A founder told me his MVP cost $5,000.
Six months later, he’d spent another $35,000 rebuilding it because it couldn’t handle real users.
Total cost: $40,000 and 9 months. For a product he could have built right the first time for $15,000 in 8 weeks.
This pattern is so common it’s almost predictable. The budget you set for your MVP determines what you get. And most founders don’t know what each price range actually buys.
Here’s a breakdown with real numbers. Save this before your next developer conversation.
Where does your current product sit on this scale? And where do you need it to be?
This post came with a document.
The Real Cost of an MVP (7-page document) is attached to the post on LinkedIn.