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MVP versus full product scope
Original software with comparable core workflows, not proprietary code, brand assets, or incumbent-scale infrastructure. Both are planning estimates.
| Scope | Agency build | Engineering effort | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focused MVP | $23,281–$97,081 | 31.0–66.0 person-weeks | Accounts / profiles, Chat / live updates, Notifications, Address discovery and message delivery |
| Full feature scope | $83,281–$402,106 | 111.0–273.5 person-weeks | Accounts / profiles, Chat / live updates, Notifications, Address discovery and message delivery, Video appointments, Security / audit controls, External integrations, Admin dashboard |
What drives the cost?
The preset includes address discovery and message delivery plus accounts / profiles, chat / live updates, notifications. Direct text messaging with limited device support and clear delivery states.
Compare build options
Public example using the default preset. Get your free estimate above for a breakdown of your selected scope.
| Build option | One-off labor | Recurring budget |
|---|---|---|
| DIY builder | $0 paid labor; your time excluded | $339 + your maintenance time |
| Freelancer | $16,763–$77,269 | $2,499–$5,019/year |
| Agency | $23,281–$97,081 | $3,339–$6,219/year |
| Superapp Pro | You build and review the app | $639/year illustrative budget |
Default preset breakdown and assumptions
- Estimated effort
- 931–1981 hours
- Delivery effort at 30 productive hours/week
- 31.0–66.0 person-weeks
- Global agency hourly range
- $25–$49
- Global freelancer hourly range
- $18–$39
- Custom design adjustment
- +25% effort (planning assumption)
- Hosting / platform
- $240/year
- Maintenance labor
- $3,000–$5,880/year
- Additional services
- $0/year
- Apple membership
- $99/year
Hours include implementation and testing, not a delivery guarantee. Website scope starts at 12–140 hours plus 2–5 hours for each additional page. App scope starts at 400–5,000 hours depending on complexity. Selected features add the effort below. Annual domain and hosting budgets are placeholders, not provider quotes.
Selected feature assumptions
Incremental engineering hours used by this calculator.
| Feature | Hours |
|---|---|
| Accounts / profiles | 40–80 |
| Chat / live updates | 80–160 |
| Notifications | 20–50 |
| Address discovery and message delivery | 205–495 |
Address discovery and message delivery
Identity, contact discovery, direct text messages, and reconnect synchronization form the core. Define delivery states and abuse reporting explicitly.
Does a full messaging product include encryption
Security claims require specialist key management, multi-device design, and recovery testing. Group calls, media, backup, and large group administration add further scope.
A cheaper way to start with Superapp
Build a focused version yourself before commissioning a full custom project. Superapp Pro is $25 a month; the subscription covers its plan allowance, while your time, extra usage, integrations, hosting, and specialist work remain part of the budget. A Superapp site is an alternative implementation, not a guarantee of WordPress or Shopify compatibility.
Compare Superapp plansSources and methodology
Rates are global marketplace benchmarks, not US-only agency quotes. Freelancer and agency ranges overlap because they describe different samples. WordPress.com Personal and Shopify Basic use annual billing, exclude introductory promotions and taxes, and replace the hosting budget. Feature hours and recurring budgets are our explicit planning assumptions.