The short answer
Check demand with a pre-sales MVP from $300, build a core MVP from $800, and launch a first-customers MVP with accounts and payments from $1,500. Each stage has a fixed price in writing before work starts.
Three stages
| Stage | What you get | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-sales MVP | Landing page or clickable demo, sign-ups or pre-orders, payment link | from $300 | 1–2 weeks |
| Core MVP | Accounts, a database and one core feature working end to end | from $800 | 2–4 weeks |
| First-customers MVP | Accounts, payments, admin panel, 2–3 core features | from $1,500 | 4–8 weeks |
What makes an MVP more expensive
- Two-sided products such as marketplaces: two sets of screens and rules.
- Payments and subscriptions, especially with trials and refunds.
- Real-time features: chat, live updates, audio or video.
- AI: worth it when it is the product, expensive when it is decoration.
Costs after launch
Hosting for an early product is usually $5–20 a month. Paid services — payments, email, AI models — charge per use. Changes are $15 an hour, with no monthly retainer.
How to spend less
- Write down the one action a user must complete for the product to be worth paying for.
- Do the rest by hand at first — an admin can approve, send or check things manually.
- Sell before you build: a pre-sales page tells you whether the next stage is worth it.
Questions
Who owns the code and the idea?
You do. I can sign an NDA, and you get the full source code and every account.
Can you continue after the MVP?
Yes — or hand it to your team with documentation.