How long does MVP development take?
How much does an MVP cost?
Will we have to rewrite the MVP later?
Should the MVP be a web app or a mobile app?
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Who owns the MVP code?
MVP development · San Diego
MVP development company for startups and new products
Orcatec is an MVP development company in San Diego that builds first versions meant to grow, not to be thrown away. We help you cut the scope to what proves your idea, ship it to real users and then turn it into a product people pay for.
- Scope cut to the one problem your users will pay to solve
- Built on a codebase you can keep after launch
- Led by a team that runs its own SaaS in production
Get a free estimate
We reply within one business day.
MVP development services
You can start with any of these, or let us run the whole path from idea to first paying users.
Product discovery
Interviews, a competitor review and a feature map that ends with a short list of what goes into version one.
Clickable prototype
A tested prototype you can show to users and investors before a line of production code is written.
Web and mobile MVPs
A web app, an iOS and Android app, or both, built on a shared backend and released to real users.
Analytics from day one
Event tracking, funnels and feedback tools set up before launch, so you learn from the first week of usage.
Payments and accounts
Sign-up, roles, subscriptions and billing, so you can test whether people pay, not only whether they click.
Post-launch iterations
Short release cycles after launch, driven by what users do and say, not by the original wish list.
From idea to first release
Define the riskiest assumption
We agree on what the MVP must prove: that people want it, that they will pay, or that the workflow holds up.
Cut the scope
Every feature is checked against that goal. What does not help prove it goes to a later release.
Design and prototype
Key screens and flows, tested with a handful of target users before development starts.
Build in short sprints
Working software every two weeks, with a demo you can click through and comment on.
Launch and measure
Release to a first group of users, watch the numbers and decide together what to build next.
From MVP to production: what changes
Many MVPs are built fast and then rewritten from scratch once they work. That costs months. We make a few early choices that keep the path to production open: a standard, well-supported stack, a clean data model, automated tests on the core flows and a real deployment pipeline.
When the MVP proves itself, the next steps are about scale and trust: stronger security, monitoring, backups, performance work, admin tools and support processes. We plan these in stages, so you add them as revenue and usage grow rather than all at once.
Tell us about your idea
Describe the problem, the users and your timeline. We will reply within one business day with questions and a first view of the scope.
We have taken our own product past the MVP stage
Orcatec started as a first version for home services businesses and now runs as a full web and mobile platform. The lessons from that path shape how we plan your MVP.
Orcatec (our own product)
Orcatec: field service management software, web and mobile
We designed, built and still run Orcatec, a field service management platform used by home services companies to sell, schedule, dispatch, invoice and get paid, in the office and in the field.
Read the case study →- Live on the App Store and Google Play
- One platform for office, sales and field teams
- Built, hosted, supported and improved by our own team
How we price MVP development
The cost of an MVP depends on platforms, user roles, integrations and how polished the first release needs to be.
Fixed-scope MVP
from $32,000
A defined first version with a fixed price and timeline, agreed after discovery.
Discovery only
from $8,000
A short paid phase that ends with a prototype, a scope and an estimate you can take to any team or investor.
Ongoing team after launch
A monthly team that keeps iterating on the product once the MVP is live.
You get a written estimate after a free discovery call.
Why founders work with a San Diego MVP team
We build our own product, so we make the same trade-offs you face: what to ship now, what to leave out and what will hurt later if we skip it. You get that judgment along with the code.
You can meet us in person in San Diego County for kickoff and demos, and work with us in Pacific time every day. You own the code, designs and accounts from the start.
Frequently asked questions
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Learn more →Ready to discuss your project?
Tell us what you want to build. We’ll reply within one business day with questions and next steps.