The Variables That Actually Drive Cost
Not headcount or brand — the real cost drivers are: how many distinct user roles/permission levels the product needs, whether billing/subscriptions are required from day one, how much of the value depends on AI features versus standard CRUD screens, and whether the MVP needs to integrate with an existing system (an ERP, a payment processor, a data source) or can start from a clean slate.
Why AI-Accelerated Delivery Changes the Math
Boilerplate — auth, basic CRUD screens, standard dashboard layouts — used to be where a large share of MVP budget and timeline went. AI-accelerated scaffolding compresses that part significantly, which shifts both cost and time toward the genuinely custom parts: the specific business logic and AI features that actually differentiate the product.
A Realistic Way to Scope It
Rather than asking for a number up front, a scoping call that maps the one core user flow, the must-have integrations, and whether billing is in scope for v1 produces a far more accurate estimate than any generic 'SaaS MVP starts at $X' answer — which is why the first consultation here is a scoping conversation, not a quote off a price list.