The verdict in three sentences
A commercial B2B SaaS platform v1 in New York runs between 120,000 and 350,000 USD, roughly double an MVP. The difference lies in four bricks that make the product sellable to enterprise: fine-grained roles and permissions, a documented public API, SSO and analytics. Plan 5 to 8 months of development and 2,500 to 6,000 USD/month maintenance to hold an SLA.
What makes up a v1 platform
The commercial v1 adds everything an MVP lacks to close demanding customers: enterprise security, integrations and control.
| Brick | Effort (days) | 2026 cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Consolidated MVP base + refactoring | 20-30 | 13,000 - 28,000 |
| Roles, permissions, audit trail | 15-25 | 10,000 - 22,000 |
| Documented REST/GraphQL API | 18-30 | 14,000 - 35,000 |
| SAML / OIDC SSO | 10-18 | 8,000 - 20,000 |
| Analytics + reporting | 15-22 | 11,000 - 22,000 |
| Advanced billing (tiers, proration) | 12-20 | 9,000 - 20,000 |
| Scalability, observability, security | 18-28 | 14,000 - 32,000 |
| Premium UX + design system | 20-30 | 15,000 - 32,000 |
| v1 total | 128-203 d | 120,000 - 350,000 |
The New York day rate at this seniority sits between 900 and 1,500 USD in 2026. A mixed team (lead + dev + UX) is essential beyond 120 days.
Infrastructure and recurring costs
A B2B platform that handles load and an SLA has higher infra costs than an MVP.
| Item | 2026 order of magnitude (USD/month) |
|---|---|
| Scalable infra (containers, managed Postgres, CDN) | 500 - 2,500 |
| Observability (logs, APM, alerting) | 100 - 500 |
| Maintenance + features + SLA | 2,500 - 6,000 |
| Security (WAF, scans, secrets) | 120 - 600 |
| Tooled customer support | 120 - 500 |
A francophone nearshore agency often delivers the same scope 30 to 45% cheaper at comparable quality than a New York studio.
Mini case study
Mark, CTO of a logistics software vendor in New York, must turn his MVP into a platform sellable to carriers. v1 scope: multi-site roles, public API, OIDC SSO, analytics. Accepted quote: 185,000 USD over 6.5 months, team of 3. Infra and maintenance: 4,000 USD/month. At 12 B2B clients at 1,500 USD/month he generates 18,000 USD MRR; after 4,000 USD recurring costs, gross monthly margin is 14,000 USD, amortising the v1 in about 13 months (estimate) excluding acquisition.
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FAQ
What is the price gap between an MVP and a v1 platform?
Roughly double: 50-130k USD for an MVP, 120-350k USD for a commercial v1 with roles, API, SSO and analytics.
Is SSO really essential?
To sell to enterprise, yes: SAML/OIDC SSO (8,000-20,000 USD) is often a prerequisite from their IT department to sign.
Do I need a public API at v1?
If customers want to integrate your tool into their systems, yes. A documented API (14,000-35,000 USD) becomes a sales argument and reduces churn.
How much should I budget for B2B platform infra?
Between 500 and 2,500 USD/month depending on load, excluding maintenance. An SLA platform has unavoidable observability and security costs.
Is a nearshore agency cheaper than New York?
Yes: for equal scope, a francophone nearshore agency often delivers 30 to 45% cheaper than the 120,000-350,000 USD of a New York studio (2026 estimate).
Let's scope your project. Specify your v1 needs (roles, API, SSO, analytics), target user load and budget (120-350k USD). We deliver a costed architecture. 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.
