MVP cost calculator
Start from a lean MVP feature set, then see what each feature adds and what cutting it would save.
Free, runs in your browser, no sign-up. Updated 2026-10-25.
Result
Estimated cost $12,200 – $27,400 (USD), 5–10 weeks with a team of 2. Platform: Web app. Design: Existing UI kit / template. Features: Sign-up, login, password reset; User profiles and settings; Core records: create, list, edit, delete (per main entity); Dashboard with charts; Email and push notifications; Admin panel.
- Timeline
- 5–10 weeks
- Total hours
- 264–594
- Engineering hours
- 182–410
- Team
- 2 people
| Role | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering | 182–410 | $9,100 – $20,500 |
| Product design | 27–61 | $1,200 – $2,800 |
| QA / testing | 36–82 | $1,100 – $2,500 |
| Project management | 18–41 | $729 – $1,600 |
| Feature | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-up, login, password reset | 25–50 | $1,700 – $3,300 |
| User profiles and settings | 17–33 | $1,100 – $2,200 |
| Core records: create, list, edit, delete (per main entity) | 41–83 | $2,800 – $5,500 |
| Dashboard with charts | 33–83 | $2,200 – $5,500 |
| Email and push notifications | 25–58 | $1,700 – $3,900 |
| Admin panel | 41–103 | $2,800 – $6,900 |
What cutting a feature would save
Each row re-runs the estimate without that feature, including its share of design, QA and project management. Biggest saving first.
| Drop this feature | Saves | Weeks saved |
|---|---|---|
| Admin panel | $2,800 – $6,900 | 1–3 |
| Core records: create, list, edit, delete (per main entity) | $2,800 – $5,500 | 1–2 |
| Dashboard with charts | $2,200 – $5,500 | 1–2 |
| Email and push notifications | $1,700 – $3,900 | 1–2 |
| Sign-up, login, password reset | $1,700 – $3,300 | 1–1 |
| User profiles and settings | $1,100 – $2,200 | 1–1 |
Assumptions
Every number the result depends on, and where it comes from. Change any value and the result updates.
| Assumption | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering rate | USD/hour | OceanLab's rates are $30–50/hr depending on role and seniority. Other teams' rates vary several-fold by country and seniority; replace them with the rates you are quoted.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| Product design rate | USD/hour | OceanLab's rates are $30–50/hr depending on role and seniority. Other teams' rates vary several-fold by country and seniority; replace them with the rates you are quoted.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| QA / testing rate | USD/hour | OceanLab's rates are $30–50/hr depending on role and seniority. Other teams' rates vary several-fold by country and seniority; replace them with the rates you are quoted.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| Project management rate | USD/hour | OceanLab's rates are $30–50/hr depending on role and seniority. Other teams' rates vary several-fold by country and seniority; replace them with the rates you are quoted.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| Product design hours | 15 % | OceanLab assumption. Hours for this role as a share of engineering hours. Planning assumption.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| QA / testing hours | 20 % | OceanLab assumption. Hours for this role as a share of engineering hours. Planning assumption.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| Project management hours | 10 % | OceanLab assumption. Hours for this role as a share of engineering hours. Planning assumption.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| Contingency | % | OceanLab assumption. Buffer for unknowns found during the build. Planning assumption.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| Productive hours per person per week | hours | OceanLab assumption. 40 paid hours minus meetings and review. Planning assumption.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| Platform multiplier: Web app | 1 × | OceanLab assumption. Baseline: one responsive web app.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| Design multiplier: Existing UI kit / template | 0.9 × | OceanLab assumption. Less custom UI work. Planning assumption.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
Send this estimate to OceanLab
Opens an email to OceanLab with this result and a link to your inputs. Nothing is sent until you press send, and there is no sign-up.
How this is calculated
Same engine as the software development cost calculator, starting from a lean preset: sign-up, profiles, one core record type, a dashboard, notifications and an admin panel, on the web, with template design and a team of two.
The cut-scope list re-runs the estimate without each selected feature and shows what dropping it saves, biggest saving first.
Feature hours are OceanLab planning assumptions and every rate is editable.
Sources
- ECB euro reference exchange rates (22 Oct 2026) · checked 2026-10-23
Questions about this tool
What should an MVP include?
Only what you need to test your riskiest assumption with real users. Use the cut-scope list to see which features cost the most and could wait for version two.
How is this different from the software development cost calculator?
It uses the same engine and assumptions, with a lean preset and a list showing what removing each feature saves.
Which hourly rates does it use?
Default rates are OceanLab's own: $50 an hour for engineering, $45 for design, $40 for project management and $30 for QA. Change any of them to the rates you have been quoted.
Is anything I enter sent anywhere?
No. The tool runs in your browser and there is no sign-up. Nothing leaves the page unless you choose to email your result to OceanLab.
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