The verdict in three sentences
With 300,000 EUR raised pre-seed, a non-technical founder in Berlin has 12 to 18 months to prove customers will pay. An agency-built B2B SaaS MVP costs 35,000 to 90,000 EUR and ships in 10 to 14 weeks, while hiring a senior developer takes 3 months and costs about 75,000 EUR a year fully loaded. The right answer is often hybrid: agency for version 1 with full code ownership, then a CTO hire once the first 10 customers sign.
Agency, salaried CTO or no-code: the three options priced
Each option has a visible cost and a hidden one. The heaviest hidden cost is time lost before the first sale.
| Option | 12-month cost (2026 estimate) | Time to MVP | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency (fixed-price MVP) | 35,000 to 90,000 EUR + 1,500 to 4,000 EUR / month of iterations | 10 to 14 weeks | Lock-in if code is not assigned |
| Salaried senior developer | 75,000 EUR loaded + 5,000 EUR recruiting | 3 months hiring + 4 to 6 months building | Bad hire, one person on the whole product |
| Co-founder CTO | 0 to 60,000 EUR salary + 5 to 20 % equity | Variable, 3 to 9 months searching | Dilution and vision conflicts |
| No-code studio (Bubble, Webflow, Airtable) | 12,000 to 30,000 EUR + 200 to 800 EUR / month tools | 4 to 8 weeks | Technical limits beyond 50 customers |
| Direct freelancers | 30,000 to 60,000 EUR | 12 to 20 weeks | Coordination and uneven quality |
| Offshore agency | 15,000 to 40,000 EUR | 12 to 18 weeks | Back-and-forth, time zones, variable quality |
For a B2B SaaS selling to SMEs or mid-market companies, buyers quickly ask about security and hosting. No-code works for a demo, far less for a 1,000 EUR monthly contract.
The minimum scope of a sellable MVP
A sellable MVP is not a prototype. It must take payments, secure data and solve one precise problem well enough that a customer pays. Everything else waits for version 2.
| Component | In the MVP | Indicative budget |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication and team accounts | Yes (email, Google, admin and member roles) | 4,000 to 8,000 EUR |
| Stripe billing (subscriptions, trials, invoices) | Yes | 5,000 to 10,000 EUR |
| Core feature | Yes, one, done well | 15,000 to 45,000 EUR |
| Dashboard and settings | Yes, minimal | 4,000 to 10,000 EUR |
| Third-party integrations | One, the most requested | 3,000 to 10,000 EUR |
| Native mobile app | No, responsive web | 0 EUR |
| Baseline compliance and security | Yes (GDPR, backups, access log) | 3,000 to 7,000 EUR |
On the running side, hosting an MVP costs 50 to 300 EUR a month (server, database, transactional email, monitoring). Costs rise mainly with data volume and the uptime customers demand.
Code ownership and clauses to require
The agency contract is an asset for your next round. A seed investor will ask who owns the code and who can take it over.
- Assignment of IP rights on all code, at the latest on final payment.
- Repository in your name (GitHub or GitLab) from week one.
- Standard stack (TypeScript, PostgreSQL, EU hosting) to ease future hiring.
- Documentation and handover: 3 to 5 days included to onboard your future CTO.
Mini case study
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Lena, founder of an expense management SaaS for architecture firms in Berlin, raises 300,000 EUR. Option A: hire a senior developer, 75,000 EUR loaded plus 5,000 EUR recruiting, MVP expected in month 8. Option B: agency MVP at 58,000 EUR delivered in 12 weeks, then 2,500 EUR a month of iterations for 9 months, so 80,500 EUR over 12 months.
The cost is close, but option B lets her sell from month 4. With 8 customers at 400 EUR a month signed between months 4 and 12, Lena collects about 19,000 EUR of recurring revenue in year one and reaches seed with 3,200 EUR of monthly recurring revenue, against zero in option A. She then hires her CTO with a product in production and documented code.
FAQ
What is the minimum budget for a credible B2B SaaS MVP in Berlin?
Plan on 35,000 EUR for one core feature, authentication and Stripe billing. Below 25,000 EUR the scope is usually too thin to bill a first B2B customer.
How long until a sellable first version?
Between 10 and 14 weeks with a tight 2-week scoping phase. Each feature added mid-way extends the timeline by 1 to 3 weeks.
Do I need a CTO before raising?
Not necessarily at pre-seed. At seed, around 70 % of investors expect a technical person on the team or a clear hiring plan.
What does hosting cost after launch?
Between 50 and 300 EUR a month for the first 100 customers. Beyond that, budget 500 to 1,500 EUR a month depending on volume.
Is no-code enough for B2B SaaS?
Yes to validate interest with 5 to 10 pilot customers. Beyond that, security and performance requirements often justify a rebuild at 40,000 EUR or more.
Let's scope your project. We scope your B2B SaaS MVP (core feature, Stripe billing, indicative budget of 35,000 to 90,000 EUR, delivery in 10 to 14 weeks, code assigned to you). 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.
