The verdict in three sentences
A credible B2B SaaS MVP ranges from 30,000 to 90,000 EUR (excl. VAT) in France in 2026, over 3 to 5 months. A good MVP does one thing really well: one core feature, clean authentication and a billing module, nothing more. Anything that does not help validate willingness to pay should leave the initial scope.
What an MVP budget actually covers in 2026
Price mostly depends on functional scope and expected polish. An MVP is not a cheap product: it is a product deliberately reduced to the essentials to test the market fast. Here are observed ranges (2026 order of magnitude, day rate 400-700 EUR excl. VAT).
| Item | Simple MVP | Standard MVP | Ambitious MVP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery & UX | 3,000-6,000 EUR | 6,000-10,000 EUR | 10,000-15,000 EUR |
| Core feature | 10,000-18,000 EUR | 18,000-30,000 EUR | 30,000-45,000 EUR |
| Auth + roles | 3,000-5,000 EUR | 5,000-8,000 EUR | 8,000-12,000 EUR |
| Billing / subscriptions | 4,000-6,000 EUR | 6,000-10,000 EUR | 10,000-15,000 EUR |
| Deployment & QA | 3,000-5,000 EUR | 5,000-8,000 EUR | 8,000-12,000 EUR |
| Total (excl. VAT) | ~30,000 EUR | ~55,000 EUR | ~90,000 EUR |
Add recurring costs that are often forgotten: cloud hosting (150-600 EUR/month depending on load), monitoring and logs (50-200 EUR/month), and a maintenance envelope of 10 to 15% of the project budget per year.
MVP vs v1: where the line sits
MVP / v1 confusion is what blows budgets up. The MVP validates a hypothesis; v1 industrializes what worked. Define that line in writing before the first sprint.
| Criterion | MVP | Product v1 |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Validate the problem and the price | Serve paying customers at scale |
| Feature count | 1 core + auth + billing | 4-8 modules |
| Timeline | 3-5 months | 6-12 months |
| Budget (excl. VAT) | 30,000-90,000 EUR | 80,000-250,000 EUR |
| Integrations | 0-1 | 3-6 (API, SSO, ERP) |
| SLA / support | Best effort | Contractual |
| Technical debt | Tolerated | To be repaid |
Simple rule: if a feature does not change a prospect's decision to pay, it belongs to v1, not the MVP.
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Mini case study
Thomas, founder of a software SME in Nantes, wants to validate a compliance-tracking SaaS for accounting firms. MVP scope: one core feature (automated regulatory checklist), multi-user auth and Stripe billing. Chosen budget: 52,000 EUR (excl. VAT), timeline 4 months. He targets 15 firms at 149 EUR/month, i.e. 2,235 EUR of MRR by the end of the test. At that pace, the MVP pays back in roughly 23 months excluding recurring costs; but above all, in 4 months he gets the traction proof that triggers a first funding round, which completely changes the equation.
FAQ
Can you build a SaaS MVP for under 30,000 EUR? Yes, with no-code or by reducing to a micro-feature, you can drop to 10,000-25,000 EUR, but with a scalability ceiling and a migration cost to plan later. It is a speed choice, not a long-term saving.
How long before the first paying customers? Plan 3 to 5 months of development, then 1 to 2 months of user testing. First revenue often arrives in month 5 or 6 for a well-targeted B2B MVP.
Should billing be included from the MVP? Yes: without a payment module, you cannot measure real willingness to pay. Basic Stripe billing costs 4,000-10,000 EUR and is worth every euro for validation.
What is the most frequent budget trap? Trying to ship a v1 disguised as an MVP: each extra module adds 10,000-30,000 EUR and 3-6 weeks. Scope discipline is the first cost lever.
Is the 400-700 EUR day rate justified? A senior day rate avoids costly rework: a poorly architected MVP is paid for twice. The quality gap shows from v1 and during investors' technical audits.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your core feature, your B2B target and an indicative budget: we scope an achievable MVP in 3-5 months. 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.
