The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, a single-feature SaaS MVP costs between 30,000 and 60,000 EUR, while a genuinely market-ready V1 (multi-tenant, billing, admin back-office) lands between 70,000 and 150,000 EUR. The real budget trap is not the initial build but the road to product-market fit, which often costs 1.5 to 2 times the V1 budget. Costing by functional block, rather than as one lump forfait, is the only way to keep control.
The price per functional block
A SaaS is never a monolithic block: it is an assembly of modules, each with its own development cost. Thinking this way lets you cut whatever is not critical for the first version.
| Functional block | 2026 scope | Indicative cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication & roles | Login, SSO, permission management | 6,000 – 12,000 |
| Stripe billing | Subscriptions, trials, webhooks, invoices | 8,000 – 16,000 |
| Multi-tenant architecture | Data isolation per organisation | 10,000 – 25,000 |
| Admin back-office | User management, support, metrics | 8,000 – 18,000 |
| Core product feature | The product's value engine | 20,000 – 60,000 |
| GDPR compliance | Consent, export, purge, DPA | 4,000 – 9,000 |
| Product design & UX | Design system, flows, responsive | 10,000 – 22,000 |
A founder adding up these lines quickly sees why a serious V1 rarely stays below 70,000 EUR. The core feature, the only true source of differentiation, deserves the bulk of the budget; the rest is reusable technical plumbing.
Don't forget infra and recurring cost
The build is a one-off investment; infrastructure is a monthly cost that grows with traction. Many founders leave it out of their cash-flow plan.
| Recurring line | Early phase (0-50 clients) | Scale phase (500+ clients) |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud hosting | 200 – 600 EUR/mo | 1,200 – 2,000 EUR/mo |
| Managed database | 80 – 250 EUR/mo | 400 – 900 EUR/mo |
| Tooling (monitoring, email, logs) | 150 – 400 EUR/mo | 500 – 1,200 EUR/mo |
| Stripe fees (1.5% + 0.25 EUR) | Varies with MRR | Varies with MRR |
| Corrective maintenance | 1,000 – 2,500 EUR/mo | 4,000 – 8,000 EUR/mo |
Expect a 2026 order of magnitude of 200 to 2,000 EUR/month in infra depending on load, excluding salaries. This line must appear in the business plan from day one because it drives the break-even point.
Mini case study
Thomas, founder of an HR SaaS in Nantes, wants to launch an annual-review management tool. His V1 includes auth (9,000 EUR), Stripe billing (12,000 EUR), multi-tenant (18,000 EUR), an admin back-office (12,000 EUR), the core evaluation feature (35,000 EUR), GDPR (7,000 EUR) and design (16,000 EUR), totalling 109,000 EUR. He budgets 800 EUR/month of infra for year one, i.e. 9,600 EUR. Applying a PMF factor of 1.7x, his realistic envelope until traction is 185,000 EUR — the figure he presents to investors instead of the build cost alone, which makes his funding ask credible.
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FAQ
Can you launch a SaaS for under 30,000 EUR?
Yes, in no-code or by reducing to a single feature with no real multi-tenancy, you can drop to 15,000-25,000 EUR. But that scope is for validating an idea, not for durably billing demanding clients.
Why does product-market fit cost 1.5 to 2x the V1?
Because after launch you iterate on field feedback: reworked flows, requested features, fixes. A 100,000 EUR V1 budget typically calls for another 50,000 to 100,000 EUR before stabilisation.
Is Stripe mandatory for a B2B SaaS?
No, but it is the standard: integration at 8,000-16,000 EUR, fees of 1.5% + 0.25 EUR per transaction in Europe. For an African market, you pair Wave and Orange Money through a unified module.
How long for a market-ready V1?
Expect 4 to 7 months in 2026 for a 70,000-150,000 EUR V1, depending on the complexity of the core feature and the team size mobilised.
Should everything be custom-built?
No: auth, billing and monitoring rely on proven blocks. Custom work should focus on the core feature that differentiates you, where your competitive edge lies.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your core feature, your B2B target and an indicative budget: we cost each block and a realistic timeline. 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.