Introduction
Vibe coding is trending hard right now. You’ve probably seen the claims: “Built this MVP in a weekend using ChatGPT.” Or, “Zero devs, just vibes and AI.” And while some of that is true, most of it hides the messy middle.
At Otterdev, we’ve been hands-on with vibe coding. We’ve used it to speed up MVPs, test new product ideas, and even ship internal tools. But we’ve also seen the ugly side—bad builds, surprise bills, and apps that aren’t marketable.
Here’s what we’ve learned.
What is Vibe Coding?
Vibe coding is the art of using AI tools to rapidly prototype and build software—without a strict spec or traditional development process. It skips ahead. Instead of weeks of planning, founders dive straight into generating interfaces and logic using prompts and AI code generation.
Sounds great. Sometimes, it is. But there’s a catch.
The Good: Speed
Done well, vibe coding can help you go from idea to working MVP in 3–4 weeks instead of the usual 6–12 months. That means:
- Lower upfront costs
- Faster user feedback
- Quicker investor validation
We’ve personally launched projects this way—high-quality, testable MVPs that would've taken 4–5x longer using traditional methods.
The Bad: It’s Not as Simple as It Sounds
Vibe coding looks easy because of how AI tools present it. But unless you know what you’re doing, things can go sideways fast. Common issues we’ve seen include:
- Broken or half-working features
- Unusable UIs
- Hours (or days) lost trying to fix mysterious bugs
If you don’t have a technical foundation—or someone experienced guiding the process—these tools become landmines, not shortcuts.
The Ugly: Hidden Costs That Can Break a Business
This is where vibe coding can unexpectedly trip you up.
On top of technical debt and shaky code, there’s a real risk of cloud bill shock. Just take it from Erik Peterson, Founder & CTO of CloudZero:
“Vibe coding accidentally creates a $120 k bill. Every engineering decision is a buying decision, even if it’s AI making the decisions.”
You think you saved money building fast—until you find out it’ll cost you triple to fix or scale.
Why Founders Still Need Technical Guidance
We tell our clients this often: AI can help you build fast, but it can’t protect you from mistakes you don’t even know you’re making.
That’s where we come in.
At Otterdev, we help founders move fast without breaking everything. We don’t just “vibe”—we build properly. So yes, you get your MVP in weeks instead of months. But you also get:
- Clean, maintainable code
- Clear structure and documentation
- No surprise bills or broken workflows
That’s the real win.
Final Thoughts
Vibe coding is a powerful new way to build. And for lean startups, it’s a game-changer—reducing MVP timelines from 6 months and $25K+… down to 3–4 weeks and $5K–$8K.
But only if you do it right.
If you’re a non-technical founder considering this route, don’t go it alone. With the right partner, vibe coding is lightning-fast and rock-solid. Without one, it’s risky at best.
