Delivery
Build an MVP in eight weeks by fixing one user and one job, writing a short scope with explicit exclusions, designing only the screens that job needs, building in weekly increments, and launching to real users before polishing anything else. Eight weeks is realistic for a single-role product without complex billing or heavy integrations; it is not realistic for a multi-tenant platform with several roles.
Write one sentence describing the user and the job. Then write the smallest flow that completes it end to end. List everything else under 'later' and treat that list as closed for the release. Choose the data you need, the accounts, and the one integration that is unavoidable.
Produce a clickable or written flow and a data model. Get agreement on what done means for the first release. This is the week where a vague idea becomes buildable.
Build the happy path first, then the error states that would block a real user: failed payment, expired session, duplicate record, missing email. Keep a staging environment available from week one so feedback happens against running software.
Ship a working slice every week. A weekly demo catches misunderstandings early and keeps the scope honest. Do not start secondary features until the core job works end to end.
Test the critical paths, fix the defects that block the job, and prepare deployment, backups, and monitoring. Write a short handover: how to deploy, where the secrets live, and what to check when something breaks.
Launch to a small group first. Watch what they actually do, not what they say in feedback. The next release should be driven by observed friction, not by the deferred feature list.
Tell us the user and the job. We will reply with a realistic scope, milestones, and a fixed quote.
Last reviewed 22 October 2026. If this answer is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
A focused SaaS MVP usually takes 6 to 12 weeks. A simpler workflow with one user role and one core job can ship in 6 to 10 weeks; a multi-tenant product with billing, admin tooling, and several roles typically takes 14 to 24 weeks. The calendar is usually set by scope decisions and feedback speed, not by typing speed.
Custom software is better when your process is a competitive advantage, no product fits it without expensive workarounds, or you need control over data and integrations. Off-the-shelf software is better when the need is common, the budget is limited, and the tool's standard workflow is acceptable. Most companies should buy commodity functions and build only the parts that are genuinely different.
Build in-house when software is core to the business, you need continuous product work, and you can recruit and retain a team. Hire an agency when you need a defined outcome quickly, lack specialist skills, or want to avoid a long hiring cycle. Many companies do both: an in-house product owner with an external engineering team, then gradually internalise the roles that matter most.