SaaS MVP Cost Breakdown

Building a SaaS product? You're about to spend anywhere from $20K to $100K+ depending on what you're building. Let me show you exactly where that money goes and how to make smart choices along the way.

Why SaaS MVPs Cost What They Do

SaaS isn't just "an app with a login." You're building recurring infrastructure, billing systems, user management, and something that needs to scale from day one. It's more complex than it looks.

The Real Cost Breakdown for a SaaS MVP

Basic SaaS Tool: $20K-$35K

What you get:

• One core feature/tool
• User authentication
• Basic subscription billing (Stripe)
• Simple dashboard
• Email notifications
• Basic settings/profile

Timeline: 6-8 weeks
Example: PDF generator, scheduling tool, simple CRM

Mid-Complexity SaaS: $40K-$65K

What you get:

• 2-3 interconnected features
• Team/organization accounts
• Role-based permissions
• API access
• Multiple subscription tiers
• Integrations (2-3 services)
• Basic analytics dashboard
• Email sequences

Timeline: 10-14 weeks
Example: Project management tool, analytics platform, email marketing software

Complex SaaS Platform: $70K-$120K

What you get:

• Multiple interconnected features
• Advanced user/org management
• Complex permissions system
• Real-time features
• Advanced integrations (5+)
• White-label capabilities
• Custom reporting
• API with documentation
• Webhooks

Timeline: 16-20 weeks
Example: Customer support platform, advanced CRM, workflow automation tool

What Actually Drives SaaS Costs Up

1. Billing & Subscription Management (+$3K-$8K)

You need:

• Multiple subscription tiers
• Trial period handling
• Upgrade/downgrade flows
• Proration logic
• Invoice generation
• Failed payment handling
• Cancellation flows

Yes, Stripe handles payments. But you still need to build all the logic around it.

2. User & Organization Management (+$5K-$12K)

Once you add teams/organizations:

• User invitation system
• Role-based access control
• Team member management
• Organization settings
• Usage tracking per org
• Billing owner vs. team members

This gets complex fast. Every feature needs to respect permissions.

3. API & Integrations (+$2K-$5K per integration)

Each third-party integration requires:

• OAuth setup
• API connection management
• Data syncing logic
• Error handling
• Reconnection flows
• Rate limit management

4. Real-Time Features (+$8K-$15K)

If you need real-time updates, collaboration, or live data:

• WebSocket infrastructure
• Presence detection
• Conflict resolution
• Sync logic
• Offline support

Pro tip: Can you start without real-time? Most SaaS tools don't actually need it in v1.

5. Analytics & Reporting (+$5K-$10K)

Custom dashboards with charts, filters, and exports aren't trivial:

• Data aggregation
• Chart rendering
• Filter/search logic
• Export functionality
• Performance optimization

Smart Ways to Reduce SaaS MVP Costs

Start Single-Tenant

Skip team/org features in v1. Every user gets their own account. Add multi-tenant later when you have paying customers.

Savings: $8K-$15K

Use a Simple Billing Model

Start with one or two plans. No usage-based pricing. No complex proration.

Savings: $3K-$6K

Defer Advanced Features

• API: Build it when customers ask
• White-label: v2 feature
• Advanced reporting: Basic metrics first
• Mobile apps: Responsive web is fine

Savings: $15K-$30K

Leverage Backend-as-a-Service

• Supabase: Auth + database + storage
• Firebase: Real-time database + auth
• Clerk: Advanced auth with teams
• Stripe: Billing management

Savings: $10K-$20K in backend development

The Hidden Ongoing Costs

Don't forget the recurring costs:

Infrastructure ($100-$500/month)

• Hosting (Vercel, AWS, etc.)
• Database (PostgreSQL, MongoDB)
• File storage (S3, Cloudflare R2)
• Email service (SendGrid, Postmark)

Third-Party Services ($50-$300/month)

• Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
• Error tracking (Sentry)
• Analytics (Mixpanel, Amplitude)
• Customer support (Intercom)

Maintenance & Updates ($1K-$3K/month)

• Bug fixes
• Security patches
• Small feature additions
• Performance optimization

Real Example: Simple SaaS Tool

Product: Email signature generator for teams

Core features:

• Drag-and-drop signature builder
• Team templates
• HTML export
• Basic analytics
• Stripe billing (2 plans)

What they skipped in v1:

• Advanced permissions
• API
• Integrations
• White-label
• Mobile app

Cost: $28K
Timeline: 7 weeks
Tech: Next.js, Supabase, Stripe, Vercel
Result: $10K MRR in 4 months, then added advanced features

The Bottom Line

SaaS MVPs typically cost $20K-$65K depending on complexity. The key is figuring out what's actually essential for v1.

Your goal isn't to build the full vision. It's to build the minimum that delivers value and gets paying customers. Everything else can wait.

Focus on:

• One core feature that solves a real problem
• Simple billing that works
• Good UX that doesn't confuse users
• Reliable infrastructure that scales reasonably

The fancy stuff? Build it when you have customers asking for it and revenue to fund it.