SaaS Starter Kit for Agencies

How MakerKit licensing works for client projects and white label SaaS

MakerKit is a SaaS starter kit and white label SaaS boilerplate agencies use to deliver client SaaS products on a codebase they already know: auth, billing, team accounts, and an admin panel on Next.js, TanStack Start, or React Router. Before you quote a project, you need to know which license covers it. This page answers that using the wording of the MakerKit license.

Short version: your agency needs a Team License, and every client who receives the code or a dedicated deployment needs their own license. A single multi-tenant white label SaaS that you own and operate needs no client licenses.

Which license each agency scenario needs

Scenario	Your agency	Your client
Build a SaaS for a client and hand over the source code	Team License	Client holds their own license
Host a separate instance per client on your servers, even if they never see the code	Team License	Each client holds their own license
Run one multi-tenant white label SaaS you own, with clients as tenants	Your license only	No license needed (they are end users)
Use one license to deliver code to several clients	Not allowed	Each client needs a license
Do client work on a Developer License	Not allowed	Team License required

What the license says about client work

Three clauses decide most agency projects. Quoted from the Team License:

Use the Download Files to create End Products for Clients, provided that any Client who receives the source code, Download Files, or Derivatives holds their own valid MakerKit license.

Deploying separate bespoke instances of the Download Files or Derivatives where each instance is created for and dedicated to a specific Client […] is considered distribution and requires each such Client to hold their own valid MakerKit license. This applies even if the Licensee retains administrative control of the deployment.

The following are permitted without additional licenses: a single multi-tenant SaaS application serving multiple End Users; staging, production, and preview environments for the Licensee's own End Products; regional deployments (e.g. EU/US) of the same End Product; disaster recovery and failover copies; and logical tenant isolation within a single deployment.

The Developer License is stricter: it "does not permit building End Products for Clients under any circumstances." Structuring the engagement as work for hire does not change any of this.

White label SaaS boilerplate, done right

"White label" means two different things for agencies, and the license treats them differently.

One product, many clients

You build and operate one multi-tenant SaaS and sell access to it under your brand or your clients' brands. Each client is a team account in the same deployment. Your own license covers it, and MakerKit's team accounts, roles, and per-account billing are built for exactly this.

One codebase per client

You fork the kit into a custom app for each client, on their servers or yours. Each client needs a license. Budget it into the quote; it is a one-time cost per client, with lifetime updates for that client.

Full source code: rebrand the logo, theme, fonts, and every page
No attribution or "Powered by" badge required by the license
Team License access for your employees and contractors, who must delete their copies when they leave the engagement

How agencies usually set it up

Client buys the license

The client purchases a MakerKit license in their own name. If your developers need repository access through the client's license, the client needs a Team License, which covers their contractors.

You buy it for the client

You purchase the client's license on their behalf and include the cost in your development fee. The license still belongs to the client.

Agency partner program

Agencies that bring several clients to MakerKit can join the partner program. Terms are agreed per agency; get in touch to apply.

Extra developer seats

Additional seats for your team beyond the collaborators included in the Team License.

Early access

Access new kits and features before general availability, so you can plan client work around them.

Agency licensing FAQ

Which MakerKit license does an agency need?

The Team License. The Developer License does not permit client work under any circumstances. The Team License lets your employees and contractors use the code to build products for your business or for licensed clients.

Does each client need their own MakerKit license?

Yes, if the client receives the source code or gets a dedicated deployment built for them, even one you host and administer. The only exception is a single multi-tenant SaaS that you own and operate, where clients are end users of the hosted app.

Can I build a white label SaaS with MakerKit?

Yes, as long as it is one multi-tenant application that you own and operate. The license permits a single multi-tenant SaaS serving multiple end users, staging and preview environments, regional deployments, and logical tenant isolation in one deployment, without extra licenses. Separate bespoke instances per client require each client to hold a license.

Can we structure the project as work for hire to avoid a client license?

No. The license states that the client must hold their own MakerKit license if they receive the code, regardless of whether the engagement is structured as work for hire, assignment, or a managed service.

Do we have to show MakerKit branding?

No. The license does not require attribution or a "Powered by" badge. You get the full source code, so the logo, theme, and every page can be rebranded.

Can we buy the client license on their behalf?

Yes. You can buy a license for the client and include it in your quote, or send them a link to buy it themselves. The license must belong to the client, not to your agency.

The full license text is the binding version; the MakerKit FAQ covers freelancers too. Choosing a stack for client work? Compare kits on the React SaaS boilerplate page.

Quoting a client project?

Tell us about the project and how you plan to deliver it. We will confirm which licenses it needs and set up partner terms if it fits.