ShipFast vs Supastarter vs MakerKit: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
An honest comparison of the three most popular Next.js SaaS boilerplates. We break down pricing, features, and help you decide which one fits your project.
ShipFast vs Supastarter vs MakerKit: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
If you're building a SaaS product with Next.js, you've probably spent hours researching boilerplates. ShipFast, Supastarter, and MakerKit keep coming up in every Reddit thread and Twitter discussion—and for good reason. They're the three most popular Next.js SaaS templates on the market right now.
But here's the thing: they're not interchangeable. Each one is built for a different type of project and developer. Pick the wrong one, and you'll either be ripping out features you don't need or wishing you had functionality that doesn't exist.
Let's cut through the marketing and figure out which one actually makes sense for your project.
Quick Comparison#
| Feature | ShipFast | Supastarter | MakerKit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $199 | $299 | $299 |
| Best For | Solo makers, MVPs | International apps, teams | B2B SaaS, multi-tenant |
| Auth | OAuth + Magic Links | Multiple providers | Full auth + roles |
| Payments | Stripe, Lemon Squeezy | Stripe, Lemon Squeezy, more | Stripe |
| i18n | Limited | Built-in | Available |
| Multi-tenancy | No | Organizations | Full team/org support |
| UI Stack | Tailwind | Tailwind + Radix | Shadcn + Tailwind |
- Choose ShipFast if you're a solo developer shipping a straightforward SaaS quickly
- Choose Supastarter if you need internationalization or multiple payment providers
- Choose MakerKit if you're building B2B software with teams and complex permissions
ShipFast: The Speed-First Choice#
Price: $199 (one-time)
ShipFast lives up to its name. It's designed for indie hackers and solo makers who want to go from idea to launched product as fast as possible. The philosophy is simple: give developers everything they need for a typical SaaS, nothing they don't.
Where ShipFast Shines#
The real value of ShipFast is its opinionated approach. Instead of giving you ten ways to do everything, it picks one solid approach and implements it well. This means:
- Less decision fatigue when you're starting out
- Faster onboarding—you can understand the codebase in an afternoon
- Cleaner upgrade path since there's less custom configuration
Simplicity — Understand the entire codebase quickly
Low decision fatigue — One solid approach for each feature
Active community — Largest indie hacker following
Price — $100 less than alternatives
No multi-tenancy — Teams/organizations require building yourself
Limited i18n — Not ideal for international markets from day one
Opinionated — Great if you agree, frustrating if you don't
Best For: Solo developers building their first (or fifth) SaaS, MVPs where speed to market matters more than feature completeness, projects following common SaaS patterns
Supastarter: The Flexible Powerhouse#
Price: $299 (one-time)
Supastarter takes a different approach. Instead of being opinionated, it's comprehensive. You get more options, more integrations, and more flexibility—which is either exactly what you need or overwhelming complexity.
Where Supastarter Shines#
The standout feature is flexibility. Supastarter doesn't force you into a single payment provider or authentication method. This matters if:
- You need to support customers in regions where Stripe isn't available
- Your pricing model might evolve and you want to switch providers later
- You're building for international markets and need proper i18n from the start
i18n support — Multiple languages, locale-aware routing, RTL considerations
Payment flexibility — Multiple providers for global reach
Organizations — Team and workspace support built-in
Options — Flexibility when requirements evolve
Steeper learning curve — More options means more code to understand
Decision overhead — You'll still need to choose between integrations
Bigger codebase — Features you might not use are still there
Best For: Products targeting international audiences, apps where payment provider flexibility matters, team-based SaaS with organization structures, developers who want options rather than opinions
MakerKit: The B2B Specialist#
Price: $299 (one-time)
MakerKit is built specifically for B2B SaaS products. While ShipFast and Supastarter can work for B2B, MakerKit is architected for it from the ground up.
Where MakerKit Shines#
If you're building software that businesses will use, MakerKit handles the complex stuff:
- Team invitations and management: Invite flows, role assignments, member removal
- Permission systems: Granular access control that B2B customers expect
- Admin tooling: Managing users, viewing analytics, handling support cases
- Testing infrastructure: B2B software needs to be reliable
B2B-focused — Multi-tenancy and permissions are core, not afterthoughts
Professional UI — Shadcn + Tailwind produces polished, enterprise-ready look
Testing infrastructure — Patterns for reliable B2B software included
Admin tooling — User management and analytics built-in
More complex baseline — Even simple features involve more code
Overkill for consumer apps — If you're building a consumer tool, much is unnecessary
Steeper learning curve — Understanding permissions and multi-tenancy takes time
Best For: B2B SaaS products with team-based pricing, apps requiring complex permission systems, products where admin tooling and user management are critical, developers who need testing infrastructure from day one
Feature Deep Dive#
Authentication#
All three handle authentication well, but differently:
ShipFast keeps it simple: OAuth providers and magic links. If that covers your use case, great.
Supastarter gives you more auth options and includes role-based access control. The flexibility is nice if you're uncertain about your auth requirements.
MakerKit goes deepest with authentication, including team invitations, member roles, and permission checks throughout the codebase.
If your app has "Admin", "Editor", and "Viewer" roles, MakerKit handles that natively.
Payment Integration#
ShipFast integrates Stripe and Lemon Squeezy. For most projects selling to US/EU customers, this is plenty.
Supastarter adds more payment providers. If you need to support customers in Latin America, Asia, or other regions where Stripe availability is limited, this matters.
MakerKit focuses on Stripe but implements it deeply—subscription management, usage-based billing patterns, and team-based pricing are well-supported.
Multi-tenancy and Teams#
This is where the three differ most:
ShipFast doesn't include multi-tenancy. Users have accounts, but there's no concept of organizations or teams. Fine for consumer apps, limiting for B2B.
Supastarter includes organization support. Users can belong to organizations, and there's basic team functionality.
MakerKit is built around multi-tenancy. Team invitations, role management, and organization-scoped data are core features, not add-ons.
Pricing Breakdown#
| Boilerplate | Price | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| ShipFast | $199 | Lifetime updates, one purchase |
| Supastarter | $299 | One-time payment |
| MakerKit | $299 | One-time payment |
ShipFast's $100 lower price makes it attractive for budget-conscious developers. But the $100 difference between these options is tiny compared to the development time they save. Choose based on features, not price.
Making Your Decision#
What About Alternatives?#
These three aren't your only options. Here are a few others worth considering:
- Shipped ($149-199): Another Next.js option with marketing page focus
- NextSaaS ($89-109): Budget-friendly with good feature coverage
- Building from scratch: Always an option if you have specific requirements
That said, ShipFast, Supastarter, and MakerKit are the most popular for good reasons. They're actively maintained, well-documented, and have communities around them.
Final Thoughts#
There's no universally "best" Next.js SaaS boilerplate. The right choice depends entirely on what you're building.
- Speed and simplicity → ShipFast
- Flexibility and global reach → Supastarter
- B2B and complexity → MakerKit
Still not sure? Take our 2-minute quiz and we'll recommend the best option based on your specific requirements. We compare 15+ boilerplates across Next.js, Rails, Laravel, and Django—so even if none of these three are right, we'll help you find what is.
Frequently Asked Questions#
Can I switch between these boilerplates later?#
Technically yes, but it's painful. Each has its own architecture, conventions, and patterns. Migrating from one to another means rewriting significant portions of your app. Choose carefully upfront—that's why we built this comparison.
Do these boilerplates include a database?#
Yes, all three come with database setup (typically Prisma with PostgreSQL) and include schema migrations for their built-in features.
What about ongoing updates?#
All three offer updates, but check the specific terms:
- ShipFast includes lifetime updates
- Supastarter and MakerKit update policies vary by tier
Are there affiliate links on this page?#
Yes. Some links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. This doesn't influence our recommendations—we include boilerplates regardless of affiliate relationships and present honest assessments of pros and cons.
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