How to choose features for your MVP
Your first version has one job: show whether people want what you're building. Every feature that doesn't help with that makes the first version slower and more expensive, and it delays the moment you learn something from real users.
Two questions per feature
- How important is it for your first users? Would they miss it on day one, or only later?
- How much effort is it? A rough feeling is enough. Your developer can correct it.
How the tool sorts
- Must have (MVP): high importance.
- Should have (version 2): medium importance with low or medium effort.
- Later: low importance, or medium importance with high effort.
The matrix shows the same picture: important features with little effort are quick wins, important features with a lot of effort are big bets, where a simpler first version often does the job. You can always move a feature yourself; the tool only makes a suggestion.
Common traps
- Building for later users: an admin dashboard, multiple languages or detailed statistics often matter only once you have many users.
- Copying a big competitor: their feature list is the result of years of work, not their first version.
- Hiding the main feature: if your app is about booking, booking has to be excellent before anything else.
Frequently asked questions
What is an MVP?
A minimum viable product is the smallest version of your app that real users can use for its main purpose. It exists to test whether the idea works, so it leaves out everything that doesn't serve that test.
How many features should an MVP have?
As few as your main promise needs. There is no fixed number: a booking app needs booking, a chat app needs chat. If a feature doesn't help your first users do that one main thing, it can usually wait.
What's the difference between must have and should have?
Must have features are the ones your first users would miss on day one. Should have features make the app better, but users can start without them, so they fit a second version.
How do I judge effort without technical knowledge?
Make your best guess, then check it with your developer. Our App Cost Calculator shows rough hour ranges per feature that can help as a starting point.
Is my feature list stored anywhere?
No. The tool runs in your browser. If you share your list, it is packed into the link itself, so only people with the link can see it.