Cost Guide
How Much Does It Cost to Build a SaaS MVP?
A SaaS MVP — multi-tenant architecture, user auth, billing, and a core feature loop — typically runs between €6,000 and €22,000 when built by a senior solo developer. Agencies quote €40,000–120,000 for the same scope. The gap comes from overhead, not craft.
Last updated: April 2026
Cost comparison
Agency
€40k–€120k
EUR typical range
Timeline: 12–31 weeks
Senior Freelancer
€11k–€40k
EUR typical range
Timeline: 8–20 weeks
Senior quality · Balkans ratesDusko Licanin
€6k–€22k
EUR typical range
Timeline: 6–14 weeks
What's included in base scope
- 01User registration, login, and session management (email + OAuth)
- 02Multi-tenant data isolation with row-level security
- 03Stripe subscription billing (monthly/annual plans, trial period)
- 04Core product feature loop (the one thing your MVP needs to prove)
- 05Responsive web app deployable to Vercel or equivalent
What drives the cost
- Multi-tenancy complexity — shared schema vs. row-level security vs. separate databases each add engineering time
- Payment logic — Stripe subscriptions, trials, metered billing, and webhook handling are deceptively involved
- Auth depth — magic links, OAuth, SSO, and role-based permissions scale cost with each addition
- Admin tooling — dashboards, usage analytics, and internal control panels are often double the cost of the user-facing product
What's not in base scope
- Mobile apps (iOS/Android) — separate scope entirely
- Advanced analytics or BI dashboards
- Integrations with third-party tools beyond basic webhooks
- Dedicated admin portal with user management UI
Working with Dusko
I've shipped two production SaaS products — BookBed (multi-tenant booking with iCal sync) and Callidus (clinic SaaS with row-level security) — both from zero to live in under 12 weeks. Balkans rates, European timezone, senior architecture.