How much does it actually cost to build a SaaS platform? Real numbers from 50+ shipped projects.
By David Friedman, Founder of AppBrewers
I have shipped 50+ SaaS platforms in the last four years. The smallest cost €8,000. The largest cost €150,000. Here is exactly what drives the difference.
The Short Answer
| Stage | Price Range | Timeline | What You Get |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | €8,000–€15,000 | 4–6 weeks | Auth, core feature, billing, admin panel |
| Growth | €15,000–€30,000 | 6–10 weeks | MVP + teams, integrations, analytics |
| Enterprise | €30,000–€60,000 | 10–16 weeks | SSO, audit logs, SLA, dedicated support |
What Drives SaaS Cost
1. Feature Complexity
Not all features are equal. Here is what each feature actually costs to build:
| Feature | MVP Cost | Growth Cost | Enterprise Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| User authentication | €800 | €1,500 | €3,000 |
| Stripe subscriptions | €1,500 | €2,500 | €4,000 |
| Admin dashboard | €2,000 | €4,000 | €8,000 |
| Team/organization support | €0 | €3,000 | €6,000 |
| Role-based permissions | €500 | €2,000 | €5,000 |
| API for integrations | €0 | €2,500 | €5,000 |
| Webhooks | €0 | €1,500 | €3,000 |
| File uploads/storage | €500 | €1,500 | €3,000 |
| Real-time notifications | €1,000 | €2,000 | €4,000 |
| Analytics dashboard | €0 | €2,500 | €6,000 |
| AI features | €2,000 | €5,000 | €10,000 |
| SSO (SAML/OAuth) | €0 | €0 | €5,000 |
Note: €0 means not included at that stage.
2. Database Design
A poorly designed database costs €10,000+ to fix later. Multi-tenant SaaS requires:
- Row-level security from day one
- Tenant isolation (shared schema vs separate schema)
- Data migration strategy
- Backup and recovery plan
3. Third-Party Integrations
Each integration adds cost:
- Stripe: €1,500–€3,000
- SendGrid/Mailgun: €500–€1,000
- Slack/Discord notifications: €1,000–€2,000
- Google Calendar/Outlook: €1,500–€2,500
- Zapier/Make.com: €1,000–€2,000
- HubSpot/Salesforce: €2,000–€5,000
Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About
1. Maintenance (20–30% of build cost annually)
- Bug fixes: €2,000–€5,000/year
- Dependency updates: €1,000–€2,000/year
- Security patches: €500–€1,500/year
- Server costs: €100–€1,000/month
- Stripe fees: 0.5% + €0.25 per transaction
2. Compliance
- GDPR documentation: €2,000–€5,000
- SOC 2 audit: €15,000–€50,000
- Penetration testing: €3,000–€10,000
3. Marketing Site
Every SaaS needs a landing page. Budget €2,000–€5,000 for:
- Homepage with pricing
- Features page
- Documentation/knowledge base
- Blog setup
Why MVP-First Saves Money
The biggest mistake founders make: building too much in v1.
Wrong approach:
- 6-month build
- 15 features
- €40,000 spent
- Zero paying customers
Right approach:
- 4-week build
- 3 core features
- €10,000 spent
- 5 paying customers by week 6
The difference: validation before scale.
Our Process at AppBrewers
Week 1: Discovery
- Define core feature
- Choose pricing model
- Map user flow
- Strip everything non-essential
Week 2: Design + Prototype
- Clickable Figma prototype
- Test with 3 potential users
- Iterate based on feedback
Weeks 3–6: MVP Build
- Auth (Firebase Auth)
- Core feature
- Stripe billing
- Admin dashboard
- Deploy to production
Weeks 7–8: Launch + Iterate
- First paying customer
- Analytics setup
- Bug fixes
- Plan v2 features
Tech Stack Cost Comparison
| Stack | Build Cost | Hosting/Month | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Next.js + Firebase | €8,000–€15,000 | €50–€200 | Fast, scalable, serverless | Vendor lock-in |
| Next.js + Supabase | €10,000–€18,000 | €50–€300 | Open source, PostgreSQL | Smaller community |
| Laravel + MySQL | €8,000–€14,000 | €30–€150 | Mature ecosystem | Slower development |
| Django + PostgreSQL | €10,000–€18,000 | €40–€200 | Secure by default | Smaller talent pool |
Real Project Examples
Project 1: Appointment Booking SaaS
- Features: Booking, payments, notifications, admin dashboard
- Stack: Next.js + Firebase + Stripe
- Cost: €12,000
- Timeline: 5 weeks
- Result: 30 paying customers in first month
Project 2: AI Writing Assistant
- Features: AI generation, team collaboration, API, webhooks
- Stack: Next.js + Supabase + OpenAI
- Cost: €28,000
- Timeline: 8 weeks
- Result: €5,000 MRR in 3 months
Project 3: B2B Analytics Platform
- Features: Data import, charts, team roles, SSO, audit logs
- Stack: Next.js + Firebase + Stripe
- Cost: €45,000
- Timeline: 12 weeks
- Result: Enterprise contracts worth €200,000/year
How to Get an Accurate Quote
- Define one core feature — the thing users pay for
- Choose a pricing model — subscription, usage-based, or one-time
- List must-have integrations — Stripe, email, calendar
- Set a timeline — 4 weeks for MVP, 8 weeks for growth
- Get 3 quotes — compare scope, not just price
Need a SaaS Quote?
We have shipped 50+ SaaS platforms. Tell us your idea and we will map the MVP scope and give you a fixed-price quote.
Originally published on the AppBrewers Blog.
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