The biggest mistake first-time SaaS founders make is building too much before launching. They spend months (or years) developing features that users never requested, while competitors launch simpler products and capture the market.
A successful MVP isn't about having every feature—it's about having the right features. This guide will help you identify what belongs in your MVP and what should wait.
What Is an MVP, Really?
MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product, but the word "minimum" causes confusion. An MVP isn't the least you can possibly build—it's the least you can build while still providing value.
A good MVP:
- Solves one core problem well
- Provides enough value that users would pay for it
- Allows you to learn what users actually need
- Can be built in 2-4 months, not 12
Think of your MVP as the first chapter of a book, not a summary of the whole story.
The MoSCoW Framework
MoSCoW is a prioritization method that categorizes features into four groups:
- Must Have: Critical features without which the product doesn't work
- Should Have: Important features that significantly improve value
- Could Have: Nice-to-have features that add polish
- Won't Have (for now): Features explicitly deferred to future versions
Your MVP should include all Must Haves, some Should Haves, and almost nothing else.
Must Have: Core Features Every SaaS MVP Needs
These features are non-negotiable. Without them, your SaaS isn't functional.
1. User Authentication
Users need to create accounts and log in securely. This includes:
- Email/password registration and login
- Password reset functionality
- Basic session management
- Secure password storage
MVP approach: Use an authentication service like Auth0, Clerk, or Supabase Auth. Don't build this from scratch.
Defer for later: Social login (Google, GitHub), SSO/SAML, multi-factor authentication, passkeys.
2. Core Value Proposition
This is whatever makes your product worth using. If you're building:
- Project management tool: Task creation and organization
- Analytics dashboard: Data connection and visualization
- Communication tool: Message sending and receiving
- Automation service: Basic workflow creation
Your core feature should solve the primary pain point you identified. If you can't articulate this in one sentence, you're not ready to build.
MVP approach: Nail the main thing. Make it work reliably, even if it's not pretty.
Defer for later: Advanced features, customization options, edge case handling.
3. Basic User Experience
Users need to navigate your product without frustration:
- Clear navigation structure
- Functional (not beautiful) UI
- Essential error handling
- Responsive design (works on desktop and mobile)
MVP approach: Use a component library (Tailwind, Chakra, shadcn/ui). Function over form.
Defer for later: Custom design system, animations, advanced interactions.
4. Payment Integration
If you're charging for your SaaS, you need to collect payments:
- Subscription plan selection
- Payment processing
- Basic billing page
- Cancellation flow
MVP approach: Stripe is the standard. Use their hosted checkout or Stripe Elements for a fast implementation.
Defer for later: Multiple payment methods, invoicing, complex billing models, proration handling.
Should Have: Important but Not Critical
These features significantly improve the product but aren't required for core functionality.
5. Onboarding Flow
A guided introduction helps users understand your product:
- Welcome screen explaining key concepts
- Setup wizard for initial configuration
- Simple tooltip guidance
MVP approach: A 3-5 step wizard that gets users to their first value moment.
Defer for later: Interactive tutorials, personalized onboarding, video walkthroughs.
6. Email Notifications
Transactional emails keep users informed:
- Welcome email on signup
- Password reset emails
- Critical alerts and notifications
MVP approach: Use Resend, Postmark, or SendGrid with simple templates.
Defer for later: Marketing emails, digest emails, email preferences center.
7. Settings and Preferences
Users need some control over their experience:
- Profile editing (name, email)
- Password change
- Basic notification settings
MVP approach: A simple settings page with essential options only.
Defer for later: Advanced preferences, themes, integrations management.
8. Help and Support
Users need a way to get help:
- FAQ or help documentation
- Contact/support method
- Basic in-app messaging or email
MVP approach: A simple FAQ page and a contact email. Notion or simple markdown docs work fine.
Defer for later: Help chat widgets, ticketing systems, AI-powered support.
Could Have: Nice to Have for MVP
These features add polish but can wait until after launch.
9. Team Features
If your product will eventually support teams:
- Team creation
- User invitations
- Role-based permissions
MVP approach: Consider launching as single-user first. Add teams when users request it.
Skip for MVP if: You can serve individual users without team functionality.
10. Integrations
Connections to other tools users rely on:
- Zapier/Make integration
- Native integrations (Slack, Google, etc.)
- Webhooks and API
MVP approach: A simple webhook system or Zapier integration covers many cases.
Skip for MVP if: Users can manually move data between systems.
11. Analytics and Reporting
Insights into how users use your product:
- Usage dashboards
- Activity reports
- Data export
MVP approach: Basic analytics (total usage, key metrics). Use Mixpanel or PostHog.
Skip for MVP if: You can get initial insights through user conversations.
12. Mobile App
Native iOS and Android applications:
- Usually unnecessary for MVP
- Responsive web works for most SaaS
- Native apps are expensive to build and maintain
MVP approach: Make your web app work well on mobile devices.
Skip for MVP if: Almost always.
Won't Have: Save for Later
These features should be explicitly excluded from your MVP scope:
Features to Defer
Admin dashboard: Build it when you have enough customers to need it.
Advanced analytics: Focus on your core product, not reporting.
Custom branding/white-labeling: Enterprise feature; you're not there yet.
API for developers: Build when developers ask for it.
Localization/i18n: Start with one language (probably English).
Advanced security features: SOC 2, audit logs, SSO come with enterprise customers.
Complex pricing models: Start with one or two simple plans.
Real MVP Examples
Example 1: Project Management Tool
Must Have:
- User authentication
- Create and list tasks
- Mark tasks complete
- Basic project organization
- Stripe subscription billing
Should Have:
- Due dates and reminders
- Simple onboarding flow
- Email notifications for approaching deadlines
Defer:
- Team collaboration
- File attachments
- Time tracking
- Integrations
- Mobile app
Example 2: Email Newsletter Tool
Must Have:
- User authentication
- Email list management (add/remove subscribers)
- Simple email composer
- Send emails to list
- Stripe billing
Should Have:
- Basic analytics (opens, clicks)
- Unsubscribe handling
- Simple templates
Defer:
- Automation sequences
- A/B testing
- Advanced segmentation
- Drag-and-drop builder
- Landing pages
Example 3: Customer Feedback Tool
Must Have:
- User authentication
- Create feedback widgets
- Embed widget on websites
- View and organize feedback
- Stripe billing
Should Have:
- Feedback tagging/categorization
- Simple dashboard
- Email notifications for new feedback
Defer:
- User voting/upvotes
- Roadmap features
- Integrations (Jira, Slack)
- AI categorization
- Public feedback boards
How to Validate Your Feature List
Before building, validate that you're building the right things:
Talk to Potential Users
Interview 10-20 potential users. Ask:
- What's your biggest pain point with [problem area]?
- How do you currently solve this problem?
- What would make you switch to a new solution?
- What features are absolute must-haves?
Analyze Competitors
Look at what competitors offer:
- What features do they all share? (Probably must-haves)
- What differentiates the leaders? (Potential focus areas)
- What do users complain about missing? (Opportunities)
Apply the "Would They Still Pay?" Test
For each feature, ask: "If we launched without this, would early adopters still pay?"
If yes, it's not a must-have for MVP.
Common MVP Mistakes
Building for Scale
Don't optimize for millions of users when you have zero. It's okay if your MVP can only handle 100 users—that's a good problem to have.
Designing for Edge Cases
That complex scenario that affects 5% of users? Handle it manually for now. Build automation when it becomes painful.
Waiting for Perfection
Your MVP will have bugs. The design won't be perfect. Some features will be clunky. That's okay. Learning from real users matters more than polish.
Building What Competitors Have
Your MVP doesn't need feature parity with established products. It needs to solve one problem better or serve one audience specifically.
Setting Your MVP Timeline
A focused MVP should take:
- Planning and design: 2-4 weeks
- Core development: 6-10 weeks
- Testing and polish: 2-3 weeks
- Total: 10-17 weeks (roughly 3-4 months)
If your estimate is much longer, you're probably building too much.
Moving Forward
Write down your features and categorize them using MoSCoW. Be ruthless—most features belong in Should Have or Could Have, not Must Have.
Then build only the Must Haves. Launch. Learn. Iterate.
The best SaaS products weren't planned perfectly—they evolved based on user feedback. Your MVP is just the starting point.