Core points:
Efficient development, start with reusing code! SaaS templates are a powerful tool to achieve this goal. A template refers to text or code content that is reusable (without or with only a small amount of modification). SaaS templates can help you deliver SaaS applications faster and better.
This article will give a comprehensive introduction to the relevant knowledge of SaaS templates. To help you choose the right SaaS template, I have also listed ten of my personal favorite templates, but first, let's take a look at what a SaaS template is.
SaaS template refers to a pre-built code base that supports common features in SaaS applications. These features are usually seen in most web and mobile applications—such as user authentication, subscription management, billing systems, and more.
The development time-consuming of these features is often underestimated, and morale can drop when you realize that you have spent a lot of time still dealing with these relatively boring tasks. Using SaaS templates can save time and allow you to quickly start projects, avoiding duplicate wheels.
In addition to saving time, templates help developers focus on the core features of the application—similar to encouraging startup founders to not be addicted to bookkeeping but rather on products. Developers can use templates to skip the steps to build common features and start building core features of their applications earlier.
Sounds great, but what are the disadvantages? Not all projects are suitable for using SaaS templates. The following sections will help you decide whether they are right for you.
Please note that not all templates are of the same quality, so when discussing the pros and cons of templates, I am referring to standard, reputable SaaS templates. But don't worry, I will also list the things to consider when choosing the right SaaS template.
In addition to speeding up development and saving time and money, using SaaS templates can also bring the following benefits:
In view of the above advantages, the following users will benefit greatly:
Although SaaS templates have many advantages, they also have some disadvantages that may make them unsuitable for certain projects:
While there are some other issues such as performance issues or potentially abandoned (no longer updated with improvements in the technology stack), none of these are issues for reputable SaaS templates as they will follow industry standards and provide ongoing support and updates to ensure compatibility with the latest technologies.
Nevertheless, SaaS templates may not be suitable:
Before selecting a SaaS template, you must ensure the following points:
Unfortunately, most templates do not offer free trials, so you cannot check these on your own (except for documentation). That's why the credibility of the creator will be your primary guide. Asking about popular developer-centric subreddit and Discord servers about their experience with certain templates may also be worth a try.
Finally, after completing the initial review, if the template contains the features you need and fits your budget (but some are free!), then you can get started.
SaaS web applications can be a very profitable business, but as people say, "When everyone is looking for gold, sell shovels." A large number of SaaS templates are emerging in the market, It makes people feel uncertain about the quality.
But there are also developers like Cory Zue (SaaS Pegasus) and Kyle Gawley (Gravity) who realize how laborious it is to build common features every time, so they build a high-quality SaaS only for their preferred technology stack. Template, but it achieved great business success.
Although some templates are mentioned here, most templates are not included. It's worth checking out Buildkits, which contains over 150 SaaS templates. You can also find various tech stack filters in the sidebar to see what I found using Next.js and Postgres.
While there is no harm in trying some newer templates (especially if they are free), it is recommended to use templates from reputable developers. Finally, here are some excellent templates covering the main framework:
Divjoy is a React code base generator that creates high-quality code bases customized to the specific needs of developers. It is also a UI generator that helps build login pages.
Developers can choose various frameworks (React, Next.js), UI toolkits (Material UI, Bootstrap, Bulma, Tailwind) and use them for authentication (Firebase Auth, Supabase, Auth0), and databases (Cloud Firestore , Supabase), payment (Stripe) and finally managed (Vercel, Netlify) service integration.
Divjoy has been recommended on Product Hunt, showing various SaaS applications built with Divjoy, whose founder is currently an engineer at Stripe, further proof of his code quality.
In terms of pricing, Divjoy offers a one-time purchase offer of $129 (down from $299), which includes unlimited projects, access to pre-built SaaS templates, a range of UI toolkits, and access to the private Discord community for support.
SaaS Pegasus is a Django-based SaaS template that supports rapid deployment and construction of web applications, focusing on modern UI, security, and scalability. It has excellent reviews, active founders, and is ideal for developers who are familiar with Python and looking for Django-based solutions.
Its features include administrator UI, user simulation, feature flags, two-factor authentication, flexible deployment, Docker-based development, and more. Starter packages start at $249, with premium support and updates available for both Pro and Unlimited.
Makerkit is a comprehensive SaaS starter suite built on a modern technology stack including Next.js, Remix, Firebase, Supabase, Tailwind CSS, and TypeScript.
Makerkit simplifies the creation of feature-rich applications with pre-built features such as a complete authentication process, multi-tenant, Stripe payment integration and a super administrator panel. It supports light and dark themes, simplifies deployment with a serverless architecture, and emphasizes clean, customizable, and strict types of code for optimal maintainability.
MakerKit has an active developer and a growing number of recommendations on its major websites.
The pricing tier is tailored to a variety of needs – Lite ($199), Professional ($299) and Team ($599) – each with lifetime access and support. The Professional and Teams licenses also provide additional access to advanced code bases, components and plug-ins such as AI chatbots, AI writing tools, and feedback portals.
Bullet Train is an open source Ruby on Rails SaaS framework actively maintained by senior Rails developer Andrew Culver.
This Rails-based solution includes user authentication (via Devise), team and invitation management, security and permissions (using CanCanCan), roles, professionally designed UI themes using Tailwind CSS, rich form fields, dark mode Support, use ActionCable's reactive, REST API (using Grape), webhook and full theme engine support.
It has detailed documentation and is licensed by MIT, so it is free to use!
ShipFast is a NextJS template that provides pre-built features such as user login (via NextAuth), payment processing (via Stripe), email processing (via Mailgun), database management through MongoDB/Supabase, SEO optimization, and usage Tailwind CSS's stylish UI.
ShipFast shows off the various application releases it has enabled, has excellent reviews on Product Hunt and is actively developed by a well-known independent entrepreneur, Marc Lou.
It offers two pricing options—the starter package is $169 (down from $269) and the all-inclusive package is $199 (down from $299)—but the starter package is not cost-effective because it does not include a lifetime update.
Gravity is a comprehensive Node.js and React SaaS template with excellent reviews, active founders and claims to save three months of coding efforts.
This template uses Stripe payment, user authentication, React and Tailwind UI (with dark mode), localization, AI integration, social login, REST API, multiple databases, team tools, email alerts, user account management, and Many other pre-built components to simplify SaaS projects.
Its pricing scheme ranges from $595 to $1595, and its higher priced scheme includes support for Gravity Native (based on React Native), which can also help build native Android and iOS apps. All programs are supported and updated for one year.
LaunchFast is a template based on Astro, Next.js and SvelteKit, which provides templates that can save developers a lot of time. It has a clear value proposition, easy-to-read documentation, a growing number of recommendations, and an active developer.
Main functions include user authentication, analysis, payment processing, file and document storage, email services, serverless databases and social media bots. LaunchFast provides these features in a variety of ways. For example, most templates only support Stripe, while LaunchFast supports LemonSqueezy in addition to Stripe.
Its pricing scheme follows a one-time payment of Astro $75, Next.js $79 and SvelteKit $99, all including priority support.
Apptension SaaS template is an open source toolkit (4k stars) that can be installed on an AWS account to facilitate the development of an unlimited number of web applications. It is powered by Apptension, a reliable organization that has successfully worked with companies like Netflix, Uber and others.
Its front-end is built using React, using GraphQL and Apollo Client for data management, and using Tailwind CSS for style design. While the backend uses Python and Django and Django REST Framework for server-side logic, Graphene Django supports GraphQL queries, and PostgreSQL is used as a database.
In addition to common features such as user management and Stripe billing, it also supports CMS integration (especially with Contentful), administrator panel and CRUD operations. Apptension has open sourced its templates, allowing developers to use them for free!
ASP.NET Zero is built on top of the ASP.NET framework and is a powerful choice for developers familiar with the Microsoft ecosystem. It has been used by large organizations such as Microsoft, NASA, Comcast, etc., and ranks among the top in the reputation rankings.
If you want to use ASP.NET for your SaaS project, you don't need another template. It is also one of the few templates on this list that offer demos, so you can try it out too!
This template has a complete SaaS development kit and contains all the features you need to create a powerful multi-tenant application, using ASP.NET.
Its pricing is also consistent with its quality, with a minimum plan of $2999 and a maximum plan of $9999, all offering one year update to the full source code.
Jetstream is a Laravel-based starter kit provided by Taylor Otwell himself, the creator of Laravel. As the official software package for the Laravel team, it provides a high level of integration with the Laravel ecosystem, making it the first choice for developers looking for a reliable and feature-rich starting point.
It includes user registration, authentication, email verification, session management and team management capabilities. Although the backend is Laravel, developers can choose Livewire and Inertia as their front-end technology stacks.
Jetsream is open source (3.8k stars) and is available for free, but those who want a powerful template for billing may want to consider Spark, a paid option, but also created by Taylor.
SaaS templates can effectively speed up development time and bring your products to market faster. There are many templates on the market, so it is very important to choose carefully:
Now, you should have a good starting point to choose the template that suits you. I wish you a smooth development!
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