MVP Development in Canada
We are an Indian engineering team working with businesses in Canada. Written scope before any code, and a fixed quote in CAD.
Working hours
Our day ends at 07:30 in Canada (08:30 on summer time), before yours begins, so we work asynchronously: written updates land overnight and are waiting when you start.
Quoted in CAD
Quotes exclude the 5% federal GST in Canada, shown separately on the invoice.
Data protection
Work for this market is scoped against PIPEDA, and provincial privacy law where it applies, agreed before development starts rather than retrofitted afterwards.
Written scope
Every engagement starts with a written scope and a fixed CAD quote within 24 hours, so the price is set before work begins.
About MVP Development
One core loop, built properly, in front of real users in four to eight weeks. Auth, payments and multi-tenant data are done right from the start, so you're not rebuilding at your first hundred customers. We ship our own products too, so we know which corners are safe to cut.
What the engagement includes
- A one-page scope that names the core loop and, just as important, what's left out of version one
- A stack chosen for the next two years, not the next demo: usually Next.js, a Node.js or Laravel API, and PostgreSQL
- Auth, roles and per-customer data isolation built in from the first commit
- Payments working end to end, including failed payments and refunds
- Analytics on the core loop, so you can see whether people actually use the thing
- Full code ownership in your GitHub from day one, and documentation a future hire can pick up
- The same senior engineers from scope to launch, not a sales team followed by juniors
How we work with Canadian clients
Two things shape Canadian projects more than anything technical. The first is language: if you serve Quebec, French is a legal requirement rather than a nice addition, and the rules tightened considerably under Bill 96. The French version has to be available on equal terms with the English one, which is a design constraint from the first wireframe rather than a translation task at the end.
The second is anti-spam law. CASL is stricter than most teams expect, and the penalties are real. Consent has to be express or clearly implied, records of it have to be kept, and every commercial message needs a working unsubscribe and accurate sender identification. We build those into the product rather than leaving them to whoever configures the mailing tool later, because that is where the exposure usually sits.
Full service detail
This page covers how we work with clients in your market. The complete MVP Development page, with the full technical detail, process and frequently asked questions, is written in English.
Read the full service page (English)Questions Canadian clients ask
We serve Quebec. What does the French requirement actually mean?
In practice, the French version cannot be an afterthought. It has to be available on terms at least as favourable as the English, which affects navigation, forms, error messages, transactional email, and support content rather than just marketing pages. We plan for two languages at wireframe stage, because French copy typically runs longer than English and a layout built for one will break on the other. Translation is done by a French speaker rather than machine output.
How do you handle CASL for email and notifications?
As a product requirement, not a setting. That means capturing and storing proof of consent with a timestamp and source, distinguishing express from implied consent along with when implied consent expires, an unsubscribe that works in every message and takes effect quickly, and accurate sender identification. Transactional messages are treated separately from commercial ones in the code, because conflating them is the most common way teams end up sending something they should not have.
GST, HST, or PST? Which applies to your invoices?
We are outside Canada, so our services are generally not subject to Canadian sales tax on our invoice, and self-assessment rules may apply depending on your province and registration status. Because the provincial position varies considerably, we would rather your accountant confirms the treatment before the first invoice than reconcile it afterwards. We quote in Canadian dollars and hold the figure for the project.
You are many time zones away. How does that work day to day?
Honestly, with a written-first working style. Our day ends before yours starts even in the east, and overnight in the west, so there is no live overlap to schedule around and we do not pretend otherwise. Work is handed over in writing at the end of our day, which lands as your morning, and questions that would block us are flagged before we stop rather than discovered overnight. One scheduled call a week in your morning covers what genuinely needs a conversation.
MVP Development: common questions
How much does MVP development cost?
CA$2,400 to CA$6,500 for a lean MVP, CA$6,500 to CA$15,000 for a standard one, and CA$15,000 and up for complex or funded products. The biggest cost driver is scope, which is why we spend real time cutting it before we quote.
How long does it take to build an MVP?
Four to eight weeks for a lean MVP with one core loop. Eight to sixteen weeks for a standard MVP with more integrations. If a quote promises a full product in two weeks, ask what they're leaving out.
Do I own the code?
Yes, fully, from the first commit. The code lives in your GitHub organisation, the hosting is in your account, and there's nothing we hold back. If you hire your own team later, they take over without asking our permission.
Web app or mobile app for my MVP?
Usually a web app first. It's faster to build, easier to change weekly, and works on phones anyway. Build the native app once you know people use the product and what they use it for. The exception is products that truly need the phone, like location tracking or offline use.
Do you work with non-technical founders?
Most of our MVP clients are non-technical founders. We explain trade-offs in plain language, show working software every week, and write the documentation your first technical hire will need.
Other markets we work in
Tell us what you are building in Canada
Send the scope, or just the problem. You get a written scope and a fixed CAD quote back within 24 hours, from the engineers who would do the work.