Startups with an MVP
Validate an idea without a large budget: we build a lean MVP with only the core features to test whether users will pay.
MG Software · Haarlem
From first idea to App Store, Google Play or web app: MG Software in Haarlem builds software that fits how your team works.
No off-the-shelf package, but a clear path from discovery to launch, with fixed milestones and direct access to the developers.
Most projects fall into one of these situations. Recognise yours? Then a custom app likely beats an off-the-shelf package.
Validate an idea without a large budget: we build a lean MVP with only the core features to test whether users will pay.
Spreadsheets and scattered tools slow your team down. We centralise the workflow in one application that scales with you.
Your users have requirements no package covers. We build software that matches their daily practice.
You want to automate processes or serve customers better, without disrupting day-to-day operations.
An app project runs through six phases. After each phase you know what is done, what the next block costs and whether you want to continue.
01
We decide which screens truly belong in the first release and what can move to version two. A smaller scope means a faster store launch.
02
iOS, Android, both or a web app after all. We choose based on your users and budget, not on what we prefer to build.
03
You walk through the app as a clickable prototype on your own phone. Changing navigation here takes hours instead of weeks.
04
Every sprint you receive a build via TestFlight or Google Play internal testing. Following along does not have to wait for delivery.
05
We handle the submission: screenshots, privacy labels, age rating and resolving rejections from Apple or Google.
06
Following up on crash reports, keeping pace with yearly iOS and Android releases and expanding based on what users do.
Cost depends on platforms, screens, integrations and maintenance. A compact MVP sits lower than an enterprise app with compliance needs. We give honest ranges, not vague promises.
Start with the calculator for a first indication, or book a short call. More detail on price ranges sits in the FAQ below and in our blog guide on app costs.
App Store Connect, Google Play Console, privacy labels and screenshots are on us. If Apple rejects the build, we resolve it, not you.
We prefer going live in eight weeks with the core feature over launching everything after a year. What users ignore, we never build.
Do you not need camera access, offline use or push notifications? Then we will tell you a web app is cheaper and faster.
iOS and Android ship new versions every year. Our retainer keeps your app compatible and available in the store.
Depth, examples and related services.
Short answers to the questions we hear most. Open a question for more detail.
Investment depends on platforms (iOS, Android, web), screen count, integrations and maintenance. A focused MVP typically starts lower; enterprise apps with backends, compliance and multiple integrations cost more. Also budget roughly 15 to 20 percent of build cost per year for stores, OS updates, hosting and bugfixes. Use the calculator at /calculator for a first range, or read our blog guide on app costs. In a short call we give an honest estimate without vague promises.
A first release can ship in a few months when scope and design are clear, and we work in two-week sprints with working demos so you can steer along the way. With a mobile app, budget for two steps that land after the final sprint and do not exist on web. First a beta period through TestFlight and the internal test tracks in Google Play, where real devices, older Android versions and slow networks expose problems a simulator never shows. Then store review: Apple usually responds within one to three days, but a rejection over a missing account deletion option, incorrect privacy labels or a login wall without a test account costs an extra round. For Android we roll out in stages to a small share of users, so a crash surfaces before everyone has the update. Plan those weeks upfront.
Native (Swift or Kotlin) shines with deep OS integration: sensors, push, offline-first and top performance, but often means two codebases and store reviews. A web app or PWA has one codebase, reaches market faster and suits internal tools, dashboards and B2B portals, with more limited hardware access. Hybrid or cross-platform (React Native) offers near-native feel with one codebase: ideal for MVPs that can grow later. We recommend based on users, budget and roadmap, not hype.
We pick the stack for the problem, not for trends. For web and frontend we often use React and Next.js; for cross-platform mobile React Native; for backends Node.js or Bun; for data PostgreSQL; for auth, storage and realtime Supabase; for hosting Vercel or AWS; for payments Stripe or Mollie; and where it fits AI integrations via OpenAI or other LLMs. The final choice follows discovery, not a fixed template.
Yes. We build API integrations with ERP, CRM, payments and more. See /api-koppelingen for examples such as Exact, Stripe or Shopify, and our software integrations pillar for the broader approach.
Launch is the beginning. Stores expect updates; OS versions, security patches and third-party APIs keep changing. Without maintenance an app ages faster than most clients expect. We offer retainers from light maintenance and bugfixes to feature work and performance monitoring. We use feature branches, staging and automated releases so updates are tested before they reach users, without locking up your team.
Four classics: scope creep without a fixed MVP priority list (discovery prevents this); skipping design so problems become expensive in code; choosing the wrong technology (for example native for a simple dashboard or no-code for a complex platform); and forgetting a maintenance budget. Plan annual costs for servers, SSL, store fees and updates alongside the build. We help make those trade-offs before the first line of code.
Technology is the means. Good apps score on intuitive UX (key actions within two taps, short forms, clear errors, tested with real users), reliable performance (including older devices and slow networks), accessibility per WCAG, and security from the foundation (encryption, auth, input validation, OWASP practices and tests before go-live). We treat those as design requirements, not afterthoughts.
You get direct access to the project board, updates in a shared channel and biweekly demos. Feedback does not wait for the next sprint: if something needs to change, we discuss it the same day. After delivery we stay available; retainer clients have a dedicated contact who knows the application. You talk to the developers who build, without unnecessary middle layers.
We are based in Haarlem and work hybrid, with clients across the Netherlands. Discovery and reviews can be remote or in person; the team delivers remote features with the same quality, without timezone or language barriers.
You own what we build specifically for you unless contractually agreed otherwise. Repositories, credentials and documentation are handed over. With an app that covers more than the code. The Apple Developer Program account and the Google Play Console sit in your organisation name rather than our agency name, because an app under our account only moves through a formal transfer procedure and only if the previous party cooperates. The same goes for signing keys: lose an Android upload key and you can no longer publish an update on the same store listing, which costs you the installed base. We keep those keys in your own secrets manager and include them in the handover, together with the store copy, screenshots and privacy label. No vendor lock-in.
Absolutely. Not every project starts from scratch. We assess architecture, performance and user experience and create an improvement plan: new interface, faster load times, better integrations or a more modern stack. That way you get more from the existing investment without rebuilding everything. See also our software redevelopment approach.
Then we start small with an MVP: the minimal version that solves the core problem, after which we expand based on real usage. With an app the first saving sits in the number of platforms. Start on the operating system your users are actually on and add the second when usage justifies it; that saves build time and a second store listing to maintain. The second saving sits in what you do not build yet. Offline work with synchronisation and conflict rules, push notifications with segmentation and your own admin portal each take a substantial share of a budget on their own. A first version that needs a connection and notifies by email is often enough to learn whether the idea holds. A beta through TestFlight also skips full store review while still producing real feedback.
We build privacy in from day one. That means data minimisation, encryption, clear consent flows and a data processing agreement. When needed we support a DPIA. We account for GDPR so your app stays compliant without compromising user experience.
Contact us via /contact or complete the calculator. We schedule a short call, align scope and share a milestone-based proposal. No pressure, just an honest view of whether custom software fits.
Schedule a no-obligation call. We discuss your idea, ask the right questions and give an honest estimate.