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

The honest answer ranges from $5,000 to $500,000. That range is so wide it's almost useless, which is why founders keep Googling for better numbers.

Here are the real numbers, broken down by the approach you choose, the type of product you're building, and where the money actually goes.

Cost by development approach

No-code / low-code ($2,000 – $25,000)

Tools: Bubble, Webflow, Softr, Glide, Airtable + Zapier

When it works:

• Marketplaces, directories, simple SaaS dashboards
• Products where the core value is in the workflow, not the technology
• Validation before investing in custom development
• Products with standard CRUD operations (create, read, update, delete)

When it doesn't:

• Products requiring real-time features (live collaboration, streaming)
• Complex algorithms or data processing
• Products where performance is a competitive advantage
• Anything requiring fine-grained control over the user experience

Real cost range:

• Self-built (your time only): $0 – $2,000 (tools subscription)
• With a no-code specialist: $5,000 – $25,000
• Timeline: 2-6 weeks

Hidden cost to know about: No-code platforms charge monthly fees that scale with usage. A product that costs $99/month to host at 100 users might cost $500-$2,000/month at 10,000 users. Model this before you start.

Freelancer ($15,000 – $80,000)

Where to find them: Toptal, Arc.dev, Upwork (top-rated only), personal referrals

When it works:

• Well-defined scope with clear requirements
• Standard web or mobile applications
• You have someone technical enough to manage the work
• The freelancer has built something similar before

When it doesn't:

• Vague scope that evolves weekly
• You can't evaluate the quality of what's being built
• The product needs multiple specializations (backend, frontend, mobile, design)
• You need ongoing development beyond the MVP

Real cost range:

• Junior freelancer ($30-75/hour): $10,000 – $30,000
• Senior freelancer ($100-200/hour): $30,000 – $80,000
• Timeline: 4-12 weeks

Hidden cost: Freelancers build and leave. If the code isn't well-documented and well-structured, your next developer will spend weeks understanding what was built before they can extend it. Budget an additional 20-30% for handoff friction.

Development agency ($40,000 – $250,000)

When it works:

• You need design + development in one package
• The product requires multiple technology specializations
• You want a managed team without hiring employees
• The scope is clearly defined and relatively stable

When it doesn't:

• You're still figuring out what to build (agencies burn through budgets during discovery)
• You need maximum flexibility to pivot
• You plan to bring development in-house within 6 months (agency code is often hard to inherit)
• Your budget is under $30,000 (too small for a good agency)

Real cost range:

• Nearshore agency (Eastern Europe, Latin America): $40,000 – $120,000
• US/UK/AU agency: $80,000 – $250,000
• Boutique specialist agency: $60,000 – $150,000
• Timeline: 8-20 weeks

Hidden cost: Most agencies quote a build price but not a maintenance price. After launch, you'll need bug fixes, updates, server management, and feature changes. Expect $3,000-$10,000/month in ongoing maintenance, or you'll need to bring development in-house.

In-house team ($100,000 – $500,000+)

When it works:

• Technology is your competitive advantage
• You need to iterate extremely fast based on user feedback
• You've raised funding and can afford the team
• You're building a product that will need continuous development for years

When it doesn't:

• You're pre-product-market-fit and might pivot dramatically
• Your budget is below $250,000 for the first year
• You don't have technical leadership to direct the team

Real cost range (first 6 months):

• 1 developer + 1 designer: $100,000 – $200,000 (salary + tools)
• Small team (2-3 devs, 1 designer, 1 PM): $200,000 – $500,000
• Does not include office, benefits, equity, hardware, etc.
• Timeline: depends entirely on team and scope

Hidden cost: The first 1-2 months is hiring and onboarding. You're paying salaries before a single line of code ships.

Cost by product type

Let's get more specific. Here's what certain types of MVPs actually cost when built well:

Simple SaaS dashboard

Example: A tool that connects to an API, displays data, lets users set alerts.

• No-code: $5,000 – $15,000
• Freelancer: $20,000 – $50,000
• Agency: $50,000 – $100,000
• Timeline: 4-8 weeks

Two-sided marketplace

Example: A platform connecting service providers with customers (think early Airbnb or Thumbtack).

• No-code: $10,000 – $25,000 (limited)
• Freelancer: $40,000 – $80,000
• Agency: $80,000 – $180,000
• Timeline: 8-14 weeks

Mobile app (iOS + Android)

Example: A consumer app with user accounts, push notifications, and a backend.

• Cross-platform (React Native/Flutter): $40,000 – $120,000
• Native (separate iOS + Android): $80,000 – $200,000
• Timeline: 10-16 weeks

E-commerce platform (custom)

Example: Not Shopify — a custom commerce experience with specific business logic.

• Freelancer: $30,000 – $80,000
• Agency: $60,000 – $150,000
• Timeline: 8-14 weeks

AI/ML product

Example: A product where the core value is an AI model or intelligent automation.

• Minimum (API wrapper with fine-tuning): $20,000 – $50,000
• Custom model + interface: $80,000 – $300,000
• Timeline: 8-20 weeks (heavily dependent on data and model complexity)

Where the money actually goes

On a typical $80,000 MVP budget, here's the approximate breakdown:

| Category | % of Budget | Amount | |----------|------------|--------| | Backend development | 30-35% | $24,000-$28,000 | | Frontend development | 25-30% | $20,000-$24,000 | | Design (UI/UX) | 15-20% | $12,000-$16,000 | | Infrastructure & DevOps | 5-10% | $4,000-$8,000 | | Project management | 5-10% | $4,000-$8,000 | | Testing & QA | 5-10% | $4,000-$8,000 |

The two most commonly under-budgeted categories: testing and infrastructure. Both seem like they can wait. They can't. Skipping testing means bugs in production. Skipping proper infrastructure means downtime when you need reliability most (like when an investor is looking at your product).

The biggest cost mistake founders make

It's not overspending. It's building too much.

The most expensive MVPs I've seen weren't expensive because of bad developers or high rates. They were expensive because the scope included 40 features when 8 would have validated the hypothesis.

A true MVP tests one core value proposition. Everything else is noise:

• Does the user need this?
• Will they pay for it?
• Can we deliver it reliably?

If you can answer those three questions with 8 features instead of 40, you just saved 60-80% of your budget. You can build the other 32 features after you've confirmed people want what you're building.

Practical rule: List every feature you think the MVP needs. Now cut it in half. Then cut it in half again. What's left? Build that.

What most cost guides don't tell you

The MVP isn't a one-time cost

After launch, expect to spend 15-25% of the original build cost per year on maintenance, hosting, updates, and minor improvements. A $100,000 MVP costs $15,000-$25,000/year to keep running, even without adding new features.

Cheap MVPs often cost more in total

A $15,000 MVP built by the cheapest freelancer often leads to a $60,000 rebuild 12 months later when the code can't be extended, the architecture doesn't scale, and the original developer is unavailable. The total cost: $75,000 — nearly what a good build would have cost the first time.

This doesn't mean you need to spend $100,000. It means you need to spend wisely. A $35,000 build with a solid developer who writes maintainable code is almost always cheaper in the long run than a $15,000 build that cuts every corner.

Speed and cost are not opposites

The fastest MVPs aren't the cheapest — they're the most focused. Clear scope, one decision-maker, and a developer who's built something similar before. That combination ships in 4-6 weeks regardless of budget.

The slowest MVPs are the ones where scope keeps expanding, decisions take a week, and the developer is learning the technology as they go. Those cost 2-3x the original estimate.

How to spend your budget wisely

1. Define the one thing your MVP must prove. Not 5 things. One. Everything else is a later problem.
2. Invest in the foundation. Authentication, database design, and deployment pipeline aren't exciting but they're what makes your next 10 features faster or slower.
3. Don't skip design. But don't overdo it either. A clean, usable interface doesn't require a $50,000 design process. It requires one good designer or a well-used component library.
4. Get a technical second opinion before you start. A $2,000-$5,000 architecture review before development begins can save $20,000-$50,000 in wrong turns.
5. Plan for what comes after launch. Budget for 3-6 months of post-launch iteration, not just the initial build. The MVP is the starting line, not the finish.

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Planning an MVP and want a reality check on scope, budget, or approach? Let's talk it through. I'll give you an honest assessment — even if the answer is "you don't need someone like me yet."