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MVP vs Prototype

One tests the idea.
The other tests the business.

A prototype and an MVP are often quoted as if they are the same thing. They are not, and confusing them is how founders pay for one and receive the other. Here is the real difference, which one your situation calls for, and how to make sure you get what you paid for.

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The real difference

What separates
the two.

A prototype simulates

Usually a clickable design that looks real but has no working software underneath. No database, no real logic, no live deployment. Its job is to test whether people understand the idea and want it, fast and cheap, before serious money is spent.

An MVP works

The real product in minimal form: actual code, a database, authentication, and a live deployment real users can use. Its job is to test whether people will use and pay, which a simulation can never truly answer.

Different questions

A prototype answers does this idea make sense to people. An MVP answers will people actually use and pay for it. Knowing which question is still open for you is the whole decision.

Different cost

A prototype is far cheaper because there is no engineering beneath it. The danger is paying MVP prices for a prototype, a beautiful demo with nothing working behind it. Always confirm a quote includes real, functioning code.

Different lifespan

A prototype is usually disposable, valuable for what it teaches, not what it becomes. An MVP is the foundation of the real product and is built to be kept and scaled. Treating one as the other is a costly mistake in both directions.

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Which you need

Choosing
between them.

You need a prototype if

The idea is still unproven and you need to know cheaply whether people even understand and want it before investing in a build.

You need an MVP if

You already believe in the idea and need to know whether people will use and pay, with real software in their hands.

You have conviction and evidence

Skip straight to the MVP. The concept question is answered, so spend on testing demand, not on re-confirming the idea.

You are pre-everything

Start with a prototype, or even a landing page, before any build. Cheapest way to kill or confirm an idea.

You were quoted an 'MVP'

Check it includes real code, a database, and deployment. If not, you are being quoted a prototype at MVP prices. Ask directly.

What we build

We build the
working one.

MVP Build

From 16,000 GBP

Real, working software, not a prototype dressed as one: code, database, auth, deployment, owned by you. Fixed price, 8-week delivery. When you need to test the business, not just the idea.

Need the idea tested first?

Discovery sprint

If the concept question is still open, a short paid sprint can pin down and pressure-test the idea before committing to a full build, so you do not build the wrong thing well.

Common questions

Before you get in touch.

What is the difference between an MVP and a prototype?

A prototype simulates the product, usually clickable but not functional, to test whether people understand and want the idea. An MVP is the real product in minimal form, working software people can use and pay for. One tests the concept, the other the business.

Do I need a prototype or an MVP?

If you still need to know whether the idea makes sense and is worth pursuing, a prototype answers that cheaply. If you already believe in it and need to know whether people will use and pay, you need an MVP. It depends which question is still open.

Is a prototype cheaper?

Yes, significantly, because it has no real backend, database, or deployment. The risk is paying MVP prices for a prototype, a polished demo with no working software underneath. Always confirm whether a quote includes real, functioning code.

Can a prototype become an MVP?

The design and learning carry forward, but the prototype itself usually does not become the MVP, because it has no engineering under it. Treat the prototype as validated input to the build, not its first version.

Which comes first?

If both are warranted, the prototype first to confirm the idea is worth building, then the MVP to build the real thing and test demand. Founders with conviction and some evidence often skip straight to the MVP, which is reasonable.

What is the difference between a prototype and an MVP?

A prototype comes first and is a simulation, usually clickable but not functional, built to test whether people want the idea. An MVP is the real product in minimal form: working software people can use and pay for. A prototype tests the concept, an MVP tests the business.

What do you build?

MVPs, the working kind: real code, database, auth, and deployment, owned by you, fixed price from 16,000 GBP. If the idea itself still needs testing, we can start with a discovery sprint first.

Make sure you get what you pay for.

Book a scoping call →