# MVP Cost Calculator: SaaS and App Price, Timeline

> Free MVP cost calculator. Pick your product type and features to get a price range and timeline, next to typical freelancer and agency quotes.

Canonical: https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator
Last updated: 2026-11-01

Pick what your product needs. Get a price range and a build timeline in seconds, next to what freelancers and agencies typically quote.

## Get an exact, fixed quote

Send your estimate and one line about the idea. You get a fixed price and a week-by-week plan back within one working day. No sales sequence.

## How the estimate works

The starting price covers a focused web MVP: one user type, one core workflow, Stripe checkout or a waitlist and a basic admin view, built and deployed in 30 days or less. Each feature you add has a price and a number of build days, based on what that feature has cost across the 20+ MVPs we have shipped. The range allows for details we only learn on a call, such as how many screens a workflow needs.

## The price list behind the estimate

The core MVP is $5,000 and 30 days or less. Each add-on below has a fixed price and a number of extra build days. Third-party integrations are +$750 and about 1 day each. The calculator adds these up and shows a range, because some details only come out on a call.

| Add-on | Price | Build time |
|---|---|---|
| **Marketplace** Two sides, such as buyers and sellers, with listings and matching. | +$3,000 | +3 days |
| **AI product** The core value is an AI workflow: chat, analysis, generation. | +$3,000 | +3 days |
| **Subscription billing** Plans, trials, upgrades and a billing portal, beyond a simple checkout. | +$1,000 | +2 days |
| **Teams and roles** Organisations, invites and permission levels. | +$1,500 | +2 days |
| **AI features** Summaries, chat or extraction on top of an LLM. | +$2,500 | +3 days |
| **Real-time** Live chat, notifications or collaborative updates. | +$2,000 | +3 days |
| **File processing** Uploads, previews and reading data out of documents. | +$1,000 | +1 day |
| **Analytics dashboard** Charts and reports for your users, with exports. | +$1,500 | +2 days |
| **Search and filters** Fast search across your product's data. | +$750 | +1 day |
| **Email automation** Onboarding emails, reminders and digests. | +$500 | +1 day |
| **Compliance** Audit trails, retention and access controls for regulated data. | +$3,000 | +5 days |
| **Custom brand design** Designed screens in your brand before the build starts. | +$1,500 | +2 days |
| **Web + native mobile** Adds iOS and Android apps built with React Native. | +$6,000 | +15 days |

## What common apps cost on this price list

Ten well-known products, cut down to the smallest version that tests the idea and priced with the list above. The list price is the sum of the line items; the estimate is what the calculator shows for the same choices. Each link opens the full breakdown, including a cheaper test version and what the app costs to run after launch. See all of them on [cost to build an app like X](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/).

| Lean MVP | List price | Estimate | Timeline | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [**Rental marketplace like Airbnb**](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-airbnb) | $11,750 | $12,000 to $14,000 | 40 to 45 days | [Load it](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=marketplace&features=search,files,notify&integrations=2&design=clean&platform=web#calc) |
| [**Freelance marketplace like Upwork**](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-upwork) | $13,000 | $13,000 to $15,500 | 45 to 50 days | [Load it](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=marketplace&features=search,realtime,files,notify&integrations=1&design=clean&platform=web#calc) |
| [**Delivery marketplace like DoorDash**](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-doordash) | $13,500 | $13,500 to $16,000 | 45 to 50 days | [Load it](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=marketplace&features=realtime,search,notify&integrations=3&design=clean&platform=web#calc) |
| [**Listings site like Zillow**](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-zillow) | $11,750 | $12,000 to $14,000 | 40 to 45 days | [Load it](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=marketplace&features=search,files,notify&integrations=2&design=clean&platform=web#calc) |
| [**Ride app like Uber (native apps)**](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-uber) | $18,750 | $19,000 to $23,000 | 9 to 11 weeks | [Load it](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=marketplace&features=realtime,notify&integrations=3&design=clean&platform=mobile#calc) |
| [**Scheduling app like Calendly**](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-calendly) | $8,750 | $9,000 to $10,000 | About 40 days | [Load it](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=saas&features=subscriptions,notify&integrations=3&design=clean&platform=web#calc) |
| [**Team chat like Slack**](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-slack) | $11,750 | $12,000 to $14,000 | 45 to 50 days | [Load it](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=saas&features=realtime,roles,files,search,notify,subscriptions&design=clean&platform=web#calc) |
| [**AI chat app like ChatGPT**](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-chatgpt) | $10,000 | $10,000 to $11,500 | About 40 days | [Load it](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=ai&features=subscriptions,files&design=clean&platform=web#calc) |
| [**Dating app like Tinder (native apps)**](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-tinder) | $16,250 | $16,500 to $19,500 | 9 to 10 weeks | [Load it](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=saas&features=realtime,files,notify,subscriptions&integrations=1&design=clean&platform=mobile#calc) |
| [**Course platform like Teachable**](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-teachable) | $8,250 | $8,500 to $9,000 | 35 to 40 days | [Load it](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=saas&features=subscriptions,files,notify&integrations=1&design=clean&platform=web#calc) |

## What makes an MVP cost more

### Native mobile apps

Two app stores, two review processes and device testing. A responsive web app is usually enough to validate. See [web app, PWA or native app for your MVP](https://minidev.pro/blog/web-app-vs-mobile-app-for-mvp) and [mobile app MVP development](https://minidev.pro/mobile-app-mvp-development).

### AI features

Prompting, evaluation, guardrails and cost control take real build time, even on top of a hosted model.

### Compliance

Audit trails, data retention and access controls for health, care or finance data. See [compliance software](https://minidev.pro/compliance-software).

### Integrations

Each outside system brings its own auth, rate limits and edge cases. Well documented APIs are quick, legacy ones are not.

## Questions about MVP cost

### How much does it cost to build an MVP?

At minidev.pro a focused web MVP is $5,000 fixed: sign-up, one core workflow, a database, Stripe checkout or a waitlist, a basic admin view, a landing page, deployment and 30 days of support. Add-ons have fixed prices, such as subscription billing (+$1,000), teams and roles (+$1,500) or native iOS and Android apps (+$6,000). By our estimate, freelancers typically quote $8,000 to $25,000 and agencies $50,000 to $150,000 or more for similar scope.

### How much does a SaaS MVP cost?

On our price list a SaaS MVP starts at $6,000: the $5,000 base plus $1,000 for subscription billing with plans, trials, upgrades and a billing portal. Adding teams and roles (+$1,500) and an analytics dashboard (+$1,500) brings it to $9,000. Use the calculator above to price your exact feature list, or read [what a SaaS MVP needs on day one](https://minidev.pro/blog/saas-mvp-development).

### How long does it take to build an MVP?

A focused web MVP takes 30 days or less with us, and the date is written into the agreement. Each add-on adds a set number of build days: a marketplace adds 3, real-time features 3 and native mobile apps 15. The calculator turns the total into calendar days or weeks, so an [Airbnb-style marketplace](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-airbnb) with search, photo uploads, booking emails, payouts and maps comes out at 40 to 45 days.

### How accurate is this MVP cost estimate?

It is a range based on what similar features have cost across 20+ MVPs we have shipped. The exact price depends on details like how many screens each workflow needs and how well documented your integrations are. A 30-minute call turns the range into a fixed quote that does not change unless you change the scope.

### Why is a minidev.pro MVP cheaper than an agency?

A small senior team, no account managers, a stack we do not debate, and a scope locked in the first days. Agencies price in layers of management and long discovery phases, and freelancers often bill hourly while the scope grows. You pay for building, not for layers.

### What if my estimate is above $20,000?

That usually means the scope is past a minimum viable product. We split it: launch the core workflow in about 30 days, learn from real users, then add the rest on our [monthly SaaS development retainer](https://minidev.pro/saas-development), prioritised by what users actually need.

## Read next

### [MVP development](https://minidev.pro/mvp-development)

What is included, the 30-day process and the guarantee.

### [MVP cost guide](https://minidev.pro/blog/mvp-development-cost-guide-2026)

Agency, freelancer and in-house pricing in detail.

### [How to build an MVP](https://minidev.pro/blog/how-to-build-mvp-step-by-step-guide)

The 7 steps, and how to cut scope before you pay for it.

### [No-code vs custom](https://minidev.pro/blog/no-code-vs-custom-mvp)

When a no-code tool beats paying for a build.

### [AI MVP cost](https://minidev.pro/blog/ai-mvp-cost)

What an AI product costs to build and to run each month.

### [MVP cost in the UK](https://minidev.pro/blog/mvp-cost-uk)

The same question in pounds, with UK rates.

### [Marketplace MVP](https://minidev.pro/marketplace-mvp-development)

Two-sided products: listings, matching, payouts and the cold start.

### [Internal tools](https://minidev.pro/internal-tool-development)

Replace spreadsheets and email approvals, with a payback formula.

### [Stripe vs Paddle vs Lemon Squeezy](https://minidev.pro/blog/stripe-vs-paddle-vs-lemon-squeezy)

Which billing option to use for a SaaS, with fees worked out.

## Related

- [CQC Mock Inspection Tool: Free Self-Assessment](https://minidev.pro/tools/cqc-mock-inspection) - Self-assessment against CQC's 34 quality statements, with a printable gap report. Runs in the browser.
- [Fixed-Price MVP Development in 30 Days](https://minidev.pro/mvp-development) - Live product in 30 days or less. From $5,000. Refund plus $2,000 if not delivered on time per agreement.
- [Services: MVP, SaaS, Web, Mobile and AI Development](https://minidev.pro/services) - Full range of services: MVPs, SaaS, web apps, mobile apps, AI products, e-commerce.