An MVP (minimum viable product) usually costs between $10,000 and $60,000 in 2026. Where you land depends on what you build and who builds it. A focused web MVP from a senior offshore studio sits near the bottom of that range, and the same product from a US agency can cost $80,000 or more.
MVP cost by who builds it
These are rough 2026 market ranges for a typical MVP with 3 to 5 core features. Quotes vary a lot, so use them as a starting point.
| Who builds it | Typical MVP cost | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | $5,000–$25,000 | 1–4 months |
| Offshore product studio (e.g. India) | $10,000–$40,000 | 2–8 weeks |
| UK agency | £40,000–£120,000 | 3–6 months |
| US agency | $50,000–$150,000+ | 3–6 months |
| Indian clients, local studio | ₹4–25 lakh | 3–10 weeks |
Hourly rates explain only part of the gap. Agencies tend to staff bigger teams with more process around them. Freelancers cost less but carry more risk: there's one person and no backup, and if you're not technical it's hard to judge the quality of what you're getting.
MVP cost by type of product
| Type of MVP | Typical range (senior offshore studio) |
|---|---|
| Simple web app (login, one core workflow, admin) | $8,000–$20,000 |
| SaaS MVP with subscriptions | $12,000–$35,000 |
| Mobile app (iOS + Android, cross-platform) | $15,000–$40,000 |
| AI MVP (assistant or document AI on your data) | $15,000–$45,000 |
| Two-sided marketplace | $20,000–$50,000 |
What drives the cost
- Every core feature has to be designed, built and tested, so the number of features is the biggest lever you control.
- Web only is cheapest. Adding iOS and Android costs more, though cross-platform tools like React Native narrow the gap.
- AI work adds data preparation, accuracy testing and guardrails. That extra time is what makes an AI feature reliable enough to use outside a demo.
- Each integration adds work, whether it's payments, a CRM, an ERP like SAP or an older in-house system.
- Finished designs save time. If you're starting from a sketch, expect a design phase first.
- Seniority and location set the rate, and seniority also decides how much rework you pay for later.
Hidden costs to budget for
- Hosting, often $20 to $200 a month for an MVP.
- Third-party services such as email, SMS, maps and payments. Stripe, for example, charges per transaction.
- AI model usage from OpenAI, Anthropic or others, anywhere from a few dollars to a few hundred a month at MVP scale.
- App store fees. Apple charges $99 a year and Google charges a one-time $25.
- Maintenance, roughly 15 to 20% of the build cost each year for updates and fixes.
How to build your MVP for less
- Cut to 3 to 5 features. For each one, ask whether it proves the idea or can wait for version 2.
- If you're unsure about the idea, build a prototype first. One or two weeks of prototyping costs far less than building the wrong MVP.
- Use existing building blocks for login, payments and admin instead of writing them from scratch.
- Ask for a fixed price. With hourly billing, you pay for every delay.
- Make sure you own the code from the first day. Being locked in to one developer is the hidden cost that usually ends up largest.
How we price
At Ryo Forge, every MVP gets one fixed price after a free 30-minute scoping call, so you know the number before any work starts. MVPs ship in 2 to 3 weeks and full products in 6 to 8 weeks.
For a quick timeline on your own idea, try our MVP estimator. It takes 60 seconds.
