Best SaaS Boilerplates in 2026: ShipQuick vs ShipFast, MakerKit, Supastarter, LaunchKit & Gravity

The SaaS Boilerplate Landscape in 2026

The market for SaaS boilerplates has matured. Where there were once only a handful of options, there are now dozens—each with a different stack, pricing model, and target audience. For developers who want to ship fast without spending weeks evaluating every option, that's a problem.

This page is a single reference for every head-to-head comparison between ShipQuick and the most popular SaaS boilerplates available in 2026. Each link below goes to a detailed, honest breakdown.

Why ShipQuick?

Before diving into the comparisons, here's the short version of what makes ShipQuick different:

Built on TanStack Start — the modern full-stack React framework from the creators of TanStack Query and TanStack Router. Type-safe routing, server functions, and SSR without the Next.js baggage.
Better Auth — not NextAuth, not Clerk. A library that's actively maintained, type-safe by default, and doesn't charge per monthly active user.
Polar Payments — simpler than Stripe for SaaS subscriptions, with a clean API and no checkout page complexity.
One-time payment — you pay once and own the code. No recurring license fees, no feature paywalls.
MongoDB via Mongoose + Drizzle-ready — flexible database setup that doesn't tie you to Supabase or any managed service.

If those tradeoffs sound right for your project, read on. If you're not sure, the comparisons below will help.

All ShipQuick Comparisons

1. ShipQuick vs ShipFast

ShipFast is the most recognized SaaS boilerplate in the indie hacker space, built by Marc Lou. It's built on Next.js 14 with NextAuth v4. ShipQuick is the modern alternative for developers who want TanStack Start, Better Auth, and a framework that's designed for 2026—not 2023.

Key differences: Stack generation (Next.js vs TanStack Start), auth library (NextAuth v4 vs Better Auth), routing model, one-time pricing.

Best for: Developers who've heard of ShipFast and want to understand what they'd be giving up—or gaining—by choosing a TanStack Start boilerplate instead.

Read the full ShipQuick vs ShipFast comparison →

2. ShipQuick vs MakerKit

MakerKit is the most feature-complete B2B SaaS boilerplate available. It ships with multi-tenancy, team workspaces, RBAC, and a full admin panel. It's also priced at $299–$349 and locked to Next.js and Supabase. ShipQuick is the leaner, more flexible alternative for teams that don't need all of that on day one.

Key differences: Feature scope (B2B enterprise vs indie-focused), pricing model ($299–$349 subscription vs one-time), stack flexibility (Supabase-locked vs database-agnostic).

Best for: Developers evaluating MakerKit who aren't sure if they need the full B2B feature suite—and want to understand the cost of that complexity.

Read the full ShipQuick vs MakerKit comparison →

3. ShipQuick vs Supastarter

Supastarter is the default choice for developers already committed to Supabase. It does a good job within that constraint. But if you're already questioning Supabase lock-in—pricing changes, self-hosting limitations, or auth dependency—ShipQuick offers a stack that doesn't require a specific managed service.

Key differences: Database portability (Supabase-only vs MongoDB/any), auth model (Supabase Auth vs Better Auth), infrastructure independence, pricing.

Best for: Developers who like Supastarter's output but are worried about Supabase dependency, or who want to understand what switching costs look like.

Read the full ShipQuick vs Supastarter comparison →

4. ShipQuick vs LaunchKit

LaunchKit is a budget-friendly option with a modern UI and some AI feature integrations. On price alone, it competes with ShipQuick. But the comparison that matters most isn't feature count—it's the architectural foundation those features are built on, and TanStack Start changes what's possible for type safety and full-stack data flow.

Key differences: Framework architecture (TanStack Start vs Next.js), type-safety model, routing paradigm, AI features.

Best for: Developers comparing budget-friendly boilerplates who want to understand why stack architecture matters more than a feature checklist.

Read the full ShipQuick vs LaunchKit comparison →

5. ShipQuick vs Gravity

Gravity is one of the few established non-Next.js boilerplates, built on Node.js and React. It's mature, has a real user base, and covers a wide feature set. It's also priced at $299–$2,995—a pricing model that makes sense for agencies building multiple client projects, not for indie hackers shipping a single SaaS.

Key differences: Target audience (agency/enterprise vs indie hackers), pricing ($299–$2,995 vs one-time affordable), framework (Node.js/Express vs TanStack Start), modern DX.

Best for: Developers considering Gravity who want to understand whether they're paying for features they'll actually use—or for overhead that doesn't apply to their project.

Read the full ShipQuick vs Gravity comparison →

Quick Comparison: ShipQuick vs the Field

Feature	ShipQuick	ShipFast	MakerKit	Supastarter	LaunchKit	Gravity
Framework	TanStack Start	Next.js 14	Next.js	Next.js	Next.js	Node.js/React
Auth	Better Auth	NextAuth v4	Supabase Auth	Supabase Auth	NextAuth	Passport.js
Payments	Polar + Stripe	Stripe/Lemon	Stripe	Stripe	Stripe	Stripe
Database	MongoDB/flexible	MongoDB	Supabase	Supabase	Varies	MongoDB
Pricing	One-time	One-time	$299–$349	$199–$299	One-time	$299–$2,995
Multi-tenancy	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Type-safe routing	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
SSR / Server Fns	Yes (native)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
One-time payment	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓

Pricing and features reflect public information as of May 2026. Check each product's current site for the latest.

How to Choose the Right SaaS Boilerplate

The comparison table above gives you a snapshot, but the right choice depends on your specific situation. Here are the most common decision patterns:

"I want the most battle-tested option."

ShipFast has the largest user base and the most community resources. If social proof and community size is your main criteria, it wins. Just know you're inheriting Next.js 14 and NextAuth v4 choices made in 2023.

"I'm building a B2B SaaS with teams and multi-tenancy from day one."

MakerKit is the most complete option for that use case. The price is high and the stack is opinionated, but the feature coverage is genuine.

"I'm already on Supabase and don't want to change."

Supastarter is built for you. ShipQuick is for developers who want to avoid or escape that dependency.

"I want a modern stack that will be well-maintained in 2027."

TanStack Start is under active development by the same team that built TanStack Query—the most-downloaded React data-fetching library in history. ShipQuick is built on that foundation.

"I'm an indie hacker who wants to ship one SaaS project fast and own the code."

ShipQuick is built specifically for this case. One-time payment, modern stack, production-ready infrastructure, and no ongoing license fees.

The TanStack Start Advantage

Most SaaS boilerplates in 2026 are still built on Next.js. That's not a criticism—Next.js is excellent software. But the TanStack ecosystem offers things that Next.js doesn't:

Type-safe routing with TanStack Router. Route params, search params, and loader data are all typed end-to-end. Refactoring a route doesn't break things silently.

Server functions without the mental model overhead. TanStack Start's server functions feel like calling a local function. The framework handles serialization and transport. Compare this to Next.js Server Actions, which have their own edge cases and constraints.

TanStack Query integration. ShipQuick ships with TanStack Query pre-configured, giving you client-side caching, background refetching, and optimistic updates with minimal boilerplate.

No vendor lock-in to Vercel. TanStack Start deploys cleanly to any Node.js host. You're not optimizing for Vercel's infrastructure.

What ShipQuick Doesn't Have (Be Honest)

ShipQuick is the right choice for many developers—but not all. Here's what it doesn't offer:

Multi-tenancy / team workspaces. Not included. If that's a core requirement on day one, MakerKit is the better fit.
Admin dashboard. No pre-built admin panel. You'll build it as needed.
AI integrations. No pre-wired AI features. The codebase is clean and easy to extend, but there's no built-in AI kit.
The largest community. ShipFast has more users and more community-written content. ShipQuick is newer.

If those gaps are dealbreakers, the comparisons above will point you toward the right alternative.

Start Building

If ShipQuick sounds like the right fit, you can get started immediately. The full codebase ships with auth, payments, database, blog, docs, and a production landing page—all pre-configured and ready to customize.

Get ShipQuick →

If you still have questions after reading through the comparisons, the ShipQuick docs walk through the architecture and setup in detail.