Must-Have vs Nice-to-Have: MVP Feature Priorities

Introduction

You're planning a mobile or web app with limited resources. The big question isn't what you could build—it's what you should build first. A successful MVP focuses on delivering real value today, not a laundry list of features you hope users might want someday.

This guide walks you through practical, repeatable steps to split MVP features into must-haves and nice-to-haves. You’ll learn to prioritize with evidence, validate quickly, and set up a plan that supports learning fast and iterating confidently.

Must-Have vs Nice-to-Have: the core idea

The core value of an MVP is delivering your main benefit as clearly and reliably as possible. Anything that doesn't support that core value is a candidate for later releases. A common rule of thumb is to ship with the smallest set of features that proves or disproves your hypothesis while still offering a coherent, useful experience. The goal is not perfection but learning at speed.

Step 1: Define the problem and the value proposition

Articulate the top problem your product solves for a specific audience.

Write one sentence that captures the promise: what the user achieves, and why it matters.

Validate that sentence with a few potential users or early-adopter colleagues. If they nod, you’re on the right track.

Step 2: Map the user journey and identify core flows

Sketch the primary paths a user will take to achieve the value. Think in terms of entry, core action, completion, and post-action.

Choose the fewest steps that reliably deliver the core value. Anything beyond those steps risks scope creep.

Focus on the edges of the journey where users would drop off; fixing those early delivers outsized impact.

Step 3: Build a feature list with clear categories

Create a long list of candidate features, then tag each item as:

Must-Have: essential to deliver the core value in the MVP.

Nice-to-Have: adds comfort, differentiates the product, or improves future iterations.

Examples for a typical consumer app:

Must-Have: account onboarding, core content creation/editing, essential search, basic data sync, error handling.

Nice-to-Have: in-app tutorials, social sharing, advanced filters, personalization, offline mode.

Step 4: Apply prioritization criteria

Use criteria that are objective and easy to measure:

User value: Does this feature solve a real pain point for the target user?

Impact on the core metric: Will it move activation, retention, or revenue early on?

Technical risk: Is the feature technically straightforward or does it introduce unknowns?

Effort and cost: How many person-weeks will it take, and what dependencies exist?

Learnability: Will the feature enable a quick, clear learning loop for users?

A simple rule of thumb: prioritize features that score high on user value and impact but low on risk and effort.

Step 5: Create a must-have vs nice-to-have matrix

Draw a two-by-two matrix with Impact (high/low) on one axis and Effort (low/high) on the other. Place features accordingly:

High Impact, Low Effort: Must-Have (top priority)

High Impact, High Effort: Consider if essential; seek ways to slice or prototype first

Low Impact, Low Effort: Could be Must-Have if it unlocks a smoother onboarding or retention, else Nice-to-Have

Low Impact, High Effort: Deprioritize until after the MVP

This visual helps teams align on scope and reduces political debates during planning.

Step 6: Validate with quick experiments

Landing-page smoke tests: present a clear value proposition and measure interest via signups or click-throughs.

Concierge MVP: simulate the experience with manual processes to learn how users react before building full automation.

Prototype tests: gather qualitative feedback on the core flow before investing in development.

Small pilot users: run a 1–2 week test with a handful of users to see if the core value holds up.

The goal is to learn fast, not to be perfect. If learning stops, you’re probably overbuilding.

Step 7: Plan the MVP release and iteration cadence

Define a compact release window (e.g., 4–8 weeks) focused on delivering the must-have set.

Break work into 2–4 sprints with clear sprint goals tied to the core flows.

Establish lightweight criteria for “done”: routing works, data flows complete, key metrics tracked, and user feedback captured.

Build in a rapid feedback loop after launch: collect metrics, observe user behavior, and iterate on the next wave of improvements.

Step 8: Prepare for post-MVP: marketing, ASO, and investor readiness

Marketing readiness: draft a simple value proposition page, capture early excitement, and plan a minimal launch campaign.

ASO considerations: pick a concise app name, relevant keywords, and a few screenshots that clearly convey the core benefit.

Investor-readiness mindset: ensure your MVP demonstrates product-market fit signals—clear problem, plausible market, and a path to growth.

Practical tip: keep your post-MVP plan lean. The faster you validate, the sooner you can start optimizing marketing, monetization, and expansion.

Conclusion

Prioritizing MVP features is about learning with speed, not delivering a perfect product from day one. Start by clearly stating the problem, map the essential user journey, and ruthlessly separate must-haves from nice-to-haves using a simple impact/effort framework. Validate early with lightweight experiments, and set a cadence for rapid iteration after launch. This approach helps you reduce wasted effort, test hypotheses quickly, and build a product that genuinely resonates with users.

If you’re looking to turn your MVP into an investor-ready product, there are structured approaches and partners that can help guide scoping, prototyping, and development. Focus on the core value, maintain a lean release plan, and you’ll be well-positioned to attract interest and support for your next phase.