Building an MVP: agency, freelancer or yourself?
Comparison
There are three paths to an MVP: an AI-native studio (fixed package price, AI-accelerated, full code ownership), freelancers (cheap, but coordination and availability risk) or building it yourself with AI tools (cheapest, but day-2 risk on security/scaling). Which fits depends on budget, speed and the commitment you need.
| Criterion | AI studio (decivo) | Freelancer | Build yourself (AI tools) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed package price per module | Hourly (typical market) | Tool cost + your time |
| Speed | Days not weeks (AI + validation) | depends on availability | fast — until the “day-2 problem“ |
| Code ownership | full, documented, no lock-in | usually yes, check contract | yes — but the tool sets architecture |
| Quality assurance | Expert review + E2E at every step | person-dependent | none — frequent security gaps |
| Fits when | production-ready, transparently priced | clearly scoped single task | throwaway test / very small budget |
Market figures (freelancer hourly rates, classic agency ranges) are typical orders of magnitude in the DACH market, not decivo prices. Your concrete fixed package prices are calculated by the cost calculator.
Frequently asked
Isn't a freelancer cheaper than a studio?
By the hour, often yes — overall, not always. A single freelancer carries coordination, availability and QA risk alone. A studio delivers at a fixed package price with review, tests and handover docs. For clearly scoped single tasks a freelancer can be the right choice.
Can't I just build my MVP myself with AI?
For a throwaway test, yes. For a product touching real money, sensitive data or scaling, DIY often costs more than it looks: AI-generated code has documented elevated vulnerability rates, and the tool — not you — makes the architecture decisions.
What does an AI-native studio do differently from a traditional agency?
AI accelerates implementation, not responsibility. Standardisable work is built faster, security- and compliance-critical work stays human-reviewed. The result: fixed package prices instead of hourly, and days instead of weeks — with full code ownership.
Unsure which path fits?
In a first call we assess your case honestly — even if the leanest path doesn't run through us.
30 minutes, free. You talk to us directly.