How to choose a SaaS boilerplate

A SaaS boilerplate provides prebuilt authentication, billing, and marketing layouts so you can build your product features immediately. The right option depends on what you are building, which programming language you already write, and how your customer accounts are structured.

For our ranked list across all options, read 8 Best SaaS Boilerplates in 2026. This guide explains the four practical decisions that determine which codebase actually fits your project.

You do not have to buy a boilerplate. If you know your chosen libraries well, building authentication and Stripe checkout yourself avoids learning someone else's architecture.

1. What type of application are you building?

Many founders buy a SaaS boilerplate for a job it does not do. Different product models require completely different database structures and payment flows.

• Standard web software: If users create an account, pay a subscription, and use an online product, choose a general SaaS boilerplate. Options include ShipFast, supastarter, Makerkit, Nexty, Larafast, and SaaS Pegasus.
• Directories and listing marketplaces: If your business model charges sponsors for featured listings, tool profiles, or job posts, pick Dirstarter. It handles public submissions, category filters, and sponsor billing out of the box. It does not support team workspaces.
• Marketing sites and blogs only: If you need a landing page, a waitlist, and an MDX blog without a backend database or user login, choose Shipixen. You configure design tokens in a desktop application and export clean Next.js code.

2. Which programming language do you already write?

Stay with the language you already know. Switching from Laravel or Django to Next.js because a JavaScript boilerplate looks prettier is an expensive mistake. You will spend your first month debugging syntax and framework quirks instead of speaking to customers.

• If you write TypeScript and React, compare ShipFast vs supastarter, or look at Makerkit for complex team roles and Nexty for content sites.
• If you write PHP, choose Larafast. It provides both Livewire 3 and Vue 3 with Inertia, paired with a FilamentPHP administration dashboard.
• If you write Python, choose SaaS Pegasus. It generates a tailored Django 6 codebase with HTMX or React.

3. Do customers invite team members to a workspace?

This is the architectural decision that changes the entire database schema.

If your users are individuals, you do not need organization accounts. ShipFast and Nexty are built for that model. ShipFast is simpler and faster to deploy. Nexty adds PayPal checkout, a content management system, and an administration dashboard.

If customers invite colleagues into a shared team workspace, choose a boilerplate with native multi-tenancy. On Next.js, that means supastarter or Makerkit. On Laravel, team accounts sit on Larafast's $299 Multi-Tenancy tier. On Django, paid plans on SaaS Pegasus include teams.

Retrofitting team accounts onto a single-user boilerplate requires modifying every database model, authentication check, and billing webhook. If you think you might sell to companies, start with a multi-tenant codebase.

4. Single application or Turborepo monorepo?

Codebase organization determines how quickly you can make changes.

ShipFast is a single Next.js application. All your code sits inside one project directory, making it straightforward to inspect and deploy.

supastarter and Makerkit are Turborepo monorepos. They split your marketing site, user application, documentation, and email previews into dedicated packages. A monorepo keeps a growing codebase organized, but it requires learning how internal workspace dependencies communicate. We explain that structure in What is Turborepo?.

At a glance

Prices last checked: September 14, 2026

Next.js SaaS boilerplates

ShipFast

Choose ShipFast if you are a solo founder launching one Next.js product for individual users. You clone the repository, set your environment variables, and start the app. The Starter tier costs $199 once. It contains no organization accounts, no admin panel, and no language translations.

supastarter

Choose supastarter if your users require a shared workspace. The Solo plan is $299 once and provides team invitations, an administration panel, language translations, and five payment providers. The Next.js boilerplate runs in a Turborepo.

Makerkit

Choose Makerkit if you need deep organization permissions, user impersonation, and a super-admin dashboard. The Pro license costs $349 once per stack. Makerkit Lite is a free open-source repository on GitHub, allowing you to inspect the monorepo architecture before purchasing.

Nexty

Choose Nexty if you want Better Auth, multiple payment gateways (Stripe, Creem, PayPal), and a content management system for individual accounts. The homepage Pro price is $188 once.

For a side-by-side comparison between the two most popular options, read ShipFast vs supastarter.

Laravel and Django

Larafast

Choose Larafast if you build with Laravel and want a FilamentPHP administration dashboard. The $199 tier covers Livewire 3 and Vue with Inertia. Team accounts require the $299 Multi-Tenancy plan.

SaaS Pegasus

Choose SaaS Pegasus if you write Django. You select your frontend and backend configuration, and Pegasus generates a tailored codebase. Professional costs $449 once for one project and twelve months of community Slack access.

Directories and marketing sites

Dirstarter

Choose Dirstarter if your business model is a directory or curated tools listing. The Basic license is $159 once. It is configured for listing submissions, not team software accounts.

Shipixen

Choose Shipixen if you want a polished Next.js marketing site and an MDX blog. The one-year license is $249 for one computer. You add user authentication and payment processing yourself.