Is vibe coding just for MVPs or can I scale?

The 'vibe coding is only for MVPs' narrative is partly outdated, but there's nuance here.

What works at scale: Basic CRUD applications, content platforms, simple marketplaces, and most B2B SaaS tools can absolutely scale to thousands or tens of thousands of users on AI-generated code. Modern frameworks and cloud infrastructure handle a lot of complexity automatically.

Where you'll hit limits: High-performance applications (real-time features, heavy computation), complex data processing, applications with unusual security requirements, or anything serving millions of users will eventually need optimisation that AI doesn't automatically provide.

The practical approach: Build with AI, scale until you hit real problems, then invest in fixing those specific problems. Many startups raise funding, acquire customers, and generate revenue on AI-built code before ever needing professional optimisation.

Think of it like starting a restaurant in a food truck. You can serve great food and build a loyal customer base without a full commercial kitchen. If demand grows enough, you might need a bigger kitchen-but you'll have revenue to pay for it by then.