Dirstarter vs NextJet

When choosing between Dirstarter and NextJet, 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 Dirstarter?

Dirstarter is a full-featured boilerplate built with Next.js (with TypeScript) designed for launching directory-style websites. It gives you a ready-made foundation: authentication and user management, admin panel, listing submission and management, payment integration via Stripe, and monetization options (premium listings, featured spots, ads, affiliate-links, etc.). Beyond that, Dirstarter includes SEO-friendly page structure, support for multiple languages (i18n), and built-in tools for content creation (including AI-powered content generation to help bootstrap listings and categories). On the technical side, Dirstarter leans on a modern, maintainable stack: Next.js, a modern ORM (e.g. Prisma), CSS via Tailwind CSS, and UI components from shadcn/ui / Radix UI which means you’ll get a responsive, customizable UI and a code structure that’s relatively straightforward to work with and extend. The value proposition of Dirstarter is that instead of spending weeks building the backbone of a directory site: user flows, payments, listings DB, admin UI, monetization logic, i18n, SEO - you get a working system out-of-the-box and can focus immediately on content, branding, and growth. For someone building a directory or listing-type website (local businesses, tools marketplace, niche listing directory, etc.), this can significantly reduce time to launch. However, adopting Dirstarter also means accepting its architecture and conventions. It’s opinionated: you're committing to the tech choices (Next.js + Prisma + Tailwind + the integrations Dirstarter bundles). If your project requires a drastically different backend setup, custom data models or unusual flows, you may spend extra effort altering or stripping parts you don’t need. Moreover, because it offers a lot of built-in features (payments, content generation, monetization, i18n, admin, etc.), you may end up with more “surface area” than needed which can complicate maintenance if you only need a simple directory.

Developed by Piotr Kulpinski, Dirstarter has become a popular choice among developers looking for a reliable starting point for their SaaS projects.

What is NextJet?

NextJet is a full‑stack SaaS boilerplate built with Next.js, TypeScript and modern web‑app tooling, made to give developers a solid, production‑ready foundation when building subscription‑based or SaaS‑style applications. Out of the box it handles core infrastructure: user authentication + authorization (including OAuth and magic‑link support), payment/subscription logic via Stripe or Lemon Squeezy, and pre‑built user dashboards + admin panel. It also includes content‑management and marketing‑side features: a blog and documentation system using MDX, a customizable landing/marketing site, email templates, and onboarding flows. The project follows a modular, maintainable architecture (monorepo via Turborepo, clean folder structure, typesafety via TypeScript), which helps keep code organized, useful if you plan to grow or scale the app over time. Because much of the “plumbing” is already configured, you can skip repetitive setup and get to building your product‑specific logic faster. At the same time, using NextJet means trusting its built‑in architecture, tech stack and conventions. If your project needs a very different stack, unusual backend/data requirements or a minimal footprint, you might need to refactor or drop parts of what comes with the boilerplate.

Created by Renas Hassan, NextJet 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 Dirstarter and NextJet.

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

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

NextJet 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.