How Much Does It Really Cost to Build a SaaS Platform in 2026?

Building a SaaS platform is one of the most powerful ways to create recurring revenue and scalable digital products.

But one of the first (and hardest) questions founders and business owners ask is:

“How much will it cost to build my SaaS?”

The honest answer is: it depends—on scope, complexity, integrations, performance needs, and long‑term plans.

This guide will give you realistic price ranges, what affects cost the most, and how to avoid expensive mistakes when hiring a development team.

What actually goes into SaaS development cost?

When you pay for SaaS development, you’re not just paying for “code”.

You’re investing in:

Product discovery and feature planning
UX/UI design
Backend architecture and database design
Frontend (web and possibly mobile)
Integrations (payments, email, analytics, third‑party APIs)
Infrastructure and deployment
Security and monitoring
Post‑launch improvements

Ignoring any of these usually leads to hidden costs later—rewrites, downtime, or lost customers.

Typical SaaS cost ranges in 2026

Every project is unique, but based on real projects, you can think in three stages:

1) MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

Goal: Launch a usable first version, validate the idea, get real users.

Typical scope:

User authentication & roles
Core feature set (one main workflow done well)
Basic billing (subscription or one‑time)
Simple admin panel
Basic analytics

Estimated range: $7,000 – $25,000

Factors increasing cost:

Multiple user roles with different dashboards
Complex billing logic
Multiple languages or regions

2) V1 Product (Post‑validation)

Goal: Turn a validated MVP into a reliable product customers can depend on.

Typical scope:

Improved UX/UI
More robust permissions and roles
Better reporting and dashboards
Integrations (CRM, email tools, payment providers, etc.)
Performance and security improvements

Estimated range: $25,000 – $60,000+

You’re paying for stability and scalability, not just new features.

3) Scalable / enterprise‑ready SaaS

Goal: Support hundreds or thousands of users, larger data volumes, and more complex operations.

Typical scope:

Multi‑tenant architecture
Advanced role/permission models
High availability and load handling
Audit logs & compliance features
Advanced analytics and custom reporting
Deep third‑party system integrations

Estimated range: $60,000 – $150,000+

At this stage, cutting corners on architecture usually becomes very expensive later.

Key factors that increase or reduce cost

1) Scope clarity

A clear feature list and priorities reduce cost.

✅ Clear user stories and flows
✅ “Must‑have vs nice‑to‑have” list
❌ Vague requirements that change weekly

2) Complexity of workflows

Two SaaS products with the same number of screens can have very different complexity:

Simple: CRUD operations, basic filters
Complex: multi‑step approvals, dynamic pricing, conditional logic, external data sync

3) Integration needs

Each integration (payments, CRM, ERP, email, etc.) adds development, testing, and maintenance time.

4) Quality expectations

If you care about:

Fast loading times
Clean, maintainable code
Monitoring and error tracking
Security and data protection

…then you’re investing in a professional product, not a prototype.

One‑time cost vs ongoing cost

SaaS is never a pure one‑time expense.

You should plan for:

Initial build (MVP or V1)
Monthly hosting and infrastructure (cloud, databases, storage, CDNs)
Maintenance & improvements (bug fixes, small features, security updates)

A realistic monthly maintenance budget is often 10–20% of the initial build cost if you keep improving the product.

How to reduce SaaS development cost without killing quality

1) Start with a focused MVP

Instead of building “everything”, build:

One primary user type
One core workflow
One main way to create value

You can add advanced features after validating that users are willing to pay.

2) Choose a partner who understands architecture

Rebuilding a poorly designed system often costs more than doing it properly from the start.

Ask your development partner about:

How they design multi‑tenant systems
How they handle scaling and performance
Their approach to security and data protection

3) Avoid cheap “Frankenstein” solutions

Mixing random freelancers, no‑code prototypes, and unmaintainable plugins can lead to:

No unified architecture
Expensive migrations later
Technical debt that blocks growth

Should you build in‑house or hire a development company?

In‑house team:

Better long‑term control
Higher fixed monthly cost
Requires strong technical leadership

Specialized development company (like Marquefactory):

Experienced team ready from day one
Clear project pricing and milestones
Technical and product guidance based on real projects

Many startups begin with a specialized partner, then build an internal team once revenue or investment grows.

Final thoughts

There is no single fixed price for “a SaaS app”.

But you can plan better by understanding:

What stage you’re at (MVP, V1, or scaling)
How complex your workflows and integrations are
How serious you are about performance and long‑term stability

Treat SaaS development as an investment in a real product, not a one‑time expense.

Planning a SaaS platform for your business?

At Marquefactory, we help startups and growing businesses:

Define realistic MVP scopes
Design scalable architectures
Build and launch SaaS platforms that can grow over time

Contact us:
https://marquefactory.com/#contact

View our work:
https://marquefactory.com/case-studies/service-commerce/