design system

Timeline: 6-10 weeks

Good for: Marketplaces, fintech, healthcare, enterprise tools

Hidden Costs to Budget For

Budget for these ongoing costs:

1. Hosting: $50 - $500/month (depends on traffic)
2. Domain: $10 - $50/year
3. Email service: $10 - $100/month
4. Analytics: $0 - $200/month
5. AI API costs: $50 - $500+/month (if using AI)
6. Maintenance: $500 - $2,000/month (optional)

How to Reduce MVP Cost Without Sacrificing Quality

1. Start with Core Features Only

Don't build everything at once. Focus on the ONE thing that proves your concept works.

Bad: "We need user profiles, messaging, notifications, search, filters, and recommendations."

Good: "We need users to be able to post a listing and contact the poster."

2. Use Proven Tech Stacks

Custom tech = more expensive. Stick with proven stacks that most developers know:

• Next.js + React (frontend)
• Node.js or Python (backend)
• PostgreSQL (database)
• Vercel or AWS (hosting)

These are industry-standard tools, which means more developers can work on your code and costs stay lower.

3. Leverage Existing Services

Don't build what you can buy:

• Auth: Use Clerk or Auth0 instead of building from scratch
• Payments: Stripe (don't build your own payment system)
• Email: SendGrid or Resend
• Storage: AWS S3 or Cloudflare R2

4. Fixed-Price vs Hourly

Hourly rates: $100 - $250/hour (risky, can balloon)

Fixed-price: $15k - $50k (predictable, less risk)

I always recommend fixed-price for MVPs. You know exactly what you're paying upfront.

Red Flags: When a Quote is Too Good (or Too Bad)

Too Cheap (Under $5k for a full MVP)

Potential trade-offs:

• Offshore teams with communication challenges
• Template-based "MVPs" that aren't truly custom
• Hidden costs that appear later
• Code quality issues (you may pay more to fix it later)

Too Expensive (Over $100k for a standard MVP)

Warning signs:

• Agency overhead (you're paying for their office, not just code)
• Over-engineering (building for scale you don't need yet)
• Unnecessary features creeping in
• Slow timelines (6+ months for basic functionality)

What You Should Pay

For a non-technical founder who raised $50k - $500k and needs a production-ready MVP:

Budget: $15,000 - $30,000

This gets you:

• A real, working product
• Clean, maintainable code
• Full code ownership
• 2-4 week timeline
• Everything you need to get your first customers

Questions to Ask Before You Pay

1. "What exactly is included in this price?" (Get it in writing)
2. "Who owns the code?" (You should own 100%)
3. "What happens if we need changes?" (Understand the revision policy)
4. "What's the timeline?" (Anything over 8 weeks is too long for an MVP)
5. "What happens after launch?" (Post-launch support?)

The Real Cost of NOT Building an MVP

Here's what founders don't think about:

• Opportunity cost: Every month you don't launch is a month competitors get ahead
• Investor confidence: Investors want to see traction, not promises
• Learning cost: You can't learn what customers want until you ship

The most expensive MVP is the one you never build.

Ready to Get a Real Quote?

I build MVPs for non-technical founders at a fixed price of $15,000 (starting).

You get:

• Clear scope (no surprises)
• 2-4 week delivery
• Production-ready code
• Full ownership
• Post-launch support

and let's talk about your idea. I'll give you an honest assessment of what it'll cost and what you need to build.

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FAQ

Can I build an MVP for less than $10k?

Yes, but you'll make trade-offs. Either you're using no-code tools (which have limitations), hiring offshore (communication challenges), or building a very simple landing page + waitlist (not a full product).

Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?

Freelancers are cheaper but riskier (they might ghost you). Agencies cost more but deliver more reliably. I'm a solo developer with agency-level reliability at freelancer prices. For more on this decision, see my guide to finding a developer for your startup.

How much should I budget for post-launch?

Plan for $500 - $2,000/month for hosting, services, and minor updates. Major new features will cost more.

What if I run out of money mid-project?

Fixed-price prevents this. You know the cost upfront and can budget accordingly. With hourly, you might run out of money before the MVP is done.

Can I pay in installments?

I charge 50% upfront, 50% on delivery—most developers do the same. Some offer milestone-based payments for larger projects.