PoC vs. Prototype vs. MVP: What’s the Difference? How to Choose?
A product succeeds when it meets market demand, fits the right audience, and undergoes thorough testing during development.
One of the first and most important steps is idea validation. Testing an idea before full development can save time, effort, and potential mistakes.
The three main ways to test an idea are:
- Proof of Concept (PoC)
- Prototype
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Each method has its own benefits and is useful in different situations. If you’re unsure which one to choose, this guide will help you understand the differences and pick the right approach.
What’s a Proof of Concept (POC)?
A Proof of Concept (PoC) is a small test done early in a project to check if an idea or technology will work before building the full product. It’s a simple, internal project that proves whether a key feature or technical idea can be successfully implemented.
How a POC Works
A Proof of Concept (PoC) checks if the technology, tools, and resources needed for your idea can actually work. Since it’s only for internal testing, it doesn’t focus on design, security, or best coding practices. The code is usually temporary, with simple UI, mock APIs, and hard-coded elements that won’t be used in later development.
PoC best practices
To make your PoC effective, you need to know which features to test and why. Follow these steps:
- Set Goals – Define the scope, choose specific problems to test, and keep the project focused to save time and resources.
- Define Success Metrics – Set clear benchmarks to measure if your idea is feasible.
- Run the PoC – A PoC tests a single feature or integration, not the whole product. If you need to test multiple features, run separate PoCs.
- Track Results – Compare your outcomes with success metrics to see if your idea works as planned.
After the PoC, you’ll have a better idea of the challenges ahead. If it works, you can move to a prototype or MVP. If not, this is the best time to tweak or change your idea with minimal risk.
Reasons to use a POC
Creating a PoC is a low-cost, quick way (a few days to weeks) to test your idea before full development. It helps confirm your product vision and find the best technical approach to bring it to life.
A PoC also helps you:
- Test your development approach
- Check if a complex solution is possible
- Identify limitations
- Understand resource needs
- Reduce risks in later development
By starting with a PoC, you can avoid costly mistakes and ensure your idea is worth pursuing.
You usually don’t show a Proof of Concept (PoC) to investors—that’s what prototypes are for. However, if your project involves complex technology, a PoC can help prove that your idea works technically and is financially feasible.
What’s a Prototype?
A prototype is an early model of your product that shows how it works before full development. It presents your idea in a simple way to highlight its value.
How Prototyping Works
Prototyping helps you identify gaps, refine your idea, and understand requirements before full development. It saves time and money by allowing improvements based on user testing and feedback.
Prototypes are great for showcasing design and understanding complex processes. Depending on your goal, they can be:
- Functional – Simulates one or more product features.
- Display – Focuses on the look and feel of the product.
Prototypes come in different forms:
- Paper-based – Hand-drawn wireframes.
- Digital – UI mockups or interactive “clickable” versions.
- Miniature – Small-scale models, like IoT samples.
The best type of prototype depends on what you need to test and demonstrate.
Prototype’s models
The prototyping approach comprises four major models:
1. Rapid Prototyping: Quick, disposable models to test specific features, explore ideas, and get fast feedback. These are not reused later.
2. Evolutionary Prototyping: Each prototype builds on the previous one, gradually developing into the final product.
3. Incremental Prototyping: The product is built in smaller stages, with each part developed separately and later combined into a full product.
4. Extreme Prototyping: Used in web development, focusing on delivering functional versions quickly rather than exploring all possible requirements.
Now that you know the different prototyping models, let’s explore where they work best.
Reasons to use prototypes
Prototyping helps businesses gather early feedback from users and stakeholders before full development. It is also useful for:
- Finding and fixing issues in the product flow.
- Understanding customer needs better.
- Attracting investors by showcasing how the product will look or work (like Infected Vision by Alex Mercer).
- Getting customer feedback without building the actual product.
A well-tested and refined prototype can be a strong foundation for product development. But before moving to full development, there’s one more approach to consider.
What’s a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) ?
A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a basic version of your product with just enough features to attract early users. Their feedback helps you understand your audience, see what works, and improve your product step by step. This way, you can test your ideas before fully developing them.
With each new version, you learn more about your users and improve your product based on their feedback. Depending on what they say, you might enhance key features, change direction, or even start fresh. This process repeats until your MVP grows into a complete product.
Main characteristics of an MVP
An MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is often described as small, fast, and affordable, but it’s more than that. A well-designed MVP tests market demand without needing a fully developed product.
Here are the features that best characterize MVP development:
1. Thrifty production : A minimum viable product (MVP) is a basic, budget-friendly version of the final product. It allows you to launch quickly, test your idea, and learn from real users without spending too much time or money. MVPs are especially useful for startups, as they help attract early customers and potential investors while keeping costs low.
2. Core feature set : An MVP focuses on the core idea of your product. However, sometimes a single feature may not be enough to fully demonstrate its value. That said, adding too many features too soon can be a mistake. It might confuse users, shift focus away from the main idea, and make it harder to get clear and useful feedback.
3. Value : A good MVP should solve key problems for early users and give them a useful preview of the final product.
4. Narrow target audience : If you target too many people too soon, you might not meet everyone’s needs. Instead, focus on a specific group first and refine your product to solve their problem better and faster than competitors.
With an MVP, you focus only on the main idea of your product. Other features come later, based on user feedback and needs as you improve it over time.
Reasons to use an MVP
Launching a new product is risky—35% of startups fail because there’s no market demand. An MVP helps test your idea early, saving time and money while showing if you should move forward, adjust, or rethink.
Other reasons to build an MVP:
- Start your business with minimal resources
- Attract investors or crowdfunding
- Avoid major product failures
- Build strong customer relationships
- Improve the final product
An MVP helps you test if a product idea is worth developing and identify any issues that could affect its success.
Now that you understand all three approaches to idea validation, let’s focus on what makes them different. It’s actually quite simple!
POC vs. Prototypes vs. MVP : What’s the difference ?
A proof of concept (PoC), prototype, and MVP are different steps in product development.
- PoC and prototype come before the actual product and need minimal to moderate investment.
- MVP is the first real version of the product with core features, built to test market response. It takes more time and money than a PoC or prototype.
To make things clearer, here’s a table comparing PoC, prototype, and MVP.
A PoC checks if an idea is possible, tests the technical side, and lowers risks before full development. It’s usually an internal project and not the best way to attract investors. If you need to show how your product will look or work without fully building it, a prototype is a better choice.
A prototype doesn’t have the full business logic of the final product but shows the design and key functions. It can be tested with a small group to gather early feedback, understand user reactions, and spot any issues. It’s also a great way to attract investors and secure funding for further development.
A minimum viable product (MVP) is a working version of your product with the key features needed to showcase your business idea. It’s not the final version, but it lets you gather user feedback and improve it over time.
How to Pick the Best Approach for Your Startup ?
Proof of concept, prototyping, and MVP are different steps in product development, not substitutes for each other. Each serves a specific purpose at a different stage.
So, which one should you start with? Here are some quick tips to help you decide.
- Start with a PoC if:
- Your product is innovative and unique.
- You need to check if your idea is technically possible.
- You’re deciding which technology to use.
- You want to share technical insights with your team.
- Start with a Prototype if:
- You need a visual representation of your idea.
- You’re looking to secure early-stage funding.
- You want initial feedback from focus groups.
- You have a tight deadline to present your idea.
- Start with an MVP if:
- You want real users to test market demand.
- You need a cost-effective way to launch quickly.
- You plan to generate revenue early.
- You want to reduce the risk of failure.
You don’t have to go through all three steps, but doing so can help minimize risks and improve your product before launching it.
FAQS
- What is a PoC?
A proof of concept (PoC) is a small test project used to check if an idea is possible before committing to full development.
- Is a Prototype the Same as an MVP?
No, they are different. A prototype is a rough draft of your product, used to test and show ideas before full development. An MVP is the first working version with core features, released to a small audience for feedback.
- Does a PoC Come Before an MVP?
Yes, a PoC usually comes first to test if an idea is possible. It’s a small, internal project that isn’t usually reused. If it works, the next step is creating a prototype or an MVP.
- How Long Does It Take to Develop a PoC?
A PoC typically takes a few days to a couple of weeks. Since it’s for internal use only, it doesn’t focus on UI or security and may use hard-coded data, mock APIs, and basic controls.
- PoC, Prototype, or MVP: Which One to Choose?
PoC, prototype, and MVP are different approaches used at various stages of software development. The right choice depends on your product’s stage, goals, and future plans.
