Building a SaaS product is a challenging task. It takes a lot of time and effort. You need to create a product that is scalable, secure, and easy to use. You also need to build a product that is easy to maintain and update.
To make this process easier, you can use a SaaS boilerplate. A SaaS boilerplate is a pre-built codebase you can use to build your SaaS product faster. It contains all the necessary features and functionalities needed to launch a SaaS product.
Why should you use a SaaS boilerplate?
Creating a SaaS or a startup from scratch isn't easy, especially if you're a solo developer or a small team. You have to think about a lot of things, such as the architecture, the database, the security, the scalability, and so on. That is just the technical part. You also need to think about the business side of things, such as marketing, sales, and customer support.
The idea of a SaaS boilerplate is to provide you with a pre-built codebase and configuration. This way, you don't have to worry about the technical side of things. You can focus on what makes your product unique and what makes your product stand out from the competition.
What does a SaaS boilerplate contain?
A SaaS boilerplate contains all the features needed to build a SaaS product. Not all SaaS boilerplates are created equal. Some of them are more complete than others. Some of them are more focused on a particular technology stack. There are a large number of SaaS boilerplates available.
In general, a SaaS boilerplate should include the following features:
- Authentication with email and social logins (Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
- Multi-tenant and team support for user collaboration
- Landing page with features, testimonials, pricing plans, and FAQ
- Responsive design for mobile and tablet devices
- User dashboard with profile, settings, and billing
- Stripe integration for subscriptions and payments
- And more...
By using a SaaS boilerplate, you don't have to build them from scratch and you don't have to reinvent the wheel. You'll have access to all these features on day one.
What are the best SaaS boilerplates?
Here is a list of a non-exhaustive list of the best SaaS boilerplates available you can use for your next project:
1. Nextless.js, the React SaaS Boilerplate
Nextless.js is a SaaS boilerplate made with Next.js, React, and Tailwind CSS. It includes all the features needed to build a SaaS product like authentication, team support, landing page, user dashboard, and Stripe subscription payments. There are also multi-theme support to match your brand and multi-tenant support with total isolation between tenants, perfect for enterprise customers.
The starter kit is built by developers for developers. That's why the developer experience is our top priority. For example, the entire codebase is written in a programming language, TypeScript. From the frontend to the backend, everything uses TypeScript, including the infrastructure as code.
To make the code more readable and maintainable, React SaaS boilerplate also uses ESLint and Prettier for linter and code formatting. Nextless.js can run in local and offline environments without an internet connection. For a better developer experience, the starter kit also includes VSCode settings with recommended extensions and settings.
Testing is extremely important for a SaaS product to create a reliable and stable product. The template provides unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests to cover all the built-in features. The test suite is written using Jest and Cypress.
The React SaaS Template provides everything you need to succeed. It includes documentation and a todo app as a code example to help you get started. The idea is to help launch your SaaS product in weeks with all the built-in components, features, and functionalities. Or, you can also use it as a reference for building your own full-stack application.
With the latest version of Nextless.js, the SaaS boilerplate also includes an Admin dashboard. Perfect for Super Admins to manage the SaaS, like managing users and teams. The Admin dashboard is also built using the stack stack and technologies like Next.js and TypeScript. So, you can reuse the same codebase and components.
Nextless.js not only takes care of the development, but also handles the server operation part using Serverless services. So, you don't have to worry about infrastructure and scalability. That gives you more time to focus on your product and business.
You can find more information about Nextless.js on the official website at React SaaS Template. A live demo is also available at SaaS Starter demo.
2. Modern MERN Starter Kit
One of the most popular stacks in JavaScript is the MERN stack. It is a full-stack JavaScript solution that combines MongoDB, Express, React, and Node.js. It is a powerful stack that is used by many companies and startups including SaaS products.
The MERN stack covers all the needs of a full-stack application. The frontend uses React. Then, The backend uses Node.js and Express. Finally, the database is MongoDB. The good thing about it is that they are all JavaScript based. You don't have to use different technologies for the frontend and backend. You can use the same technology for both.
Modern MERN uses the classic MERN stack but with modern technology. With the recent developments in the JavaScript ecosystem, many new technologies can be added to the stack and they can improve it.
Let's take a look at the additional technologies that we can use to enhance the MERN stack:
- Next.js for routing in React, performance, SEO, and static site generation
- TypeScript for type safety by catching errors at compile time
- Tailwind CSS for the styling to build beautiful and responsive UI
- Prisma for the database access and data modeling
- Jest for the testing
- Cypress for the end-to-end testing
- VSCode for code editor and debugging
- Serverless for the infrastructure and the scalability
To make it easier to use and customize, Modern MERN is built with a modular and layered architecture by following the SOLID principles.
You can find more information about Modern MERN at Node.js SaaS Boilerplate. A live demo is also available at Node.js SaaS demo.
Conclusion
SaaS boilerplates are great ways to launch quickly a SaaS product. The perfect solution is to have a head start and avoid reinventing the wheel. Building a SaaS for developers can be a solution to generate passive and recurring income. Whether you're an experienced developer or just starting, using a SaaS boilerplate can help you get your product to the market faster and more efficiently.
