The Short Answer: EUR 3,000 to EUR 15,000+
If you are researching SaaS MVP costs, you have probably seen estimates ranging from "a few hundred dollars" to "six figures." The truth depends entirely on what you are building, how complex the business logic is, and who you hire. Based on my experience delivering over 15 SaaS and web application projects, a realistic SaaS MVP built by a freelance developer costs between EUR 3,000 and EUR 15,000.
This article breaks down what drives the cost, what you should expect at each price point, and how to avoid overspending on features you do not need yet.
What Is a SaaS MVP, Exactly?
A Minimum Viable Product is the simplest version of your SaaS that solves the core problem for your target users. It is not a prototype or a mockup — it is a working product with real user authentication, a real database, and real functionality that people can pay for.
A typical SaaS MVP includes:
- User registration and authentication
- Core business functionality (the one thing that makes your product valuable)
- Basic multi-tenancy (data isolation between customers)
- One subscription plan with payment integration
- An admin panel for you to manage users and data
- A REST API if a mobile app or separate frontend is planned
- Server deployment with Docker
What it does NOT include: advanced analytics dashboards, multiple billing tiers with metered usage, white-label customization, SSO, or a mobile app. Those come later, after you have validated the product with real users.
SaaS MVP Cost Breakdown by Tier
Tier 1: Basic MVP — EUR 3,000 to EUR 5,000
This is for straightforward SaaS products where the core logic is not overly complex. Examples: a task management tool, a simple booking system, a basic CRM, or an internal tool that replaces spreadsheets.
What you get:
- Django backend with PostgreSQL database
- User authentication and basic roles (admin + user)
- Core CRUD operations for your domain
- Simple multi-tenancy (row-based isolation)
- Stripe integration with one subscription plan
- Basic admin panel
- Docker deployment on a Linux VPS
- 30 days of post-launch support
Timeline: 3 to 5 weeks.
Tier 2: Growth Platform — EUR 7,000 to EUR 10,000
This tier suits products with more complex business logic, multiple user roles, or advanced integrations. Examples: a multi-tenant time-tracking SaaS, an e-commerce platform with inventory management, or an AI-powered tool with OpenAI integration.
What you get (everything in Tier 1, plus):
- Full multi-tenant architecture with schema-based isolation
- Multiple subscription plans with Stripe billing
- Role-based access control (admin, manager, user)
- Background task processing with Celery and Redis
- Webhook integrations
- Analytics dashboard with key metrics
- REST API with documentation
- 60 days of post-launch support
Timeline: 6 to 10 weeks.
Tier 3: Enterprise SaaS — EUR 15,000+
For complex platforms that need to handle serious scale, compliance requirements, or advanced features from day one. Examples: a fintech platform, a healthcare SaaS, or a marketplace with multiple stakeholder types.
Additional features:
- Schema-level tenant isolation with PostgreSQL
- Metered and usage-based billing
- White-label and custom branding per tenant
- Audit logs and compliance features
- SSO and advanced security
- CI/CD pipeline and automated testing
- 90 days of post-launch support
Timeline: 12 to 20 weeks.
What Factors Affect the Cost?
1. Complexity of Business Logic
A SaaS that manages simple records (contacts, tasks, notes) costs significantly less than one that needs complex calculations, multi-step workflows, or real-time data processing. If your product needs to process payments, calculate payroll, or coordinate between multiple user types, expect higher costs.
2. Number of Integrations
Every third-party integration (Stripe, Telegram, email services, CRM APIs, Google Shopping) adds development time. A simple Stripe checkout adds 1-2 days. A complex billing system with proration, trial periods, and webhook handling can add 1-2 weeks.
3. Multi-Tenancy Architecture
Row-level multi-tenancy (filtering by tenant ID) is simpler and cheaper. Schema-based isolation (separate PostgreSQL schema per tenant) provides stronger data separation but requires more architectural work. The choice depends on your security requirements and target market.
4. Who You Hire
Freelance developers like myself typically charge 2-5x less than agencies for comparable quality, because there is no project management overhead, account executive salaries, or office rent built into the price. You work directly with the engineer who designs and builds the system.
How to Reduce MVP Cost Without Cutting Corners
- Start with one user role — add admin features later when you actually need them
- Use one billing plan — you can add tiers after you understand what customers are willing to pay for
- Skip the custom frontend — a clean Django-rendered UI or a simple React frontend is sufficient for validation
- Avoid premature optimization — do not invest in horizontal scaling, CDN, or microservices until you have users who need them
- Define scope ruthlessly — every feature that is "nice to have" should be moved to the backlog
Real Example: SaaS Time-Tracking Platform
One of my recent projects was a multi-tenant SaaS time-tracking platform for a chain of five cafes in Barcelona. The system included real-time clock-in/clock-out, automatic overtime detection, holiday tracking, role-based access for managers and employees, and one-click Excel export for payroll.
The project used PostgreSQL with schema-per-tenant isolation, giving each cafe location its own secure data environment. The owner gained instant visibility across all locations from a single dashboard. This type of project falls into the Growth Platform tier (EUR 7,000 to EUR 10,000) and took approximately 8 weeks from discovery to production.
Next Steps
If you are planning a SaaS product and want a realistic estimate, explore my SaaS development services or get in touch for a free consultation. I will review your idea, propose an architecture, and provide a fixed-price estimate within 24 hours.