The verdict in three sentences
For a non-technical founder launching a B2B expense management SaaS ahead of a funding round, an agency ships an MVP in 10 to 14 weeks for EUR 30,000 to 60,000 excluding VAT, with a full team and handover-ready documentation. A freelancer costs EUR 15,000 to 30,000 but concentrates risk on one person: illness, another contract, undocumented code. The combination that works best in 2026: agency for the MVP, a fractional CTO at EUR 2,000 per month to keep control, and public innovation grants (in Germany, programmes such as EXIST or state-level digital grants) to cover part of the bill.
What an expense management MVP costs
An MVP that convinces investors must do one thing perfectly: an employee snaps a receipt, the expense is categorised, the manager approves, finance exports. Everything else waits for V2.
| Feature | Dev days | Agency cost (EUR) | Freelancer cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts, companies, roles | 8 to 10 | 5,000 to 7,500 | 3,600 to 5,500 |
| Receipt capture and OCR via API | 10 to 14 | 6,500 to 10,500 | 4,500 to 7,700 |
| Manager approval workflow | 6 to 8 | 4,000 to 6,000 | 2,700 to 4,400 |
| Accounting export (CSV, DATEV) | 4 to 6 | 2,600 to 4,500 | 1,800 to 3,300 |
| Subscriptions and Stripe billing | 5 to 7 | 3,300 to 5,300 | 2,300 to 3,900 |
| Product design and mockups | 8 to 12 | 5,000 to 9,000 | often subcontracted |
| Testing, security, production release | 6 to 10 | 3,600 to 7,200 | 1,500 to 3,500 |
| Total | 47 to 67 days | 30,000 to 50,000 | 16,400 to 28,300 |
The gap comes from the day rate (agency EUR 600 to 750, freelancer EUR 450 to 550 for this profile) and what the agency includes: design, project manager, testing, code review.
Agency or freelancer: the real comparison
| Criterion | Agency | Freelancer |
|---|---|---|
| MVP budget | EUR 30,000 to 60,000 | EUR 15,000 to 30,000 |
| Timeline | 10 to 14 weeks | 14 to 22 weeks (one person) |
| Day rate | EUR 600 to 750 | EUR 450 to 600 |
| Continuity during absence | Backup team | Project stalls |
| Documentation and handover | Contractual | Variable |
| Credibility in due diligence | Strong | Depends on profile |
| Managed by a non-technical founder | Dedicated project manager | Founder manages alone |
An investor will ask who maintains the code. "A freelancer without a handover contract" is an answer that weakens valuation. A fractional CTO at EUR 2,000 per month answers that question and validates the agency's technical choices.
Hidden costs and funding
After launch, plan EUR 100 to 300 per month for infrastructure (hosting, database, usage-based OCR, transactional email) and 10 to 15% of the initial budget per year for maintenance. On funding, public innovation programmes can cover a meaningful share of eligible costs, often in the EUR 20,000 to 30,000 range for an early-stage project, subject to eligibility.
Mini case study
Jonas, founder of a Berlin expense management startup, compares two 12-month scenarios. Agency: MVP EUR 42,000, fractional CTO EUR 24,000, infrastructure EUR 2,400, i.e. EUR 68,400, minus a EUR 30,000 grant: EUR 38,400 net, MVP ready in week 12. Freelancer: EUR 24,000, infrastructure EUR 2,400, partial rebuild estimated at EUR 12,000 after an investor audit, i.e. EUR 38,400, minus the grant: EUR 8,400, but MVP in week 20. With a round targeted for month 6, two months of delay push the raise back: Jonas picks the agency and keeps control through the CTO.
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FAQ
Can you launch a B2B SaaS MVP for under EUR 15,000?
With no-code tools, yes, to validate demand with 5 to 10 customers. For a funding round, investors usually expect a coded, maintainable product, so at least EUR 25,000.
What day rate is reasonable in Berlin in 2026?
Expect EUR 450 to 600 for an experienced full-stack freelancer and EUR 600 to 750 with an agency. Above EUR 800 you are usually paying for architects or rare expertise.
Is a fractional CTO essential?
For a non-technical founder, it secures decisions and reassures investors for around EUR 2,000 per month, i.e. 2 to 3 days a month.
Who owns the code?
The contract must assign all rights to the company, with repository access from day one. Without that clause, due diligence stalls.
How do you avoid budget overruns?
Freeze a scope of 5 features maximum, work on fixed-price milestones and keep a 15% reserve. Every addition goes to V2.
Let's scope your project. Send us your core use case and fundraising timeline, and we will price a fixed-fee MVP between EUR 30,000 and 60,000 delivered in 10 to 14 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
