Short answer: it depends on who you hire. Long answer: most founders overpay by 5×.
Here is what an MVP actually costs in 2026, with no agency markup and no consultant fluff.
The four main paths
Most non-technical founders end up choosing between four options. Here is what each one realistically costs.
Cheap upfront, but you spend months learning tools instead of testing your idea. Hard to customise. Hits limits fast.
Variable quality. Communication overhead. Often abandoned before launch. You manage the project.
Heavy process, account managers, kickoff decks, change-request paperwork. Most of the cost is overhead, not code.
Fixed price. Fixed scope. One builder, no overhead. You are talking directly to the person shipping your code.
Why agencies cost $30k+
When you hire a traditional development agency, here is roughly where your money goes:
- 40% — project managers, account managers, sales overhead
- 20% — discovery and planning phases (Figma files, Jira boards, kickoff decks)
- 15% — change-request cycles and "scope creep" management
- 25% — actual code being written
You are paying $30,000 for $7,500 worth of code. The other $22,500 is overhead.
How we keep it at $3k–$6k
We removed everything that does not directly contribute to your product going live.
- One builder. No account managers. No project managers. No handoffs.
- Fixed scope agreed on day 1. No mid-project change requests.
- Modern tooling (Next.js, Vercel, managed services) so we ship in days, not months.
- Pre-built foundations for auth, dashboards, and deployment — no reinventing wheels.
The savings come from cutting waste, not cutting quality. Read the full process on the SaaS MVP development page.
What is included in the price
- Conversion-focused landing page
- MVP product with 3–4 core features
- User authentication (sign up, log in, password reset)
- Clean dashboard UI
- Production deployment on your custom domain
- Code ownership — you get the full repository
- 21-day delivery guarantee
- One round of post-launch revisions
No surprise invoices
The number we agree on the call is the number you pay. Hosting and third-party services are paid directly by you so you fully own your accounts.
Get a fixed quote
30 minutes to know what your MVP would cost.
Tell us your idea. We tell you the price, the timeline, and what we would scope. No commitment.
Book a free callCommon questions
Why is Pexa Studio cheaper than agencies?
We are not cheaper because we cut corners. We are cheaper because we cut waste — no account managers, no project managers, no Jira boards, no 6-week discovery phases. The same code, with less overhead.
Are there any hidden costs?
No. The price covers design, development, deployment, and going live on your custom domain. The only additional costs are third-party services you pay directly (domain registration, paid auth providers, etc.) — these are typically under $50 total.
What is not included in the $3k–$6k?
Ongoing hosting fees (typically $0–$30/month on Vercel), domain registration ($10–$15/year), and any paid SaaS tools you choose to use (Stripe, SendGrid, etc.). You pay these directly so you fully own your accounts.
Can I start with the smaller $3k tier?
Yes. The $3k tier covers a lean MVP — landing page, 2–3 core features, basic auth, and deployment. It is the right starting point for founders who want to validate fast with the absolute minimum.
What does the $6k tier include that $3k does not?
More features (typically 4–5 instead of 2–3), a more polished dashboard, payment integration if needed, and deeper UX work. We will tell you which tier fits during the free call — never overscope.
Do you offer payment plans beyond 50/50?
For most projects, the 50/50 milestone split (50% to start, 50% on delivery) is the structure. For larger scopes we can discuss other arrangements on the call.
Want a real number for your idea?
Book a free 30-minute call. By the end you will know the exact price, scope, and timeline.
Book a free call