Most app ideas die in planning. I build focused MVPs that ship fast, test with real users, and give you the proof you need to raise funding or scale — without spending £100k on a full build first.
An MVP — Minimum Viable Product — is the leanest working version of your app. It contains only the core features needed to test your idea with real users. Nothing more.
Not a prototype. Not a wireframe. A real, deployed app that real people can download and use.
The purpose isn't to build something perfect. It's to build something true — to find out whether your idea solves a real problem before you spend six figures on the full product.
The best apps in the world started as MVPs. Instagram launched with photos and filters. Airbnb launched with a simple listing page. Deliveroo started with a basic order form.
Yours can too.
Building the full product before validating your idea is the most expensive mistake in app development. Here's the maths.
You spend £80,000–£150,000 on a full build. You launch. Users don't engage the way you expected. You rebuild. You've lost a year and your budget.
You spend £15,000–£40,000 on a focused build. You launch in 6 weeks. Real users tell you exactly what works and what doesn't. You iterate with evidence, not assumptions.
You have real download numbers, real retention data, and a working product to show investors. Fundraising conversations change completely when you walk in with proof.
"An MVP isn't cutting corners. It's the smartest first move you can make."
I've shipped apps that reached #1 in 147 countries and accumulated 300 million downloads. Every one of them started with a clear brief and a disciplined scope. Here's how I work.
We get on a call. You tell me the idea. I ask hard questions: Who is this for? What's the one thing it does better than anything else? What does success look like in 90 days? Most founders arrive with a list of 40 features. We leave with 6. That's not cutting your vision — that's building something that ships.
I send you a fixed-scope proposal. Exact features. Exact timeline. Exact price. No hourly rates. No scope creep surprises. You know what you're getting before a single line of code is written.
I design and build simultaneously, sharing progress every week. You're not waiting eight weeks to see a screen — you see real builds from week two. Feedback is fast and iterative.
I handle App Store submission, Google Play listing, metadata, screenshots, and the approval process. You go live. Then we talk about what's next.
Not all MVPs are the same. Here's what each type involves and what it realistically costs with an experienced UK developer.
iOS or Android only
Best for: Consumer apps where you have a clear primary audience (iOS for UK premium market, Android for wider global reach).
Learn about iOSiOS + Android
Best for: Startups who need both platforms from day one without doubling the build cost. Built with React Native or Flutter.
Learn about Cross-PlatformLLM-powered intelligent app
Best for: Founders building the next generation of AI products — conversational interfaces, intelligent recommendations, or RAG tools.
Learn about AI AppsValidate concept first
Best for: Pre-seed founders who need something to show investors before committing to a full MVP build.
Discuss OptionsThese are starting prices for focused, well-scoped projects. Final cost depends on your specific requirements. See detailed cost breakdown
There are hundreds of freelance developers who'll build your MVP. Here's why the experience gap matters.
I started building apps in 2008 — before the App Store was two years old. I built apps that reached #1 in 147 countries and have been downloaded over 300 million times. I appeared on BBC TV's Be Your Own Boss alongside Richard Branson.
What that means for your MVP: I've seen every mistake. I know which shortcuts kill launches and which ones just save time. Your MVP gets 17 years of pattern recognition, not a developer learning on your budget.
Read more about my backgroundYou have an idea, a small budget, and need something real to show investors. I help you build the minimum product that tells the maximum story.
You've raised a seed round and need to move fast. Every week without a product is a week your competitor gains ground.
You have a process or service that should be an app. You need it built properly, not by the cheapest bidder. Enterprise-grade thinking on a founder budget.
You want to build something that uses LLMs — but you need a developer who actually understands AI integration at the mobile layer.
An MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is the leanest version of your app that delivers your core value proposition to real users. It contains only the features needed to validate your idea — nothing more. The goal is to test assumptions with real users before investing in a full build.
A focused MVP app built by an experienced UK freelance developer typically costs between £15,000 and £40,000 depending on platform (iOS, Android or cross-platform), backend complexity, and whether AI integration is required. Working with a senior freelancer rather than an agency reduces costs by 40–60% with no compromise on quality.
A well-scoped MVP takes 4–8 weeks from brief to App Store submission. The key is arriving with a clear, focused brief. Projects that expand scope mid-build take longer. Ben Hogan's process starts with a scoping session to lock the brief before any development begins.
For most UK consumer apps, iOS first. iPhone users in the UK skew toward higher income brackets and are more likely to be early adopters. For B2B or enterprise tools, Android coverage matters earlier. Cross-platform frameworks like React Native or Flutter let you cover both from a single codebase at a lower cost.
A prototype is a clickable simulation — it looks like an app but has no real functionality. An MVP is a fully working, deployable app with real code, real data, and real users. You submit an MVP to the App Store. A prototype stays on a designer's screen.
Yes. Ben Hogan specialises in AI-native MVPs that integrate LLMs (GPT, Claude, Gemini) directly into mobile interfaces. An AI MVP typically takes 6–10 weeks and starts from £25,000 depending on the complexity of the AI layer and data requirements.
Tell me your idea. I'll tell you if it's 4 weeks or 8, what it'll cost, and what the scope should be. No agency pitch. Just a straight conversation.
Based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Available for face-to-face meetings across Hertfordshire, London and the Home Counties. Remote-first for the rest of the UK.