SaaS · Bookings & payments
LivePatch
Booking and payment software for tradespeople.
A booking app built for trades: branded booking pages, deposits and card payments, reminders and recurring jobs, all run from a phone.
View case studySaaS MVP development
Turn your SaaS idea into a production-ready MVP
You have an idea for a software product. I help you build the first real version of it: not a throwaway prototype, but a focused, sellable MVP that customers can actually use, built by the person writing the code.
01Overview
Launching a software product is mostly about building the right thing first, on foundations that will not collapse under real use. I take your idea or specification and turn it into a working product, handling the architecture, the build, payments, integrations and getting it safely live. You work with me directly from the first conversation to launch and beyond, with no account managers in between.
02The right scope
Build the right slice, not everything at once
The most common way a first product goes wrong is trying to build the entire vision before anyone has used any of it. It costs more, takes longer and often builds the wrong things. A good MVP is deliberately narrow: the core that proves the idea and is genuinely useful, done well enough to charge for.
Working out where that line sits is part of the job. I will push back where something can wait, and be honest about what genuinely needs to be there for launch. You end up spending your budget on what moves the product forward, not on features nobody asked for yet.
03What's in it
What a production-ready MVP includes
Not every product needs all of these, but this is the toolkit a real SaaS MVP is usually built from.
Authentication & accounts
Secure sign-up, login and password handling done properly from the start, not bolted on later.
Roles & permissions
Different users see and do different things. Admins, team members and customers, each with the right access.
Dashboards
The screens your users actually work in, showing the right information clearly rather than everything at once.
Admin tools
The behind-the-scenes controls you need to run the product: manage users, see what's happening, step in when needed.
Payments & subscriptions
Stripe billing, plans and subscriptions wired in cleanly where your model needs to charge customers.
APIs & integrations
Connections to the other tools your product relies on, built to be reliable rather than fragile.
Notifications
Email and in-app notifications that keep users informed without becoming noise.
Testing & deployment
Automated tests on the parts that matter and a proper deployment setup, so releases are safe and repeatable.
04How it runs
From idea to launch
- 01
Define the right MVP
We work out the smallest version that proves the idea and is genuinely useful. The goal is to learn and to sell, not to build everything at once.
- 02
Architecture & planning
I plan the structure, data model and technical approach up front, on foundations you can keep building on rather than rebuild in a year.
- 03
Build in the open
I build in short, visible steps and show you working software early and often, so you can steer the direction as it takes shape.
- 04
Payments, integrations & polish
Subscriptions, third-party connections, notifications and the details that turn a demo into something customers will pay for.
- 05
Test & deploy
Testing on the critical paths, then a proper deployment to a production environment that is monitored and stable.
- 06
Launch & keep going
We get it live, learn from real usage and carry on. Most of my work is continuing with clients long after the first release.
05Proof
SaaS products I've built end to end
Real products of my own, designed, built and shipped, not slideware.
SaaS · Knowledge & policy management
LiveDirective
A team's source of truth for policies and procedures.
AI-assisted SOP and policy management for SMEs, with acknowledgements, tamper-proof audit trails and full version history.
View case study
06Ownership
Your product, your code
You own the source code and the accounts from day one, with no lock-in. The MVP is the start of the story, not the end, so it is built to be extended. When real users tell you what they need next, I am there to build it, or to hand everything over cleanly if you would rather take it in-house.
Not sure yet
Still working out what your MVP needs? Get your idea down as a clear, development-ready brief first.
07FAQs
SaaS MVP questions
What counts as an MVP?
A minimum viable product is the smallest version of your idea that is genuinely useful and lets you test it with real users or customers. It is not a throwaway prototype and it is not the full vision. It is the core that proves the model, built well enough to put customers behind.
How much does SaaS MVP development cost?
It depends on scope, but most projects fall between a few thousand and around fifty thousand pounds. I scope and price each one properly rather than selling fixed packages, and you will always have a clear figure before you commit. A focused first phase keeps the initial cost sensible.
How long does an MVP take?
It varies with scope, but I work in short, visible steps so you see working software early rather than waiting months. A focused first version is often live within a few weeks to a few months, depending on how much it needs to do.
Can you work from Figma designs or wireframes?
Yes. If you already have designs, wireframes or a clear specification, that is a great starting point and I will build from them. If you do not, that is fine too.
What if I only have an idea?
That is a common place to start. We talk it through, work out what the MVP should really be, and I help shape the idea into something buildable. The software brief generator is a good way to get your thinking down first.
Can you use an existing prototype?
Often, yes. If you have built something in an AI or no-code tool, I can review it and either build on it or take the useful parts forward. See the AI prototype to production page for how that works.
Who owns the source code?
You do. You own the code and the accounts, with no lock-in. It is your product and you can take it anywhere.
Can you continue development after launch?
Yes, and most clients do. An MVP is a starting point. I stay available to add features, respond to what real users need and grow the product with the business.
Insights
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Got a product idea worth building?
Tell me what you want to build and who it's for. You'll get an honest view on scope, cost and where to start, straight from the person who'd build it.
Or email me at josh@thackr.co.uk