Laravel development
Laravel SaaS development: from MVP to paying customers
Every SaaS product starts with the same hard parts: accounts and teams, subscriptions, permissions, emails and an admin view. Laravel handles these well, so your budget goes on what makes your product different. I help you launch the smallest version worth launching, then grow it without a rewrite.
What goes into a Laravel SaaS
Multi-tenancy, done sensibly
One database or one per customer? I explain the trade-offs in plain English and pick the simplest option that won’t paint you into a corner.
Subscriptions and billing
Plans, trials, upgrades, invoices and failed-payment handling, usually with Stripe, so revenue arrives reliably and support queries stay low.
Teams, roles and permissions
Invite colleagues, assign roles and keep each customer’s data separate and secure from day one.
Onboarding, email and notifications
Welcome flows, transactional email and in-app notifications, handled in the background with queues so the app stays fast.
Admin and reporting
An internal view to support customers, see usage and understand how the business is doing without asking a developer.
Security and compliance basics
UK GDPR essentials, backups, audit trails and access control, the unglamorous parts that hurt most when they’re missing.
Worth knowing
Don’t build for a thousand customers before you have ten
The most common SaaS mistake I see is over-engineering on day one. I’ll help you choose the simplest setup that works now and leaves room to grow, so you reach paying customers sooner and with less risk.
How a SaaS build runs
Shape the product
We define who it’s for, the one thing it must do well and what can wait. You get a prioritised scope and a plan you can show investors.
Build the core loop
Sign-up, the main workflow and billing, delivered in small releases you can test on a staging site as we go.
Launch and learn
Get it in front of real users, watch how they behave and fix what matters first. Monitoring and error tracking are in from the start.
Scale what works
Add features in order of value, improve performance as usage grows and keep the codebase tidy so change stays cheap.
Ways to work together on your SaaS
Every business is different, so I keep this flexible. I’ll recommend the simplest option that gets you what you need.
MVP build
A fixed-scope first version with an agreed price and timeline.
Best when: You’re starting from scratch.
Ongoing product development
A flexible monthly block of days for evolving a live product.
Best when: You have customers and a growing backlog.
Technical lead for your team
Architecture, code review and delivery leadership around your own developers.
Best when: You have a team but need senior direction.
FAQ
Laravel SaaS Development: your questions answered.
What is a multi-tenant SaaS?
It’s software where many customers (tenants) use the same application, each seeing only their own data. Most SaaS products are multi-tenant. The technical question is how you keep each customer’s data separate, which affects cost, security and complexity.
Should each customer have their own database?
Sometimes, but not usually at the start. A single database with careful separation is simpler and cheaper, and fine for most products. Separate databases make sense when customers demand it for compliance or when data volumes are very large. I’ll advise based on your situation.
How much does a Laravel SaaS cost to build?
A first version commonly lands somewhere between £15k and £60k depending on scope, with more complex products costing more. The best way to control cost is to launch a smaller first version. I’ll give you a realistic range after a short discovery conversation.
Can you integrate Stripe for subscriptions?
Yes. Stripe is the usual choice for subscriptions, and I’ve integrated it into client projects. We’ll cover plans, trials, upgrades, invoices and failed payments.
How long does it take to get an MVP live?
Often two to four months from kickoff, depending on scope. You’ll see working software in the first few weeks because I release in small increments.
Will it scale if we grow quickly?
Laravel scales well with queues, caching and sensible database design, and most products reach a business scale long before hitting technical limits. I design for the growth you can realistically expect, not an imaginary one.
Can you take over an existing SaaS built by someone else?
Yes. I’d start with a short audit, then agree a plan to stabilise it, add tests and move forward. See Laravel upgrades & legacy rescue.
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Learn moreGet in touch
Tell me about your project.
No sales script and no pressure. Share a few details and I’ll reply personally, tell you honestly whether I can help and, if I can’t, point you to someone who can.
- hello@chris-mackie.co.uk
- +44 7593 182227
- London, UK