Every developer's journey starts with a moment of inspiration. That instant when you see an opportunity so clearly, you can't help but take action. I've been exactly where you are – staring at a fresh Next.js project, eager to build something amazing.
But here's what I've learned through years of building and helping others build: the path to success isn't about working harder – it's about working smarter.
The Hidden Reality of Building From Scratch 💭
Let's make a quick estimate of how long it would take to build a Next.js SaaS starter kit from scratch.
I'll be assuming:
- You're a very experienced developer
- You are immediately familiar with Next.js and Supabase
- You have a basic understanding of Stripe
- Your code doesn't work on the first try, with some trial and error needed for each step
- You are not a designer, however you're not afraid of drawing pixels on your screen
- You are super-human and never hit analysis paralysis
The Real Development Timeline 📈
Here's what needs to be built:
- Project Setup (Prettier, Linter, Turbo, etc.): 1 hour
- Authentication (backed by Supabase): 1-3 hours, excluding edge cases
- Payment Integration (backed by Stripe): 1-3 hours
- Landing Page and other marketing pages: 1-3 hours
- Blog and Documentation: 2-4 hours
- Team Management and Permissions: 2-4 hours
- E2E tests with Playwright: 1-2 hours
- Github Actions CI/CD: 1 hour
- Documentation: 1 hour
The True Cost Breakdown 💰
Let's calculate the total time investment:
- At a very minimum, you need 11 hours of non-stop work.
- At a more realistic estimate, you need 16-22 hours of non-stop work.
Assuming your rate is $100/hour, that's a total cost of $1,600-$2,200.
To be honest - this is an extremely simplified estimate. I'm trying not to be too pessimistic, but chances are you'll need more hours than this.
Considering the cost of the SaaS Starter Kit is $300, you'll be paying 7x more than if you built it from scratch.
What did I not include?
- Password Resets
- Expired Links handling
- Email Templates
- Pricing Table generator
- Captcha/CSRF protection
- Admin Dashboard
- Analytics
The reality? Handling these features and their edge cases for a production-ready system will easily push beyond 40 hours of work.
The Hard Truth About SaaS Starter Kits 💡
Many SaaS Starter Kits in the market aren't including these crucial features that justify their cost. This is why choosing the right starter kit becomes critical for your success.
When evaluating a starter kit, look for:
- Comprehensive feature set
- Production-ready code
- Active maintenance
- Strong documentation
- Community support
- Regular updates
Making the Smart Choice 🎯
Consider this:
Building from scratch: 40+ hours at $100/hour = $4,000+
- A quality starter kit: $300
- Time saved: Priceless
But it's not just about the money. It's about:
- Getting to market faster
- Focusing on your unique value proposition
- Building on a proven foundation
- Learning from established patterns
- Avoiding common pitfalls
Your Path Forward 🚀
Before you decide to build from scratch, ask yourself:
- Is rebuilding these common features the best use of my time?
- What could I build instead with those 40+ hours?
- How much sooner could I start generating revenue?
- What's the cost of delaying my market entry?
The smartest founders don't reinvent the wheel - they build upon proven foundations and focus their energy on what makes their product unique. Remember: Your time and creativity are your most valuable assets. Use them wisely.
When is it Time to Build From Scratch? 🤔
Alright, alright, you caught me! I've been focusing on the benefits of using a starter kit, but let's have an honest conversation about when building from scratch might actually be the better choice.
The Perfect Scenarios for Building From Scratch 🎯
- When Learning is Your Primary Goal: You're diving into Next.js and want to understand every piece of the puzzle. There's no better teacher than building something from the ground up. The struggles, the "aha" moments, the late-night debugging sessions – they're all part of your growth journey.
- When Your Requirements Are Unique: Maybe you're building something that doesn't fit the traditional SaaS model. Perhaps you need a very specific authentication flow, or your data structure is unlike anything available in existing solutions. In these cases, existing starter kits might actually slow you down with their assumptions and conventions.
- When You Need Absolute Control: Some projects require complete control over every line of code, whether for security, compliance, or architectural reasons. If you're building a financial platform or handling sensitive medical data, the constraints of a starter kit might be more hindrance than help.
- When You're Building a Foundation for Multiple Projects: If you're an agency or a serial founder planning to launch multiple products, investing time in your own foundation could pay dividends. You'll create a codebase that perfectly matches your team's style and needs.
- When you Have The Cash: As a funded company, you can take the time to build your own foundation. You can also use the money to hire a team of experts to help you build the foundation.
The Hidden Benefits of Starting From Zero 🌱
There are some undoubtedly hidden benefits to starting from scratch:
- Deep Understanding
- You'll know every corner of your codebase
- Debugging becomes more intuitive
- Architecture decisions make more sense
- Future additions are easier to plan
- Custom Optimization
- No unused features taking up space
- Performance tuned to your specific needs
- Security tailored to your requirements
- Perfect alignment with your workflow
The Smart Way to Build From Scratch 🚀
If you decide to build from scratch:
- Start with a clear architecture plan
- Use battle-tested libraries for core functions
- Focus on one feature at a time
- Document as you build
- Test thoroughly
- Share your learning journey
Conclusion - Buy or Build? 🤔
Here's the truth - there's no universal answer. But there is a decision framework that can help you chart your unique path forward.
Buy when:
- Time to market is crucial
- Your innovation lies in the product, not the infrastructure
- You want to focus on customer development
- You have budget but limited development time
- You're not sure how to start developing the product from scratch
- You want a reference implementation
Build when:
- Learning is your primary goal
- You need absolute control
- Your requirements are truly unique
- You're building a foundation for multiple projects
But here's what I've learned through my journey: The most successful developers don't see this as a binary choice. They see it as a spectrum of opportunities for growth.
The Growth Mindset Approach 🌱
Whether you buy or build, embrace it as a learning opportunity:
- If you buy, dive deep into understanding how things are structured
- If you build, share your journey and learn from community feedback
- Either way, document your experience and help others grow
Remember: Your success isn't measured by whether you built everything from scratch. It's measured by the value you create, the problems you solve, and the knowledge you share along the way.
Your Next Step 🚀
Start with a small experiment:
- If buying, try customizing one feature deeply
- If building, share your progress publicly
- Either way, document your journey
The beauty of our craft isn't in the tools we choose, but in how we use them to create value and grow along the way.
Your journey of learning and building is uniquely yours. Embrace it, document it, and most importantly - start today. The world needs what you're going to build, regardless of how you choose to build it.
Remember: Every great product started with a decision similar to the one you're making now. Trust your instincts, but stay curious and open to learning as you go.
Makerkit - A trusted SaaS Starter Kit 💡
Makerkit is one of the most trusted SaaS Starter Kits out there. If you're looking for a Next.js SaaS Starter Kit, Makerkit can help you build a SaaS from scratch.