What Is an MVP? (Startup Meaning, Examples & How Founders Use It)

Landing Page MVP

What it is: A simple website that explains your product concept, shows pricing, and captures email signups—without actually building the product.

When to use it: When you need to validate market demand before investing in development. Perfect for testing different value propositions, pricing strategies, or target audiences.

Example: Buffer used a two-page landing page to validate demand before writing any code. They tested whether people would pay for scheduled social media posts by measuring signups to a product that didn\'t exist yet.

Concierge MVP

What it is: You manually deliver the service you plan to automate later. Instead of building software, you do everything by hand for early customers.

When to use it: When you\'re not sure exactly what features users need or how they want the service delivered. This approach lets you learn the process intimately before automating it.

Example: Food on the Table (acquired by Scripps) started by having the founder personally shop for customers and create meal plans by hand. This taught them exactly what users valued before building automation.

Wizard of Oz MVP

What it is: You build a front-end interface that appears fully functional, but you\'re manually handling processes behind the scenes. Users think it\'s automated, but you\'re the wizard behind the curtain.

When to use it: When the front-end experience is simple but the back-end automation is complex or uncertain. This lets you validate the user experience before building expensive automation.

Example: Zapier\'s first integrations were partially manual. The interface looked automated, but founders were manually triggering some workflows until they validated which integrations mattered most.

Single Feature MVP

What it is: A functioning product that does one thing exceptionally well, with all other features intentionally excluded.

When to use it: When you have a clear understanding of the core value proposition and need to test whether users will adopt and pay for that single feature before adding more.

Example: Instagram launched with just photo sharing and filters—no video, no stories, no shopping. This focused approach made the app simple to understand and fast to use, which drove viral growth.

Explainer Video MVP

What it is: A video demonstrating how your product would work, used to gauge interest and collect signups before building anything.

When to use it: When your product concept is technical or complex to build, but easy to explain visually. Perfect for testing whether people understand and want your solution.

Example: Dropbox\'s demo video showed how file syncing would work before they built the complex sync technology. The video went viral on Hacker News and generated 75,000 signups, validating massive demand before investing in development.

Piecemeal MVP

What it is: You combine existing tools and services to create your product without building custom technology. The user experience may be clunky, but it validates the core concept.

When to use it: When you can achieve most of your product\'s functionality by combining Stripe, Airtable, Zapier, and other existing tools. Perfect for validating business model before investing in custom development.

Example: Groupon started as a WordPress blog where the founder manually created PDF coupons and emailed them to subscribers. Only after validating the business model did they build custom technology.

1. Overbuilding

Adding "just one more feature" until your MVP becomes a 6-month project. The cure: set a hard deadline and cut scope ruthlessly.

2. Skipping Validation

Building before talking to potential users. The cure: interview 20+ potential customers before writing a single line of code.

3. Confusing MVP with V1

An MVP is for learning, not launching. V1 is for growth. If you're thinking about press releases and launch parties, you've already gone too far.

4. Hiring Too Early

Bringing on a CTO or full dev team before validating the idea. The cure: use contractors, agencies, or no-code tools until you have proven traction.

5. Ignoring Unit Economics

Building something people want but can't sustainably pay for. The cure: test pricing early, even if it feels uncomfortable.

What does MVP stand for?

MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product. In the startup world, it refers to the simplest version of a product that can be released to test a business idea with real users. The goal is to validate demand before investing heavily in development. The term was popularized by Eric Ries in The Lean Startup methodology, which emphasizes building, measuring, and learning quickly. A true MVP should have just enough features to solve one core problem for early adopters—nothing more. It's not about building a mediocre product; it's about building the right product by learning what users actually need before committing resources to full development.

Can a non-technical founder build an MVP?

Absolutely. Many successful startups were founded by non-technical founders who built their first MVP using no-code tools, hired freelancers, or partnered with an MVP development team. The key is understanding what to build, not necessarily how to code it yourself. Non-technical founders can use platforms like Bubble, Webflow, or Airtable to create functional MVPs without writing code. Alternatively, you can hire freelance developers on platforms like Upwork or partner with an agency that specializes in MVP development. Some founders even use manual processes (like Excel spreadsheets or email) to simulate their product before building anything technical. The most important skill isn't coding—it's understanding your users and their problems deeply enough to build the right solution.

How long does it take to build an MVP?

Most MVPs take between 4-12 weeks to build, depending on complexity. Simple MVPs using no-code tools can launch in 2-4 weeks. Custom-built MVPs with unique features typically take 8-12 weeks. The timeline depends on scope, not ambition. If your MVP is taking longer than 12 weeks, you're likely overbuilding. The fastest MVPs focus ruthlessly on one core feature and cut everything else. Remember that successful companies like Dropbox validated their idea with a simple demo video in less than a week, while Airbnb launched their initial MVP over a single weekend. Speed is crucial because every week spent building is a week you're not learning from real users. Set a hard deadline and work backward to determine which features are truly essential.

How much does an MVP cost?

MVP costs range from $5,000 to $50,000+ depending on the approach. No-code MVPs cost less but have limitations. Custom development costs more but offers flexibility. Most early-stage founders spend $15,000-$30,000 on their first testable version. The specific cost depends on several factors: complexity of features, whether you need custom design, integration requirements, and whether you're using freelancers, an agency, or building it yourself. No-code solutions can cost as little as $2,000-$8,000 but may not work for complex products. Freelance developers typically charge $5,000-$20,000 for basic MVPs. Agencies charge $20,000-$50,000+ but offer more expertise and support. Use our MVP cost calculator to get a personalized estimate based on your specific requirements.

Is no-code good enough for an MVP?

For many startups, yes. No-code tools like Bubble, Webflow, or Glide can create functional MVPs that validate core assumptions. However, if your product requires complex logic, real-time features, or needs to scale quickly, custom development may be necessary from the start. No-code works exceptionally well for content-heavy products, simple marketplaces, form-based applications, or basic SaaS tools. It's perfect when your main goal is testing business viability rather than technical feasibility. But no-code has limitations: it can be harder to customize deeply, may have performance issues at scale, and can be difficult to migrate away from if you grow. If your competitive advantage is technical innovation or you need features that don't exist in no-code platforms, start with custom development. Many successful companies like Airbnb and Uber started with relatively simple code because their innovation was business model, not technology.

What's the difference between an MVP and a prototype?

A prototype is a visual or interactive model used to test design and usability, while an MVP is a functional product used to test market demand with real customers. Prototypes are typically created in design tools like Figma and aren't meant to be used by customers in production. They help you validate user experience and gather feedback on workflows. MVPs, on the other hand, are real products that actual users can sign up for, pay for, and use to solve their problems. You can test pricing with an MVP but not with a prototype. Many founders build a prototype first to validate the user experience, then build an MVP to validate whether people will actually pay for and use the solution. Both have their place in the development process, but they serve fundamentally different purposes.

When should I build an MVP?

Build an MVP after you've validated the problem through customer interviews but before you invest in building a full product. You should have talked to at least 20-30 potential customers, confirmed they have the problem you're solving, and verified they're currently trying to solve it (even imperfectly). If people aren't actively looking for solutions to this problem, an MVP probably won't get traction either. The right time to build an MVP is when you have a clear hypothesis about what users need, but you're not yet sure which features matter most or whether people will pay for your solution. Don't build an MVP as your first step—validate the problem first. And don't wait until you have every detail figured out—build as soon as you have enough clarity to test your riskiest assumptions.

How do I know if my MVP is successful?

An MVP is successful when it validates your core hypothesis with measurable evidence. Define success metrics before launching: user activation rate (what percentage complete the core action?), retention (do they come back?), engagement (how often do they use it?), and willingness to pay (will they pay your target price?). Specific benchmarks vary by industry, but generally, you want to see 40%+ activation rate, 30%+ week-2 retention, and willingness to pay from at least 10% of users for a B2C product (higher for B2B). Beyond metrics, look for qualitative signals: Do users refer others? Do they complain when something breaks? Would they be disappointed if your product disappeared? These indicate you're solving a real problem. If you're not hitting these benchmarks after 8-12 weeks of iteration, it may be time to pivot or shut down the MVP and try a different approach.