An MVP isn’t an unfinished product; it’s a focused one
The point of an MVP isn’t to do everything, but to test the riskiest assumption with real users as quickly as possible. So we start not from a feature list but from one question: why will a user use this product, and in which flow will we see it? The first version is built around that flow; everything else comes after the measurements.
Stages and timelines
| Stage | What it includes | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Clickable prototype | A flow to show investors or users before any code is written | 1-2 weeks |
| Web MVP | One core flow, sign-up and login, a basic admin panel, measurement | 3-6 weeks |
| Mobile MVP (iOS + Android) | Both platforms from one codebase; store release on top | 4-8 weeks |
Fast, but not throwaway code
Shipping fast doesn’t mean writing something to throw away later. We build the MVP on a foundation that won’t need rewriting as it grows. That is how we took our own products from a first version to the user numbers they have today.
A typical 3-6 week MVP timeline
The timeline below is for a web MVP with one core flow. You get a working version to open and try every week, and the open task list shows what is done and what is next. With a tighter scope the steps overlap and the whole thing can take as little as 3 weeks.
- 01
Narrowing the scope
Week 1We write down the riskiest assumption and the single flow that will test it. The list of what stays out of the first version comes out of this week too.
- 02
Flows and wireframes
Weeks 1-2The screens of the core flow are drawn in low detail. No code is written until you approve them.
- 03
Building the core flow
Weeks 2-4The flow that gives people a reason to use the product starts working from start to finish. At the end of each week there is a version you can try.
- 04
Sign-up, admin panel and measurement
Weeks 3-5Login, a basic admin screen and measurement showing where users drop off are added.
- 05
Testing and launch
Weeks 5-6Our senior QA engineer runs the core flow across different devices and scenarios. The product goes live with its first users.
- 06
The first 30 days after launch
30 daysAny bugs that turn up are fixed free of charge. Measurement data starts to build up, and the decision to continue is made on that data.
What goes into the first version and what can wait
The quickest way to split a feature list in two is to ask: could a first user still try the product without this? If the answer is yes, the feature can wait.
In the first version
- The one flow the product exists for, from start to finish
- Sign-up and login
- A basic admin panel for seeing users and records
- Measurement showing the step where users give up
- One payment method, if the assumption you are testing is whether people will pay
After the measurements
- Several roles and fine-grained permissions
- Multiple languages, if the first market speaks one
- Personalisation and recommendations
- Detailed reports and export screens
- “Nice to have” screens that don’t serve the core flow
Agree on what success looks like before any code
Once an MVP is live, “did users like it?” can easily go unanswered. To avoid that, we write down together which numbers we will look at before development starts, and the measurement is set up around them.
Activation
How many of the people who signed up completed the core flow for the first time? Sign-ups on their own say little.
Return visits
Do users come back after the first week? When a product meets a need, people return to it.
Willingness to pay
For a paid product, how many first users got as far as the payment step?
User conversations
Short calls with your first users explain why the numbers came out the way they did.
What to prepare before the discovery call
- One sentence describing the problem the product solves
- Who your first 10-20 users are, and how you will reach them
- How those people solve the problem today (Excel, a WhatsApp group, a competing app)
- Your budget range, and a launch date if you have one to hit
- For a mobile MVP, Apple and Google developer accounts opened in your company’s name
Frequently asked questions
How long does an MVP take?
A web-based MVP with one core flow typically goes live in 3-6 weeks; shipping on iOS and Android at the same time takes 4-8 weeks, plus time for store review. If you want to see it before any code is written, a clickable prototype takes 1-2 weeks.
What happens after the MVP?
We look at the measurements together and assess what works. If you continue, the product grows on time & materials or under a new fixed scope, or your own team can take the code over.
How is my idea kept confidential?
We can sign your NDA before discussing the details, and source code and IP transfer to you in full once payment is complete.
I’m not technical. How will I know the work is on track?
Your single point of contact is a product owner (PO), who follows up the technical questions on your behalf. Every week you open and try a working version yourself, and the open task list shows what is finished. You don’t need to read code to judge progress.
What if my idea changes during development?
That is normal in an MVP, because the idea sharpens once you see early versions. We send the time and budget impact of any scope change in writing within 24 hours, and the decision stays with you. Taking another feature off the list when a new one comes in usually keeps the timeline intact.
How much does an MVP cost?
It depends mostly on how complex the core flow is and which platforms you launch on. Projects start from US$1,000, and our rates are US$25-60 per person-hour, depending on the role. Fixed-scope projects get a single total price after the discovery call, once the scope is written down.