I Tested 5 AI App Estimators. Here's What Actually Helped Me Plan a Real MVP

Planning an MVP? Cool. But how much is it going to cost, and how long will it take? I didn't want to talk to 10 agencies or fill out forms that go nowhere. I just wanted rough numbers, fast. So I tested five AI-based app estimation tools that promise to do the hard thinking for you.

Here’s what I learned.

What I Asked Each Tool

To keep it fair, I used the same input for all tools:

• Platform: Android + iOS

• Features: login, profiles, chat, push notifications

• Monetization: Stripe or paid plan

• Goal: MVP only (not a polished v1)

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1. Ptolemay

🔗 estimation.ptolemay.com

What it gave me:

• Cost range: $30–47K

• Timeline: 4–6 months

• Stack: Flutter + Firebase

• Team: 1 full-stack dev + QA

• Export: full brief (PDF)

Takeaway: This felt closest to something you'd send to an agency or investor. Not the most visual UI, but serious output.

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2. Flatlogic Generator

🔗 flatlogic.com

What it gave me:

• Codebase (React + Node.js + PostgreSQL)

• Estimate: ~2–4 weeks to build the admin panel

• Export: GitHub repo

Takeaway: Flatlogic actually generates usable code. If you're technical, you can get started now. Not ideal for mobile apps or non-devs.

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3. Cleveroad Estimator

🔗 cleveroad.com/project-cost-calculator

What it gave me:

• Dynamic budget: $26–38K

• No tech stack / no timeline / no download

Takeaway: Good for playing with features to see how they impact budget. That’s it.

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4. BuildAIPlan (Beta)

🔗 buildaiplan.com

What it gave me:

• Feature list + budget + timeline

• Stack suggestion: Firebase + React Native

• Estimate: $20–35K, 3–5 months

• No export, just screen output

Takeaway: Better for brainstorming. The AI-generated scope was fun but sometimes vague. Still a helpful nudge in early ideation.

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5. Costimator

🔗 costimator.ai

What it gave me:

• Budget range: $18–30K

• No stack, no timeline, no brief

Takeaway: It’s fast. If you just want a rough idea and nothing more, this does the job. But don’t expect strategic insight.

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TL;DR

No single tool nailed everything. But combining them helped me:

• Get a realistic budget + timeline

• Define my tech stack

• Draft a spec I could hand to devs

If you're early-stage and tired of "let’s jump on a call" forms, this approach gives you something actionable in under 15 minutes.

Let me know if you've found better tools. I’ll test those next.