The verdict in three sentences
A serious B2B SaaS MVP costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, 30,000 to 70,000 EUR for 12 weeks of work by a 2 to 3 person team in Lyon, and 39,000 to 85,000 EUR with Berlin day rates of 650 to 900 EUR. The scope that convinces angel investors fits in three blocks: one single core feature, Stripe billing that actually collects money and an admin back office. Everything else (native mobile app, multiple integrations, AI added for show) waits until the first paying customers.
The scope that fits in 12 weeks
Non-technical founders often arrive with a list of 40 features. Investors look at something else: a product used by 5 to 10 pilot customers, usage data and first recurring revenue. The breakdown below matches a median budget of 48,000 EUR at an average day rate of 600 EUR, about 80 person-days.
| Block | Scope | Person-days | Budget (600 EUR day rate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery and mockups | Workshops, user journeys, clickable Figma mockups | 8 - 10 | 4,800 - 6,000 EUR |
| Technical foundation | Authentication, multi-tenancy, roles, environments | 10 - 14 | 6,000 - 8,400 EUR |
| Core feature | The end-to-end flow that solves the customer problem | 25 - 40 | 15,000 - 24,000 EUR |
| Stripe billing | Plans, free trial, invoices, webhooks, VAT | 6 - 8 | 3,600 - 4,800 EUR |
| Admin back office | Customer accounts, support, usage metrics | 6 - 10 | 3,600 - 6,000 EUR |
| Testing, security, launch | Key automated tests, GDPR, monitoring | 6 - 8 | 3,600 - 4,800 EUR |
| Total | 61 - 90 | 36,600 - 54,000 EUR |
With a low day rate (500 EUR) and a tight scope, you get close to 30,000 EUR. With senior profiles at 750 EUR in Lyon, or 900 EUR in Berlin, and a complex core feature (calculation engine, domain data import), you reach 70,000 to 85,000 EUR. Launch cloud costs stay modest: 50 to 300 EUR per month (hosting, managed database, transactional email, monitoring).
What to leave out of the MVP
| Frequently requested item | Cost avoided | Why to exclude it from V1 |
|---|---|---|
| Native mobile app | 15,000 - 35,000 EUR | A responsive web app is enough for office-based B2B use |
| More than 2 third-party integrations | 3,000 - 8,000 EUR each | A CSV export or Zapier validates the need first |
| Generative AI module | 5,000 - 15,000 EUR | Add it once usage data exists |
| Full multilingual support | 3,000 - 6,000 EUR | Home market first, translation in V2 |
| Advanced dashboards | 4,000 - 10,000 EUR | 3 key metrics are enough for pilots |
| Enterprise SSO (SAML) | 4,000 - 7,000 EUR | Required by large accounts, rarely by first customers |
These exclusions easily add up to 30,000 to 80,000 EUR of avoided spend, sometimes more than the MVP itself.
Funding the MVP: public grants and loans
In France, the Lyon ecosystem points founders to the Bourse French Tech from Bpifrance, a grant of up to 30,000 EUR for innovative projects under one year old, plus seed loans and honor loans (Réseau Entreprendre, Initiative France) of roughly 15,000 to 90,000 EUR depending on the profile. In Berlin, the equivalent levers are the EXIST Business Start-up Grant for university spin-offs and IBB programs from Berlin's development bank. In both cases, a fully outsourced build must be justified: funders check whether the team can take the product over. Write knowledge transfer and documented code into the contract. In France, service spend may also qualify for the Innovation Tax Credit (20% of eligible spend for SMEs in 2026, to confirm with your accountant).
Mini case study
Julia, a former HR manager turned founder in Berlin, wants to launch a SaaS for annual performance reviews in companies of 50 to 300 employees. She secures 50,000 EUR of non-dilutive and quasi-equity funding. Her MVP, built with a European team, costs 46,000 EUR (78 person-days at an average of 590 EUR) plus 150 EUR a month of cloud; the same scope at Berlin rates of 775 EUR would have cost 60,450 EUR. After a 3-month pilot, she signs 8 companies at 290 EUR per month, 2,320 EUR of MRR and 27,840 EUR of annual recurring revenue. She keeps 4,000 EUR for 6 months of cloud and tools, then raises 400,000 EUR from angels on real numbers instead of a mockup.
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FAQ
What is the minimum budget for a B2B SaaS MVP in 2026?
Below 25,000 EUR, the scope becomes too thin to sell. The realistic range is 30,000 to 70,000 EUR in Lyon and 39,000 to 85,000 EUR at Berlin rates for 12 weeks.
Freelancer or agency for a non-technical founder?
A freelancer at 450 to 650 EUR a day is cheaper, but you carry the coordination and availability risk. A 2 to 3 person team covers product, design and development under one contract.
Should Stripe be in the MVP?
Yes. Billing that actually collects proves willingness to pay and costs only 3,600 to 4,800 EUR. Stripe charges 1.5% + 0.25 EUR per standard European card transaction.
What does the MVP cost once live?
Count 50 to 300 EUR per month of cloud at launch, then 10 to 15% of the initial budget per year for maintenance and fixes.
Do I own the code?
You must: require assignment of intellectual property rights and access to the Git repository from day one. Investors check this during due diligence.
Let's scope your project. We define your SaaS MVP (core feature, Stripe billing, back office) within a 30,000 to 70,000 EUR budget and a 12-week plan. 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.
