How Much Does It Cost to Build an MVP in 2026?

Search for the cost of an MVP and you will find figures from a few thousand dollars to a few hundred thousand. Both ends are real, which makes the average useless. The price of an MVP is set by a handful of decisions. Once you know them, you can predict your own quote and bring it down.

The five things that set the price

Scope

Count flows, not screens. Sign up, browse, book, pay and review are five flows, and each one has empty states, errors and edge cases. Scope is the largest driver by far.

Platforms

A React Native app covers iOS and Android from one codebase, which costs far less than two native apps. A web app alone is cheaper again, because there is no store release.

Backend

An app that only stores each user's own data is simple. One where users deal with each other, such as a marketplace, chat or bookings, needs roles, permissions, notifications and real-time updates.

Integrations

Payments, maps, SMS, AI models and analytics each add build time, and most add a monthly bill.

Who builds it

A freelancer, a small studio and a large agency will quote very different amounts for the same scope, mostly because of overheads and location.

Costs that are not in the quote

A development quote covers building the product. These are paid separately, and it is worth knowing them before you set a budget.

• Apple Developer Program: US$99 per year, needed to publish on the App Store.
• Google Play developer account: US$25, paid once.
• Hosting and database: usually small for an MVP, and it grows with your users.
• Third-party services: payment processors take a percentage of each transaction, and maps, SMS and AI APIs charge by usage.
• Maintenance: updates for new iOS and Android versions, and bug fixes after launch.

How to lower the cost without lowering the quality

• Cut the product to the one flow that proves the idea. Put everything else on a later list.
• Use one codebase for both stores, or launch on the web first.
• Use existing services for the common parts: sign-in, payments and subscriptions.
• Skip the admin panel at first. For the first few customers, a database dashboard is enough.
• Decide what you will measure after launch, and build only what you need to measure it.

Fixed price or hourly?

For an MVP with a written scope, a fixed quote protects you from overruns. Hourly billing suits work where the scope is expected to change as you go. Whichever you choose, insist on a written scope first. Without one, no number means anything.

How RafayLabs quotes

We start with a 15-minute scope call, write down the screens and flows, and send a quote for that scope before any work starts. A focused MVP typically takes four to six weeks, with a first installable build in 10 to 14 days.

The short answer

Nobody can price your MVP without knowing its scope, and anyone who does is guessing. Write down the one flow your product must do, then ask for a quote on exactly that.