How much a software MVP costs — and what should not go in the first one
September 20, 2026 · 3 min read · genbia
Asking “how much is an MVP” without saying what has to work on Friday produces fantasy quotes. A vendor answers a round number. You picture Uber. Six weeks later nobody is aligned.
At Genbia an MVP is the smallest system a real team can operate and measure. It is not a Figma prototype. It is not the full platform with AI, a rider app, e-invoicing, and three “just in case” integrations.
What we are talking about
- Web + API + one role (admin or operations): the cheapest to put in production.
- Web + app (customer or staff): adds stores, QA, and a release cycle.
- Three surfaces (customer, rider, admin): that is a product, not a “generic MVP.” A white-label often beats a from-scratch build.
Custom software starts with discovery. Price follows the cut, not the slogan.
Ranges we use to talk (not a price list)
Order-of-magnitude figures for a project with discovery, production, and handoff. A signed contract can sit outside this if the domain is regulated or the fleet is complex.
| Slice | Typical timeline | Usually includes | Usually excludes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admin + API for one process | 6–10 weeks | Login, one happy path, basic logs | App stores, AI, bulk migrations |
| MVP with one app | 8–14 weeks | One mobile role, simple push, admin | Second app, marketplace, full ERP |
| White-label product (delivery or similar) | Faster start | Branding, environments, what the product already does | Deep custom in month one |
If someone quotes “an Uber Eats-like app” at admin-panel money, either the scope is a lie or the product will not reach production.
Published web plans (landings, sites) are not this article. That is a different line: web development.
What inflates the budget without you noticing
- “While we are here, let’s add…” each extra is a flow, not a sentence.
- Two apps in the first contract when one + admin already tests the business.
- “Simple” integrations (ERP, bank, marketplace) that are a project on their own.
- AI at kickoff. An agent with no statuses and no owner creates tickets, not margin.
- Brand design + software in the same milestone if the process is not defined yet.
What must be in the first release
- An end-to-end flow (create → assign → close, or the equivalent).
- Permissions: who sees what.
- A production environment, not only staging.
- One metric (own orders, no-show, response time).
- Minimal docs and the repo in your account.
Without that it is not an MVP. It is a demo.
How we scope it with the client
We do not ask for a 40-page RFP on the call. We ask: the process that hurts, the user who suffers it, and what you would accept not having in 90 days. Then we pick build, white label, or “not yet.”
Ranges are for commercial conversation. The signed scope wins. GENBIA ships software in production; we do not sell loose hours without a cut.