5 Common MVP Mistakes (and Why They Still Happen in 2025)

In 2025, simply building an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is no longer a major achievement. It's expected. But despite all the knowledge available today, early-stage products still fail for the same avoidable reasons.

Here are 5 common MVP mistakes — and how to avoid them:

MVP mistake: An MVP with nothing to test

1. An MVP with nothing to test "We want an MVP without signup, payments, or analytics. Just to show the idea." That's not an MVP — it's an interactive slideshow. If you can't track behavior or test anything, it's not worth building yet.

2. Founders writing the spec themselves A spec isn’t just how you "imagine it in your head." If you don’t explain what should happen during offline mode, incoming calls, or API timeouts — the user will find out. And they’ll leave a review about it.

3. Picking tech based on "what’s cheaper" You can't just "go with React Native so it works for both iOS and Android." Tech stack depends on your audience, scaling plans, access control, launch speed — not just your dev budget.

Picking technology based on what's cheaper

4. UX without bad-case scenarios = no real UX You’d be shocked how many apps crash when a user closes the screen during payment. It’s not enough to design the happy path. Real users bring chaos. Your product should be ready for it.

UX without bad-case scenarios isn't real UX

5. No buffer for review or bug fixing "Our pitch is in two days — we just submitted to the store." App Store might reject your build or freeze review for a week with no reason. Don't tie your launch to a date. Launch only after review. Always plan for a bug-fix sprint.

Building a strong MVP isn’t about doing the minimum. It’s about building smart. Avoid these mistakes — and you'll be way ahead of the curve.