Hire an MVP developer who helps you cut scope

What an MVP developer is for

An MVP, or minimum viable product, exists to test one question with real users: will they use this, and will they pay for it. The developer's job is to answer that question for the least time and money. That takes judgment about scope as much as skill with code.

Be wary of anyone who accepts your full feature list without comment. A developer worth hiring will push back, suggest manual processes for the first users, and propose a staged plan. Our MVP development service works this way.

Your options compared

If you cannot yet say what the product must prove, try a landing page or a manual service first. A simple page tests demand for a few hundred dollars. See our landing page design service for that route.

How to tell if the scope is right

• One core user and one core job. If you describe three user types, the first build is too big.
• A single path from sign-up to value, tested end to end.
• Manual back office work is acceptable for the first customers.
• Payments only if payment is the question being tested.
• Analytics from day one, so you can see what users do.

Write a one-page brief with these points and give it to each candidate. Compare how they respond. The one who asks the best questions is usually the best hire.

Checks before you sign

1. Code ownershipThe repository, cloud accounts, domain and app store accounts are in your name from day one.
2. Sensible stackA mainstream stack that other developers can pick up, not one the supplier invented.
3. DocumentationA short readme on how to run, deploy and test the product.
4. Weekly demosA working version every week, even if rough. No long silences.
5. Exit termsWhat happens if you want to stop after the first milestone. You should walk away with the code and all credentials.

For how billing style affects risk, read our fixed price vs time and materials comparison. A fixed price suits a clear scope. Hours suit a product that will change as you learn.

Interview questions

1. What would you cut from my feature list and why?
2. How will we know after launch that the MVP worked?
3. Which parts will you build properly and which will you fake for now?
4. How will you keep the code fit to grow if the product succeeds?
5. What is the first thing that would make you tell me to stop and change course?
6. Show me an MVP you shipped and what happened to it.

How hiring Liftup works

Liftup Technologies builds MVPs for web and mobile, with AI features where they help. The head office is in Pune, with offices in Coventry and New York, and we work remotely in your hours.

A short call settles the one question the MVP must answer. A fixed quote follows within one working day. One lead owns delivery and you see a working demo every week. Repositories and accounts are yours. The rate is $30 an hour and projects start at $1,500.

For typical budgets read the SaaS MVP cost guide, see all roles on the hire page, or contact us.