How much money do I need to start a SaaS?

HOW Question

Quick Answer

Under $1,000 to ship a paid v1 in 2026. Stack: Next.js + Supabase + Vercel ($0 free tiers), Stripe (pay per use), domain ($12), and your time (100–250 hours).

Detailed Explanation

SaaS startup costs collapsed in 2026. Realistic budgets: (1) MVP build: $0–$1,000. Free tiers cover Next.js + Supabase + Vercel for the first 1,000 users. (2) Pre-launch: $50–$500 for landing page and ads. (3) Post-launch first 6 months: $100–$500/mo. The biggest cost is your time: 100–250 hours to ship a paid v1.

Real-World Examples

Pieter Levels built multiple $5M+ ARR products on solo budgets

Calendly bootstrapped to $100M+ ARR before raising

Key Takeaways

  • Free tiers cover the first 1,000 users
  • Time is the biggest cost, not money
  • Charging from day 1 funds the next phase
  • No-code MVPs cost <$300

Frequently Asked Questions

Cheapest SaaS stack in 2026?

Next.js + Supabase + Vercel + Stripe — all free tiers cover the first 1,000 users.

Do I need investors to start a SaaS?

No. Most successful indie SaaS are bootstrapped.

Find validated startup problems to solve

Sign in or join 7,000+ founders accessing 12,000+ real problems with AI analysis.