MVP development: build the smallest thing that proves something
The short answer: an MVP is the smallest version of your product that real users can use, and that can prove or disprove your most important assumption. It typically takes 6–12 weeks, and we build it in a fixed package from DKK 18,000 plus DKK 600 a month.
- 18.000 kr
- Small package with 12 features
- 24
- Hours to a written fixed-price proposal
- 2016
- Copenhagen software studio since
An MVP is not a cheap version of the finished product. It is an experiment with real users. Typical market ranges in Denmark are DKK 45,000–150,000 at smaller studios, and Copenhagen consultancies bill senior time at roughly DKK 750–1,500 an hour. We price in fixed packages instead, so you know the amount before the first line of code is written. For the full picture on app budgets, read how much an app costs.
What is an MVP, and what isn’t it?
MVP stands for minimum viable product: the smallest product that is viable enough for someone to use it of their own accord. "Minimum" tends to get all the attention, but "viable" is the hard part. An MVP has to solve one problem well enough that users come back. Otherwise you learn nothing, and you have simply paid for a demo.
An MVP is
- One core flow that solves one specific problem
- Built on the codebase you will scale from
- Set up to measure whether users do what you hope
- Ready for real users, with login, data and hosting
An MVP is not
- A demo that only works when you do the clicking
- Every idea from the whiteboard at once
- A throwaway prototype that has to be rebuilt
- A finished product with an admin panel for everything
How does MVP development work, week by week?
Most MVPs land between 6 and 12 weeks from the first meeting to launch. The flow below is the long version. If you have already tested the idea with users, or there is only one flow and one integration, the steps can be compressed.
Weeks 1–2: Scope
We cut the idea down to the one assumption that needs proving and write the feature list. You get a written fixed-price proposal.
Weeks 3–4: Design
Screens are designed and tested as a clickable prototype, so the expensive mistakes are caught before they become code.
Weeks 5–9: Build
We build in React, Next.js or React Native with TypeScript. You follow progress on a staging environment.
Weeks 10–11: Test
The first users get access. We fix what trips them up and set up measurement on the core flow.
Week 12: Launch
The product goes live with hosting, backups and SSL in place. From here on it is about data, not opinions.
What belongs in an MVP, and what can wait?
The easiest way to blow the budget is to smuggle version 2 into version 1. We use a simple rule of thumb: if a feature isn’t needed for the first user to complete the core flow, it waits.
The rule of thumb when the feature list needs cutting.
| In the MVP | Later |
|---|---|
| Login and user profile | Advanced roles and permissions |
| The core flow, end to end | Side flows and edge cases |
| One payment method or one integration | More payment methods and systems |
| Simple admin to correct data | Dashboards and reports |
| Tracking of the key actions | Personalisation and recommendations |
| Email on key events | Push, SMS and newsletters |
How much does MVP development cost?
Our packages are built for exactly this exercise. You pick a ceiling for features and integrations, and the price is fixed. The monthly fee covers hosting, maintenance and updates, support, security/SSL and backups – the costs that otherwise surface after launch.
Ceptiv’s fixed packages for web apps and mobile apps.
| Package | Web app | Mobile app | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | DKK 18,000 + DKK 600/month (EUR 2,500 + EUR 85) | DKK 28,000 + DKK 1,200/month (EUR 4,000 + EUR 165) | 12 features, 1 integration |
| Medium | DKK 36,000 + DKK 900/month (EUR 5,000 + EUR 125) | DKK 48,000 + DKK 1,800/month (EUR 6,500 + EUR 250) | 24 features, 2 integrations |
| Large | DKK 54,000 + DKK 1,200/month (EUR 7,500 + EUR 165) | DKK 72,000 + DKK 2,400/month (EUR 10,000 + EUR 325) | 36 features, 3 integrations |
Most MVPs fit in Small or Medium. If you need more after launch, we add features at a fixed price per extra feature. You can cancel with 30 days’ notice and you always own the code and data. Cancelling within the first 15 months carries a one-time fee of DKK 9,000, 12,000 or 15,000 depending on the package. Every detail is on pricing.
Should you validate before you build?
Often, yes. If you are unsure whether users will understand the idea, a clickable prototype is the cheapest way to find out. It looks like the finished product, can be tested on a phone and quickly shows whether the core flow makes sense. If the prototype holds up, the design becomes the foundation for the MVP, so no work is wasted.
If, on the other hand, you are confident about the need because you already sell the service manually or run it in a spreadsheet, skip the prototype and go straight to a small MVP. The best validation is still someone paying.
What happens after the MVP?
For Jobero we started at the first sketch and delivered the brand, the design and the full system. That is the typical path: the MVP is the foundation, not a sketch that ends up in the bin. For Migrow the core was a project portal where companies find development projects to support – one clear flow rather than ten half-finished ones. Once users have shown you what they actually use, you build on what works.
If the product is heading towards subscriptions and many customers on one platform, the next step is SaaS development. Ready to cut your idea down to size? Send us your brief and you will have a fixed quote within 24 hours.
What our clients say
We have worked with Ceptiv on several of our digital offerings, and they have become a natural part of the team. They move fast, turning ideas into new designs and clickable prototypes quickly, so we can test with customers early instead of debating on paper.
FAQ
Questions about MVP development
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Tell us what you need built
You get a written fixed-price proposal within 24 hours. No sales calls required.
