Cascade vs Serverless

When choosing between Cascade and Serverless, 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 Serverless?

Serverless.page is a full‑stack boilerplate / starter‑kit built on Next.js + React + Firebase + Stripe that aims to accelerate the process of launching a SaaS application. The kit provides essentials such as user authentication, subscription-based payment flows via Stripe, and a content structure including a landing page, blog, and built‑in CMS. It also includes support for team or workspace management (user accounts + team invites), transactional email integrations, and an admin dashboard - everything that typically takes time to wire up is pre‑configured. Because the project uses a serverless infrastructure (Firebase + Next.js), it promises scalability and cost-effectiveness, so there is no need to manage dedicated servers, and billing scale is based on actual usage. Adopting Serverless.page means committing to its stack: Next.js + React + Firebase + Stripe + the provided codebase structure. That gives speed to launch and many built‑in SaaS features, but reduces flexibility if you need a very custom backend, different database, or special integrations. Since it's “full‑featured,” it might feel heavyweight for smaller projects or very basic prototypes. You may end up with more dependencies and configuration than strictly needed if your use case is simple.

Created by Garrett Pierson, Serverless 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 Serverless.

Both Cascade and Serverless 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.

Serverless 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.