Launching an MVP is not just pushing code live. The product needs to be usable, measurable, paid where relevant, and ready for the first real users to give feedback.
A checklist helps founders avoid the awkward launch where the app works technically but nobody can pay, analytics are missing, or the first users do not know what to do.
Key takeaways
Product checks
Test sign-up, login, password reset, the core workflow, mobile layout, empty states, errors, and the path back when something goes wrong.
Business checks
Confirm pricing, payment flow, refund policy, support email, terms, privacy policy, analytics, domain, and any transactional emails.
Customer checks
Prepare the first-user list, launch message, onboarding email, feedback questions, and a simple way for users to report problems.
After launch
Watch where users get stuck, what they ignore, what they ask for, and whether they come back.
Product checks
Test sign-up, login, password reset, the core workflow, mobile layout, empty states, errors, and the path back when something goes wrong.
Ask a person outside the build to use the app without explanation. If they cannot reach the first valuable outcome, the app needs clarity before launch.
Business checks
Confirm pricing, payment flow, refund policy, support email, terms, privacy policy, analytics, domain, and any transactional emails.
If the MVP is paid, run a real payment test or a controlled live payment before sending traffic.
Customer checks
Prepare the first-user list, launch message, onboarding email, feedback questions, and a simple way for users to report problems.
Your first users should not be treated like anonymous traffic. They are the people who help shape version two.
After launch
Watch where users get stuck, what they ignore, what they ask for, and whether they come back. Do not turn every suggestion into a feature immediately.
The first launch is the start of learning, not the end of building. Build with Kat includes a post-launch bug-fix window so the product can settle after real usage begins.
Related MVP guides
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