Wave vs Larafast: Free Open Source or $149 for Laravel SaaS?

Laravel developers have two compelling options: Wave, a free open-source starter, and Larafast, a $149 commercial boilerplate. Both offer complete SaaS foundations, but they take different approaches.

Let's compare them.

Quick Comparison#

Aspect	Wave	Larafast
Price	Free (open source)	~$149
Stack	Laravel + Livewire + Alpine.js	TALL or VILT (your choice)
Payments	Paddle	Stripe + Lemon Squeezy + Paddle
Admin Panel	Voyager	Custom admin panel
Blog	Included	Included
AI Features	—	OpenAI integration
Maintainer	DevDojo community	Independent developer

Philosophy Differences#

Pros

Wave (Free)

Open source with MIT-style license
Community-driven development
Voyager admin panel integration
Focus on Paddle for payments
Established presence (DevDojo ecosystem)

Cons

Larafast ($149)

Commercial with active development
Multiple stack options (TALL/VILT)
Custom admin implementation
Three payment provider options
AI integration built-in

Feature Comparison#

Payment Providers#

This is a significant differentiator:

Provider	Wave	Larafast
Stripe	—	✓
Lemon Squeezy	—	✓
Paddle	✓	✓

Payment Limitation

Wave only supports Paddle. If you need Stripe (the most popular choice) or Lemon Squeezy (for simplified tax handling), Larafast is your option.

Stack Options#

Wave uses a fixed stack:

Laravel + Livewire + Alpine.js (TALL without Tailwind naming)
Voyager admin panel

Larafast offers choices:

Larafast Stack Options

TALL stack (Tailwind, Alpine, Livewire, Laravel)

VILT stack (Vue, Inertia, Laravel, Tailwind)

API-only option for headless use

Tip

If you have Vue.js developers or prefer Vue's reactivity model, Larafast's VILT option is valuable. Wave locks you into Livewire.

Admin Panel#

Wave uses Voyager, a popular Laravel admin package. It's feature-rich but has its own conventions and learning curve.

Larafast includes a custom admin panel built specifically for the boilerplate, which may feel more integrated but is less mature than Voyager.

AI Features#

Larafast includes OpenAI integration helpers:

Larafast AI

OpenAI API integration

Chat interface examples

AI feature patterns

Wave doesn't include AI features out of the box.

Support & Maintenance#

Wave#

Open source on GitHub
DevDojo community support
Community-driven updates
Documentation available
No guaranteed response times

Larafast#

Commercial support from creator
Regular updates (verify frequency)
Documentation included
Discord or email support
Active development claimed

Info

Wave benefits from the larger DevDojo ecosystem but relies on community maintenance. Larafast has a dedicated maintainer but is a smaller operation. Check both projects' recent commit history before deciding.

Who Should Choose What#

Choose Wave If:#

Wave is ideal when...

Budget is your primary constraint

Paddle payments work for your market

You're comfortable with Voyager admin

You prefer open-source transparency

Livewire is your preferred frontend approach

DevDojo community resources appeal to you

Choose Larafast If:#

Larafast is ideal when...

You need Stripe or Lemon Squeezy payments

Vue.js/Inertia is your preferred stack

AI features are part of your product

You want stack flexibility (TALL vs VILT)

$149 is reasonable for your project

You prefer dedicated (non-community) support

The Verdict#

Our Recommendation

Choose Wave if you're building with Paddle, prefer open source, and want to minimize costs. It's a proven option from the DevDojo ecosystem.

Choose Larafast if you need Stripe, want stack flexibility, or are building AI features. The $149 price is reasonable for the additional payment providers alone.

For most commercial projects, the payment provider flexibility in Larafast justifies the $149 cost. But if Paddle works for your market and you prefer open source, Wave is genuinely capable.

Still Deciding?#

Compare all Laravel options in our Best Laravel SaaS Boilerplates guide, read our Larafast Review, or take our quiz for a personalized recommendation.