The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, a B2B SaaS MVP that can authenticate, bill and deliver one real piece of value budgets at 35,000-80,000 EUR (about $38k-$87k), over a 10-to-16-week delivery. A mature multi-tenant platform (roles, back-office, integrations, scale) climbs to 80,000-200,000 EUR. The real cost is not the code: it is the time-to-market you lose by hesitating.
What each budget tier actually covers
A SaaS budget reads by scope, not by screen count. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude for a B2B publisher in New York or anywhere else.
| Scope | 2026 budget (EUR) | Timeline | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clickable prototype | 8,000 - 15,000 | 2-4 wks | Figma mockups, flows, no backend |
| Single-feature MVP | 35,000 - 55,000 | 10-12 wks | Auth, 1 core workflow, Stripe, basic admin |
| Enriched MVP | 55,000 - 80,000 | 12-16 wks | Multi-role, notifications, exports, 1 integration |
| Multi-tenant platform | 80,000 - 140,000 | 4-6 mo | Tenant isolation, RBAC, back-office, API |
| Scale-ready platform | 140,000 - 200,000 | 6-9 mo | Observability, SLA, 3+ integrations, i18n |
The line items that blow up a quote are always the same: subscription billing (proration, upgrades, tax), fine-grained role permissions, and third-party integrations (CRM, accounting, SSO). Each serious integration adds 4,000 to 12,000 EUR.
In-house, agency or studio: the real comparison
The question is not only price, but execution risk and speed. 2026 benchmarks to ship the same 55,000-EUR-value MVP.
| Option | Year-1 cost | Time-to-market | Risk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-house hire (CTO + 2 devs) | 180,000 - 260,000 EUR loaded | 6-9 mo (incl. hiring) | High if non-technical | Solid funding, long-term vision |
| Generalist agency | 45,000 - 90,000 EUR | 3-5 mo | Medium (project turnover) | Clear scope, few iterations |
| Specialist SaaS product studio | 40,000 - 120,000 EUR | 3-4 mo | Low | Founder who wants to ship fast |
| Assembled freelancers | 30,000 - 70,000 EUR | 4-6 mo | High (coordination) | Tight budget, CTO on board |
Add the infrastructure run: 200 to 600 EUR/month for an MVP (hosting, database, monitoring), 800 to 1,500 EUR/month once traffic and tenants grow. This recurring cost must appear in your model from the very first pitch.
Mini case study
Thomas, founder of an HR startup in New York, wants to launch an interview-tracking SaaS. He hesitates between hiring (240,000 EUR/year loaded for 3 people) and a studio at 58,000 EUR for a 12-week MVP. Going with the studio, he saves 5 months of recruiting and ramp-up. Over those 5 months he signs 9 pilot clients at 290 EUR/month, i.e. 13,050 EUR of MRR started before spending a single salary. His infra run is 340 EUR/month. Result: he validates the market before his raise and negotiates a higher valuation, because the product already has revenue.
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FAQ
Can you build a SaaS MVP for under 20,000 EUR?
Rarely in a credible B2B way. Below 20,000 EUR you get a prototype or a fragile no-code build; count at least 35,000 EUR for an auth + billing + genuinely sellable workflow foundation.
How much does the Stripe billing part cost?
A subscription billing integration (plans, proration, webhooks, tax) is 3,000 to 10,000 EUR depending on granularity. Never cut corners here: it drives your cash flow.
What run budget should I plan for year one?
Between 200 and 1,500 EUR/month of infrastructure, i.e. 2,400 to 18,000 EUR over the year, excluding evolutive maintenance (count 15-20% of the build cost per year).
How long until the first paying customer?
With a studio and disciplined scope, 10 to 16 weeks for the MVP, then pilots within the first weeks of going live. The limiting factor is your market access, not the code.
Should I build everything custom?
No. Standard bricks (auth, billing, admin) save 4 to 8 weeks. Reserve custom work for what truly differentiates you.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your core feature, your indicative budget and your target launch date, and we'll frame your SaaS MVP with a costed scope. 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.
