The verdict in three sentences
A fundable B2B SaaS MVP in 2026 costs between EUR 25,000 and 70,000, deliverable in 3 to 5 months on a Next.js / Supabase / Stripe stack. The trap is not the price but the scope: one core feature well executed convinces a fund, ten half-features do not. The right agency/freelance/CTO trade-off depends on your fundraising horizon, not your gross budget.
Budget by phase: what each euro funds
An MVP is not a finished product, it is a proof. The budget splits by phase, from scoping to deployment. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude on the Berlin market for a single-product MVP with authentication, one core business module and Stripe payment.
| Phase | Deliverable | Duration | 2026 budget (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoping & specs | User stories, wireframes, architecture | 2-3 weeks | 3,000 - 6,000 |
| UI/UX design | Design system + key screens | 3-4 weeks | 4,000 - 9,000 |
| Core dev (auth, business) | Main feature working | 6-8 weeks | 12,000 - 30,000 |
| Payment & billing | Stripe, subscriptions, webhooks | 1-2 weeks | 3,000 - 8,000 |
| Testing & deployment | QA, CI/CD, go-live | 1-2 weeks | 3,000 - 7,000 |
| Buffer & iterations | Early-user feedback | ongoing | 4,000 - 10,000 |
A EUR 25,000 MVP is realistic with tight scope (one feature, no complex multi-tenant). Above EUR 70,000 you are no longer building an MVP but a V1: defer that spend until after product-market fit.
MVP vs V1: the line not to cross
Scope creep is the number-one cause of budget overrun. Separate what proves value from what industrialises it.
| Criterion | MVP (pre-raise) | V1 (post-traction) |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 1 core + 2 support | 5-8 modules |
| Target users | 10-50 early adopters | 500+ |
| Multi-tenant | Simple (1 org/account) | Advanced (roles, SSO) |
| Payment | Standard Stripe | Complex billing, multi-country VAT |
| Budget | EUR 25,000 - 70,000 | EUR 80,000 - 250,000 |
| Timeline | 3-5 months | 6-12 months |
| Tolerated tech debt | Medium (documented) | Low |
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Thomas, founder of an HR SaaS startup in Berlin, wants to raise EUR 800,000 in seed. He budgets his MVP at EUR 48,000: scoping 5,000, design 7,000, core dev 26,000, Stripe 5,000, deployment 5,000. Delivered in 4 months. With 15 pilot customers at EUR 90/month signed during the build, he presents EUR 1,350 MRR at his round. Result: the raise closes, the MVP cost 6% of the amount raised, a ratio investors consider healthy (typically 5 to 10%).
FAQ
Do I need a CTO before raising? Not necessarily. An MVP built by an agency, with clean documented code, lets you hire a CTO after the raise who takes over a healthy base rather than starting from scratch. Budget EUR 70,000 to 110,000/year for a salaried CTO in Berlin.
Why Next.js and Supabase over heavy custom builds? This stack cuts dev time by 30 to 40% on an MVP: authentication, database and API ready to use. You spend budget on the differentiating feature, not the plumbing.
How much does a sprint cost? A 2-week agency sprint in Berlin costs EUR 8,000 to 16,000 depending on team size (1 to 2 devs). An MVP fits in 6 to 10 sprints.
What happens to the MVP's technical debt? It is normal and acceptable if documented. Plan 15 to 25% of the V1 budget to pay down the debt contracted during the MVP before scaling.
Agency or freelance to move faster? A senior freelance (EUR 350-650/day) is cheaper but single-resource: risk of blockage. An agency secures the timeline with a team, at a higher day rate (EUR 500-900).
Let's scope your project. Describe your core feature, your fundraising horizon and an indicative budget: we will frame a fundable MVP between EUR 25,000 and 70,000 together. 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.
