The Best SaaS Starter Kits in 2026: 8 Options Compared

Building a SaaS from scratch means weeks of setup: auth, billing, dashboards, email. Every single time. The smart move? Start with a SaaS starter kit and skip straight to your unique features.

The problem: there are now dozens of SaaS boilerplates, all claiming to save you time. Some deliver. Others waste more time than they save.

I have built four SaaS products in the past two years. Two with starter kits, two without. The kits saved 3-4 weeks each time. But only the right ones.

This guide compares 8 SaaS starter kits for 2026. I will show you which ones actually deliver, what they cost, and how to pick the right one for your project.

Target audience: Developers and founders who want to ship faster without building auth and billing from scratch.

Key Takeaways

If you remember nothing else:

1. The 80/20 Template Rule - A good SaaS starter kit handles 80% of your setup (auth, billing, UI). You customize the 20% that is unique.

2. Match the kit to your stack - Supabase user? Pick a Supabase kit. Already know Prisma? Do not learn a new ORM just for a boilerplate.

3. Time matters more than price - A $300 kit that saves 40 hours costs $7.50/hour. Most developers charge far more than that.

Table of Contents

1. Quick Comparison
2. What Makes a Great SaaS Starter Kit?
3. How We Evaluated
4. #1: Shipfast
5. #2: Supastarter
6. #3: Makerkit
7. #4: SaaSBold
8. #5: Bedrock
9. #6: LaunchFast
10. #7: SaaS UI Pro

11. The Starter Kit Selection Matrix
12. SaaS Starter Kits + AI Builders: The Compound Effect
13. Which SaaS Starter Kit Should You Choose?
14. Conclusion

Quick Comparison

Quick verdict: Shipfast for speed. Supastarter if you use Supabase. Makerkit for B2B with teams. NextBase for AI-heavy apps.

What Makes a Great SaaS Starter Kit?

Not all SaaS starter kits are equal. The best ones share these characteristics:

Must-Have Features

1. Authentication - Email/password, OAuth (Google, GitHub), magic links. A good starter kit saves you 2-3 days on auth alone.

2. Payment integration - Stripe is standard. Some include Lemon Squeezy for EU-friendly payments. Subscription management, webhooks, and customer portal should work out of the box.

3. Dashboard UI - The hardest part to design from scratch. Look for metric cards, data tables, charts, and settings pages.

4. Email setup - Transactional emails (welcome, password reset, receipts) with a provider like Resend or SendGrid pre-configured.

5. Database schema - User management, subscriptions, and team/organization tables ready to extend.

Nice-to-Have Features

• Landing page with pricing section
• Blog/MDX support
• SEO optimization (meta tags, sitemap)
• Admin panel
• Multi-tenancy (teams, workspaces)
• Internationalization (i18n)

Red Flags

• No TypeScript support in 2026
• Last update more than 6 months ago
• No documentation or setup guide
• Requires 20+ steps to get running
• No community or support channel

How We Evaluated

We tested each SaaS starter kit by building the same app: a simple project management tool with auth, dashboard, and Stripe checkout.

Evaluation Criteria

The Test Build

For each kit, we implemented:

• User signup/login with email verification
• Dashboard with 3 metric cards and a data table
• Settings page with profile update
• Stripe checkout for a $19/mo subscription plan

This covers the core of any SaaS. If a starter kit handles this well, it handles most projects.

#1: Shipfast

What it is: The most popular SaaS starter kit in the indie hacker community. Built by Marc Lou, who has launched multiple profitable products using his own boilerplate.

URL: shipfa.st

Pros

• Fastest setup - Running in under 10 minutes with excellent documentation
• Battle-tested - Used by 5,000+ makers. Bugs get caught and fixed fast
• Complete feature set - Auth, payments (Stripe + Lemon Squeezy), email, SEO, landing page, blog
• Active Discord - Fast support from Marc and the community
• Regular updates - New features added monthly

Cons

• MongoDB by default - Not ideal if you prefer Postgres. Migration requires work
• Recognizable design - The landing page looks "Shipfast-y" without customization
• Single-user focused - No built-in team or organization features

Best For

Solo founders who want to ship an MVP this weekend. If speed matters more than customization, Shipfast is the best SaaS starter kit for you.

Pricing

ROI calculation: Saves approximately 40-60 hours of setup. At $50/hour, that is $2,000-3,000 in time value for a $199 investment.

Our Rating: 8.8/10

#2: Supastarter

What it is: A Next.js SaaS starter kit built specifically for Supabase. If you have committed to the Supabase ecosystem, this is the natural choice.

URL: supastarter.dev

Pros

• Native Supabase integration - Auth, database, and real-time features work perfectly together
• Clean code structure - Well-organized, easy to understand and extend
• Multi-tenancy built in - Team workspaces and organization management included
• Excellent TypeScript - Full type safety throughout the codebase
• Both Next.js and Nuxt - Choose your preferred framework

Cons

• Supabase lock-in - Cannot easily switch to another backend
• Higher price point - $299 is more than budget options
• Smaller community - Less community content compared to Shipfast

Best For

Teams already using Supabase or planning to. The native integration saves significant time compared to wiring up Supabase manually.

Pricing

Our Rating: 8.6/10

#3: Makerkit

What it is: A flexible SaaS starter kit that supports both Firebase and Supabase backends. Known for robust multi-tenancy features.

URL: makerkit.dev

Pros

• Backend flexibility - Choose Firebase or Supabase based on your preference
• Best multi-tenancy - Teams, organizations, roles, and permissions built properly
• B2B ready - Invite flows, team billing, and member management included
• Well-documented - Extensive guides for customization
• Active development - Frequent updates and new features

Cons

• Steeper learning curve - More complex than simpler kits
• Firebase option feeling dated - Supabase version gets more attention
• Overwhelming for solo projects - Features you may never use

Best For

B2B SaaS products that need team workspaces, role-based permissions, and organization billing from day one.

Pricing

Our Rating: 8.3/10

#4: SaaSBold

What it is: A budget-friendly Next.js SaaS starter kit with solid fundamentals. Best value under $150.

URL: saasbold.com

Pros

• Affordable - $149 is accessible for bootstrapped founders
• Clean Tailwind design - Modern UI without excessive styling
• Prisma + Postgres - Standard, well-supported stack
• Good documentation - Clear setup and customization guides
• Regular updates - Active maintenance

Cons

• Fewer features - Missing some advanced features of premium kits
• Smaller ecosystem - Less community content and examples
• Basic email setup - Requires more configuration than competitors

Best For

Bootstrapped founders on a budget who need a solid foundation without premium pricing.

Pricing

Our Rating: 7.8/10

#5: Bedrock

What it is: An enterprise-focused SaaS starter kit with security and compliance patterns built in. Uses Clerk for authentication.

URL: bedrock.mxkaske.dev

Pros

• Enterprise patterns - Audit logs, security headers, and compliance-ready structure
• Clerk authentication - Best-in-class auth UX with minimal setup
• Excellent code quality - Clean architecture, well-tested
• Monorepo structure - Organized for larger teams and projects
• Modern tooling - Turborepo, pnpm, latest Next.js features

Cons

• Highest price - $399 is significant for solo founders
• Overkill for MVPs - Enterprise features add complexity
• Clerk dependency - Monthly costs for auth beyond free tier
• Steeper setup - Monorepo structure takes time to understand

Best For

Teams building for enterprise clients who need audit logs, compliance features, and professional-grade architecture from the start.

Pricing

Our Rating: 8.0/10

#6: LaunchFast

What it is: A multi-framework SaaS starter kit offering versions for Next.js, Astro, and SvelteKit. Good for teams who do not want to be locked into React.

URL: launchfa.st

Pros

• Framework choice - Next.js, Astro, or SvelteKit versions available
• Lightweight options - Astro version is extremely fast
• Good landing pages - Marketing-focused templates included
• Lemon Squeezy support - EU-friendly payment option built in
• Reasonable pricing - Middle of the market

Cons

• Less polished than leaders - Dashboard UI not as refined
• Documentation gaps - Some features underdocumented
• Smaller community - Fewer resources and examples available
• Inconsistent quality - Some frameworks better supported than others

Best For

Developers who prefer Astro or SvelteKit over Next.js, or those who want a lighter-weight solution.

Pricing

Our Rating: 7.5/10

#7: SaaS UI Pro

What it is: A design-first SaaS starter kit built on Chakra UI. Focuses on beautiful, accessible components over raw speed.

URL: saas-ui.dev

Pros

• Beautiful design - Best default aesthetics of any kit tested
• Accessibility built in - Chakra UI ensures WCAG compliance
• Component library - Extensive set of pre-built UI components
• Form handling - Advanced form patterns with validation
• Design system - Consistent tokens and theming

Cons

• Chakra UI lock-in - Not for teams who prefer Tailwind
• React only - No Next.js App Router optimizations
• Heavier bundle - Chakra adds weight compared to Tailwind
• Less SaaS-specific - More of a component library than a complete kit

Best For

Design-conscious teams who prioritize UI quality and accessibility, and who are comfortable with Chakra UI.

Pricing

Our Rating: 7.6/10

#8: NextBase

What it is: A Next.js SaaS starter kit optimized for AI-powered applications. Includes infrastructure for LLM integration, cost tracking, and AI feature development.

URL: designrevision.com/nextbase

Pros

• AI-ready infrastructure - LLM routing, usage tracking, and cost optimization pre-wired
• Modern stack - Next.js 14, Supabase, Tailwind CSS
• Clean design - Dashboard templates designed for AI apps (chat interfaces, usage displays)
• ScaleMind integration - AI gateway for cost optimization included
• Forge-compatible - Works seamlessly with AI code generation tools

Cons

• Newer to market - Smaller community than established kits
• AI focus may be overkill - Features you may not need if not building AI apps
• Supabase only - No Firebase or other backend options

Best For

Developers building AI-powered SaaS products who want LLM infrastructure, usage tracking, and cost management built in from the start.

Pricing

Our Rating: 8.5/10

The Starter Kit Selection Matrix

Use this framework to pick the right SaaS starter kit in 60 seconds.

By Your Situation

By Technical Preference

By Budget

Why Templates Beat Starting From Scratch

The math is simple. If your time is worth $50/hour, building auth and billing from scratch costs $3,000+ in time. A $200 SaaS starter kit is a 15x return on investment.

For more on this workflow, see our guide: How to Build a SaaS MVP in One Weekend with AI.

Which SaaS Starter Kit Should You Choose?

Choose Shipfast if:

• You want the fastest path to a working SaaS
• You are a solo founder building an MVP
• You prefer MongoDB or have no strong database preference
• Community support and active Discord matter to you
• You want the most battle-tested option

Choose Supastarter if:

• You are already invested in Supabase
• You want real-time features built in
• Postgres is non-negotiable for your project
• You value clean, modern code patterns
• You might use Nuxt instead of Next.js

Choose Makerkit if:

• You need multi-tenancy from day one
• You are building a B2B product with team workspaces
• You want flexibility between Firebase and Supabase
• Role-based permissions are a core requirement
• You need team billing and invite flows

Choose SaaSBold if:

• You are bootstrapped and budget matters
• You need a solid foundation without premium features
• Prisma + Postgres is your preferred stack
• You can customize and add features yourself
• $149 is your maximum budget

Choose Bedrock if:

• You have enterprise clients with compliance needs
• Audit logs and security are requirements
• You prefer Clerk for authentication
• Your team can handle monorepo complexity
• You are willing to pay premium for premium code

Choose LaunchFast if:

• You prefer Astro or SvelteKit over Next.js
• You want a lighter-weight solution
• Multiple framework options appeal to you
• Lemon Squeezy is your preferred payment processor

Choose SaaS UI Pro if:

• Design quality is your top priority
• Accessibility compliance is required
• You are comfortable with Chakra UI
• You want an extensive component library
• You prioritize UI/UX over feature count

Choose NextBase if:

• You are building an AI-powered application
• You need LLM cost tracking and optimization
• You want ScaleMind integration out of the box
• You plan to use Forge for customization
• Chat interfaces and AI dashboards are in scope

Consider building from scratch if:

• You have very specific architectural requirements
• You are learning and want to understand every piece
• Your SaaS is so unique that templates do not apply
• You have 4-6 weeks to spare before launch

For most projects, a SaaS starter kit saves 40+ hours. That is a week of your life. Use it.

Conclusion

The SaaS starter kit market has matured. You do not need to evaluate 50 options. The top 5 cover 90% of use cases.

The Quick Guide

Pick the SaaS starter kit that matches your stack. Spend the hours you save on what actually matters: your unique features and finding customers.

Next Steps

1. Pick a kit - Use the Selection Matrix above
2. Set up in an afternoon - All of these kits have setup guides under 30 minutes

4. Ship - The goal is not the perfect kit. It is a shipped product

Last updated: December 2025