MakerKit - SaaS Starter Kit
MakerKit is a production-ready SaaS Starter Kit for React and Next.js developers, providing authentication, billing, multi-tenancy, and enterprise features out of the box.
DeveloperApplicationWebQuick Pick Guide
The starter kit you choose either saves you months or quietly signs you up for a rewrite. Here's how to decide.
Choose MakerKit if you want
- Personal-only, orgs-only, or hybrid account modes (switchable)
- Seat-based and metered plans without reinventing billing
- The option to swap billing providers later (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
- AI-assisted development with MCP server + custom agent rules
- Deployment beyond Vercel: Cloudflare + Docker support
- A kit that's deeply tested with Playwright
- A product that's fully translatable (real i18n)
Choose ShipFast if you want
The fastest path to a basic MVP and you're okay adding B2B features yourself later.
Choose SupaStarter or Achromatic if you want
A strong "standard SaaS kit" and you're comfortable shaping the last 20% yourself (without MakerKit's account-mode flexibility + MCP tooling).
SaaS Starter Kit Comparison
See how the top SaaS boilerplates compare. We've analyzed MakerKit, SupaStarter, Achromatic, ShipFast, and IndieKit Pro across the features that matter most.
| Feature | MakerKit | SupaStarter | Achromatic | ShipFast | IndieKit Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built for SaaS (not generic boilerplate) | |||||
| Account modes: personal-only, orgs-only, hybrid | |||||
| Multi-tenancy (orgs/teams, invites, roles) | |||||
| Seat-based billing | |||||
| Metered / usage billing | |||||
| Billing provider abstraction (swappable) | |||||
| MCP server for AI agents | |||||
| Custom AI agent rules (Cursor/Claude/Windsurf) | |||||
| Cloudflare deployment support | |||||
| Ready-to-use Docker files + docs | |||||
| Playwright E2E testing (pre-wired) | |||||
| Fully translatable UI (i18n) | |||||
| Extensive documentation |
Legend: ✅ Documented, first-class feature | ◐ Possible / partial / depends on your build | - Not clearly documented or not positioned as a core feature
What MakerKit Does That Most Kits Don't
Hybrid Account Modes
Most kits pick one model: B2C personal accounts or B2B organizations. MakerKit supports personal-only, organizations-only, and hybrid as a documented, switchable mode. This is a huge unlock if you sell to both individuals and teams.
Billing You Won't Regret Later
MakerKit treats billing like a product system: seats, metered usage, complex pricing, and a provider gateway abstraction so you can switch providers (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy) when customers require it.
AI-Agent Tooling That's Actually Operational
MakerKit ships custom agent rules and a real MCP server so AI agents can interact with your codebase in a structured way. This is the difference between 'AI autocomplete' and 'AI that can reliably implement features.'
Real Deployment Options
First-class deployment support beyond the default: Cloudflare support, ready-to-use Docker, and self-host options. Pick the hosting strategy that matches your constraints.
Playwright-First Testing
MakerKit has Playwright E2E as a documented part of the kit, not an afterthought. That's what lets teams move fast without breaking core flows like auth, billing, onboarding, and team management.
Fully Translatable
MakerKit is designed to be fully translated, with language switcher patterns and docs. Many kits say 'you can add i18n,' but few ship the plumbing and patterns that make it painless.
Competitor Notes
Fair assessments of each alternative and where MakerKit pulls ahead.
SupaStarter
A strong 'standard SaaS starter kit' option. Clearly supports multi-tenancy and seat-based subscriptions with broad payment-provider support.
Where MakerKit pulls ahead: The account-mode flexibility (personal/org/hybrid), MCP server + deeper AI workflow tooling, and the 'platform feel': deployment breadth + testing posture + architecture story.
Achromatic
A serious kit with good structure, aggressive pricing, and modern testing including Playwright.
Where MakerKit pulls ahead: Hybrid account modes, MCP server and AI agent ops, Cloudflare + multi-platform deployment as first-class, and billing abstraction with metered/seat focus as a core narrative.
ShipFast
Great if you want to launch quickly and don't care (yet) about enterprise-ish SaaS requirements.
Where MakerKit pulls ahead: Multi-tenancy as a first-class concept, seats + metered billing without redesign, Admin/Super Admin flows as a product feature, testing depth, translations, and long-term scalability.
IndieKit Pro
Competes hard on price and marketing, emphasizes AI 'skills/rules' plus founder mentorship.
Where MakerKit pulls ahead: Deeply documented, operational B2B foundation with org modes, billing depth, deployment targets, testing posture, and i18n. Claims are clearer and more verifiable.
We strive for accuracy in this comparison. If you spot any inaccuracies or if product features have changed, please contact us and we'll update the information promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is MakerKit more expensive than some alternatives?
Because it's not just 'auth + Stripe + a dashboard.' MakerKit includes the stuff that normally becomes a rewrite: multi-tenant modeling, hybrid account modes, billing depth (seats + metered), deployment breadth, AI tooling, testing, and i18n. Cheaper kits can be fine - they're just cheaper because you'll build more yourself.
Can I start simple and grow into the full thing?
Yes. MakerKit is designed so you can ship quickly, then scale features responsibly (teams, billing complexity, admin, translations) as your product grows.
What if I need a different billing provider later?
MakerKit's billing is designed with a provider gateway layer so you can swap providers when you must (common when customers demand Paddle/MoR setups, different tax handling, or regional constraints).
I'm building an MVP. Is MakerKit overkill?
If your MVP is truly disposable, a simpler kit might be fine. If your MVP is 'v1 of the business,' MakerKit saves you the rewrite.
The SaaS Starter Kit that goes beyond MVPs
The Best SaaS Starter Kit in the market
Don't waste months of development time. Choose the right SaaS starter kit.We've done the hard work for you. You can focus on what matters: building your product.
Authentication
Full authentication flow, including password, magic link and social logins, and multi-factor authentication.
Billing and Subscriptions
Manage your billing and subscriptions with Stripe
Customer Portal
Let your users manage their subscription and billing details in the Customer Portal.
Multi Tenancy
Users can belong to multiple organizations and switch between them - or use their personal account.
Super Admin
Manage, Impersonate or Disable your users and organizations within the Super Admin dashboard.
Shadcn UI and Tailwind CSS
The kit includes Shadcn UI, the most popular UI components in the React ecosystem, styled with Tailwind CSS v4.
Dark Theme
Use Dark or Light theme, or let your users choose what they prefer.
Blog
A beautiful Blog that you can use to write about your product and rank higher in search engines.
Documentation/Help Center
Documentation and Help Center to help your users get started with your product, and to answer any questions they may have.
Mobile Friendly
The UI looks great on mobile devices too, so you can reach more of your users with ease.
Serverful/Serverless Stack
Our stack is designed to work both serverless and serverful setups out of the box.
Top-notch code quality
All the code is fully-typed with strict Typescript settings and linted with strict ESLint rules. Simple, yet professionally crafted.
E2E Testing with Playwright
We use Playwright to test our code, ensuring that everything works as expected, and make sure bugs don't sneak in again.
Beautiful emails with React.Email
Professionally designed emails with the power of JSX and React.Email. Customize your emails with ease.
Mailers
Integrate any email service you need with Makerkit using a unified API. Supports Resend or Nodemailer (SMTP).
Plugins
Ready-to-use plugins for your SaaS (testimonials, feedback, roadmap, waitlist, etc.)
Maximum Customization
You own all the code, so you can change what you don't like and customize everything you need.
Rich Documentation
The best documentation you can find for a SaaS Starter Kit. Updated frequently and always up-to-date.
SEO-Ready
The SaaS Starter Kit is SEO-Ready out of the box - no extra work required.
No Vendor Lock-in
Our modular architecture allows you to easily switch between different vendors - no lock-in.
AI Agents
Detailed rules for AI Agents to understand the codebase and work with it in a more efficient way.
MCP Server
Turbocharge your AI Agents output quality with our MCP Server
Extensive Course
The Makerkit Course will help you build your SaaS from scratch, from idea to launch. A streamlined and practical approach to become a Pro.
Realtime Notifications (Supabase)
Realtime notifications for your users with Supabase Realtime.
Internationalization
Built-in internationalization support for your SaaS. Translate your SaaS in any language and conquer the world.
Figma UI Kit
Use the included Figma UI Kit to design your SaaS. You're welcome, designers!
Support
Get support from the Makerkit community and the Makerkit team in our Discord.
Community
Join the Makerkit community to share your projects, ask for help, suggest changes and features, and get inspired.
Content
We release content regularly to help you build your SaaS faster.
Daily Updates
The Makerkit is updated daily with new features, bug fixes and improvements.
Long-Term Vision
Makerkit is a long-term project, and is not going to disappear after a few months like other SaaS boilerplates. We're here to stay and help you build your SaaS.
Here to stay
Makerkit has been around since 2022 and has been used by thousands of developers to build their SaaS. Not a weekend project, but a real business.
Dedicated rules for AI Agents and IDEs
Integrates seamlessly with AI Agents and IDEs like Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, and Cursor
Makerkit's codebases make development faster with custom rules and an MCP Server that help AI Agents and editors write code faster.
Get started in minutes, ship in days
Production Ready SaaS Starter KitAll the tools and resources you need to launch your SaaS in days.
Authentication made easy
AuthenticationFull authentication flow, including password, magic link and social logins.
Multi-tenant SaaS from day one
Multi-TenancyOrganizations, invitations, RBAC. All figured out for you.
Get Paid
BillingSubscriptions with Stripe, including per-seat and metered billing.
Manage accounts from the Super Admin panel
Admin PanelManage your users, organizations, and build your own internal tooling within the app.
Pixel-Perfect UI
Delightful UIEvery pixel crafted with care to make your SaaS look and feel amazing.
Marketing, SEO, and Content
MarketingGet found by your target audience with blog, documentation, changelog, and more.
Debug and Test your SaaS
Monitoring and TestingComprehensive monitoring and testing tools to help you keep your SaaS running smoothly.
Makerkit's true magic: the community 💚
Support and Community As a member of our community, you'll have access to support from me as well as the entire Makerkit community.
Focus on your product, not infrastructure
Why use a SaaS starter kit?
See how much time you save by starting with a production-ready foundation instead of building everything from scratch.
| Component | Build Yourself | With MakerKit |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication (email, OAuth, MFA) | 2-4 weeks | Pre-built |
| Stripe subscription billing | 2-3 weeks | Pre-built |
| Multi-tenant organizations | 3-4 weeks | Pre-built |
| Role-based access control | 1-2 weeks | Pre-built |
| Super admin dashboard | 2-3 weeks | Pre-built |
| Team invitations & management | 1-2 weeks | Pre-built |
| Transactional emails | 1 week | Pre-built |
| Blog & documentation CMS | 1-2 weeks | Pre-built |
| Dark mode & theming | 3-5 days | Pre-built |
| Responsive UI components | 2-3 weeks | Pre-built |
| Next.js/React version upgrades | Ongoing (2-4 weeks/year) | Included |
| Security patches & fixes | Ongoing (unpredictable) | Included |
| Dependency updates | Ongoing (1-2 weeks/year) | Included |
| New features & best practices | Your time to research & implement | Included |
Build from scratch
3-6 months (typical)
500+ hours of development
With MakerKit
Day 1
Start building features immediately
Estimated savings
$15,000 - $50,000 (estimated)
In developer time and opportunity cost
What makes MakerKit different
The SaaS Starter Kit built for production
MakerKit provides a battle-tested foundation so you can focus on what makes your product unique.
Production-Ready
Battle-tested by hundreds of SaaS products in production. Not a weekend project, but a real business since 2022.
AI-Agent Optimized
Custom rules for Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex. MCP server included for enhanced AI assistance.
No Vendor Lock-in
Modular architecture lets you swap auth providers, databases, and payment processors without rewriting your app.
Lifetime Updates
One purchase includes all future updates. Daily improvements, security patches, and new features at no extra cost.
Expert Support
Direct support from the creator in Discord. Not outsourced support, but help from someone who knows the code.
Rich Documentation
400+ pages of documentation covering every feature. Tutorials, guides, and API references included.
How MakerKit Compares
Building auth from scratch takes 2-4 weeks
MakerKit includes complete auth with MFA in minutes
AI-generated code often lacks best practices
MakerKit provides patterns that AI tools can extend correctly
Other boilerplates are weekend projects
MakerKit is maintained full-time since 2022 with daily updates
Generic templates need extensive customization
MakerKit is production-ready with enterprise features included
Ship your SaaS in a week, not months.
- Lifetime access to your stack of choice
- Build unlimited applications
- Continuous updates
- Access to the Discord community
- The best support in the SaaS Starter kits market, period.
- Community and Chat support
- Community-based feature requests and Request for Comments. You have a say in what Makerkit should build next.
- One-time payment, no subscriptions
- Includes access to our free Figma UI kit
Choose your Stack
Select the technology stack that best fits your project
Do you need any clarifications?
Check out the FAQ for more information about Makerkit, or contact me.
Some of the projects built with Makerkit
Below are some of the SaaS projects that have been built with our SaaS Starter kits.
Have you published your Makerkit SaaS?
Let me know, and I will post it here!
Ciao, my name is Giancarlo 👋 I'm Makerkit’s full-time builder.
I help founders launch faster - because life’s too short to write boilerplate code.
I help founders launch faster - because life’s too short to write boilerplate code.
I am a software engineer with almost 15 years of experience writing code for both startups and enterprises.
My love for creating digital products inspired me to build Makerkit, a SaaS Starter Kit that helps you launch the SaaS you have always dreamed of.
My job is to help you achieve your goals, and I work hard to make it happen.
You can find me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and GitHub.