How Much Does It Cost to Build a SaaS in 2026? AI Changed Everything

Originally published at nikhilgarg510.com Two years ago, building a SaaS cost $80K–$300K with an agency. Today, AI has rewritten the economics of software development entirely. I've been building SaaS products for 13+ years, and I've never seen a shift this dramatic. The combination of AI coding assistants, AI-generated UI, and AI-powered testing means a single senior developer now ships what used to require a team of 5. And the cost difference is staggering. Let me show you the real numbers. Th