Cascade vs NuxtSaaSKit

When choosing between Cascade and NuxtSaaSKit, it's essential to understand the key differences that make each boilerplate unique. Both are excellent choices for building SaaS applications, but they cater to different needs and development approaches.

What is Cascade?

Cascade is a free, open-source SaaS starter kit based on the T3 stack (with Next.js + Prisma + PostgreSQL + TypeScript) that aims to give you a “ready-to-code business logic” foundation rather than a full-blown UI framework. Its core philosophy is minimal bloat. Once you clone the repo, provide environment variables and database config, you can have a working backend (auth, DB, basic flows) running locally in minutes. Cascade supports essential SaaS‑app plumbing such as authentication (via Auth.js / NextAuth + Prisma), database setup (PostgreSQL + Prisma), payments & billing (through Lemon Squeezy integration), background jobs (with Trigger.dev), error tracking (via Sentry), analytics (via self‑hostable or free‑plan friendly services like PostHog / Plausible), plus optional “business‑adjacent” pieces: a markdown-based blog via Contentlayer, email flows, server‑side rendering, and basic CI/CD / deployment setups.

Developed by Dima Ivashchuk, Cascade has become a popular choice among developers looking for a reliable starting point for their SaaS projects.

What is NuxtSaaSKit?

Nuxt SaaS Kit is a full‑stack boilerplate built on Nuxt 3 + Vue.js + TypeScript + Tailwind CSS + Shadcn‑vue that delivers a ready‑made foundation for SaaS applications. It integrates backend and frontend infrastructure so you don’t have to assemble authentication, database, billing, landing pages, or admin interfaces manually. Nuxt SaaS Kit offers user authentication (email/password, OAuth/social login, magic-links), multi‑tenant and team/organization support (organizations, team invitations, role/permission management), a landing page template (with pricing, hero section, contact form, SEO‑ready structure), and a full admin portal/dashboard. It also includes a database setup (via Drizzle ORM + PostgreSQL), built-in transactional email support (for account management, password resets etc.), optional blog/content (Markdown-based), file uploads, SEO utilities (meta tags, sitemap, clean markup), and hooks for analytics or live‑chat integrations. Adopting Nuxt SaaS Kit means committing to its stack and conventions: Nuxt 3 + Vue + TypeScript + Drizzle ORM + Tailwind + Shadcn‑vue + whichever DB and payment/email services it expects. If your project needs a radically different backend technology or a very custom architecture, you may need to refactor or replace parts of the kit. Because the kit bundles many features (multi‑tenant logic, payments, content, admin, UI, etc.), the codebase and configuration are relatively heavy compared to minimal templates. For small apps, simple prototypes, or very specific workflows — this might feel like overkill.

Created by Emmanuel Raymond, NuxtSaaSKit offers a robust foundation for building scalable SaaS applications.

When building a SaaS application, choosing the right payment integration is crucial for monetization success. Let's compare the payment options available in Cascade and NuxtSaaSKit.

Both Cascade and NuxtSaaSKit are excellent choices for building SaaS applications. Your decision should be based on your specific requirements, budget, and technical preferences.

Cascade is ideal if you're looking for a feature-rich solution with built-in authentication.

NuxtSaaSKit stands out for its competitive pricing and is perfect for developers who need authentication.

Ultimately, both boilerplates will help you launch your SaaS product faster and more efficiently. Review the detailed comparison above, consider your project requirements, and choose the one that aligns best with your goals.