I've built MVPs that cost $8,000 and MVPs that cost $120,000. And here's the uncomfortable truth: the price difference has almost nothing to do with the technology.
Every week, I get emails from founders asking "how much does it cost to build an MVP?" And every week, I give the same answer: it depends, but probably not on what you think.
Let me break down the real cost drivers — with actual numbers from projects we've delivered in 2025-2026.
The 4 Tiers of MVP Development
Tier 1: The Validation MVP ($5K - $15K)
What you get:
- Landing page with waitlist
- Basic prototype or clickable mockup
- Maybe 1-2 core features
- No backend infrastructure (or very basic)
Who needs this:
- Pre-seed founders testing an idea
- Anyone who hasn't validated product-market fit yet
- Founders who need something to show investors in a pitch deck
Timeline: 1-2 weeks
Our honest advice: You might not even need a developer for this. Tools like Framer, Webflow, or even Bolt.new can get you a validation MVP in days.
Tier 2: The Functional MVP ($15K - $40K)
What you get:
- Full user authentication and profiles
- 3-5 core features, fully functional
- Basic admin dashboard
- Mobile-responsive web application
- Simple payment integration (if needed)
- Deployment and basic monitoring
Who needs this:
- Seed-stage startups with validated ideas
- Founders ready for their first 100-500 users
- Products that need user data and interactions
Timeline: 3-5 weeks
This is our sweet spot at Enlivo. Most startup MVPs fall in this range.
Tier 3: The Scale-Ready MVP ($40K - $100K)
What you get:
- Everything in Tier 2, plus:
- Complex business logic and workflows
- Third-party integrations (5+)
- Real-time features (chat, notifications, live updates)
- Advanced security and compliance
- Performance optimization for 10,000+ users
- CI/CD pipeline and staging environment
- Comprehensive test suite
Who needs this:
- Series A startups building for scale
- Products in regulated industries (HealthTech, FinTech)
- Marketplaces or platforms with multiple user types
Timeline: 6-10 weeks
Tier 4: The Enterprise MVP ($100K - $300K+)
What you get:
- Everything in Tier 3, plus:
- Multi-tenant architecture
- Enterprise SSO and access controls
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- Custom integrations with client systems
- SOC 2 / HIPAA / PCI DSS compliance
- SLA-backed infrastructure
- Dedicated support and maintenance
Who needs this:
- Enterprise B2B products
- Products handling sensitive data
- Platforms requiring compliance certifications
Timeline: 12-20 weeks
What Actually Drives Cost (It's Not What You Think)
1. Number of user types (not features)
A single-user-type app with 10 features is simpler than a 3-user-type app with 5 features. Every user type multiplies your auth flows, permission systems, and UI variations.
2. Integrations
Every third-party integration (Stripe, Twilio, EHR systems, CRMs) adds $3K-$10K to your project. API docs are never as good as they claim, and edge cases are endless.
3. Compliance requirements
HIPAA compliance alone can add $15K-$30K to a project. SOC 2 readiness adds $10K-$20K. This isn't optional if you're in regulated industries.
4. Data complexity
A simple CRUD app is fundamentally different from a platform with complex relationships, analytics, and real-time data. The database layer is often the most expensive part.
5. Design expectations
"Make it look like Linear" costs 3x more than "make it functional." Beautiful, responsive, accessible UI takes time.
How to Reduce Your MVP Cost (Without Cutting Corners)
1. Ruthlessly cut features
List everything you want. Now cut 50%. Now cut another 30%. Ship that. Your users will tell you what to build next.
2. Use proven tech stacks
Custom technology choices cost more. Using Next.js, Supabase, and Vercel is cheap and proven. Using a custom Rust backend with a GraphQL layer is expensive and risky.
3. Accept "good enough" design initially
Use a UI library (shadcn/ui, Radix) instead of custom designs. You can upgrade later.
4. Separate "must have" from "nice to have"
Real-time notifications? Probably nice to have. User authentication? Must have. Be honest about this.
5. Find an agency that uses AI
Agencies using AI tools effectively can deliver 30-40% faster, which translates directly to lower costs.
Real Cost Examples from Our Portfolio
| Project | Type | Users | Features | Cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS Dashboard | Tier 2 | Single | 5 core | $22K | 3 weeks |
| HealthTech Platform | Tier 3 | 3 types | 8 core | $68K | 7 weeks |
| FinTech App | Tier 3 | 2 types | 6 core | $54K | 6 weeks |
| Marketplace | Tier 3 | 3 types | 10 core | $85K | 9 weeks |
| Enterprise Tool | Tier 4 | 4 types | 12 core | $130K | 14 weeks |
The Bottom Line
The difference between a $30K and $300K MVP isn't quality or technology — it's scope, complexity, and compliance requirements.
Before you ask "how much does an MVP cost?", ask yourself:
- How many user types do I need?
- What integrations are required?
- Do I have compliance requirements?
- What's my target user count at launch?
- What's my minimum viable feature set?
Answer those honestly, and you'll have a much better sense of your budget.
