Indie Starter vs Ship SaaS

When choosing between Indie Starter and Ship SaaS, 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 Indie Starter?

Indie Starter is a boilerplate / starter‑kit built on a modern web stack (Next.js + React + TypeScript + Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui) that aims to offer a clean, minimal yet ready‑for‑production foundation for SaaS or web applications. The boilerplate integrates backend/infrastructure services via Supabase (for database & auth) plus support for payments via Stripe for subscription or monetization flows. Indie Starter is structured to provide essential building blocks: authentication (including social logins, magic links, email/password), responsive UI components & layouts, a clean project architecture, type-safe configuration (via TypeScript + validation via Zod), and built-in SEO & content‑management setup (blog/landing page templates, metadata, etc.). Indie Starter makes sense for developers, indie makers, small teams or early‑stage founders who want to get a web app or SaaS up quickly without rewriting common infrastructure: auth, UI, payments, content, etc. It’s also suitable when you want type safety, modern stack, and clean architecture giving you a professional and maintainable starting point.

Developed by Ali Hussein, Indie Starter has become a popular choice among developers looking for a reliable starting point for their SaaS projects.

What is Ship SaaS?

Ship SaaS is a full‑stack boilerplate built with Next.js, Supabase (backend/auth/database), and Tailwind CSS, designed to give developers a ready-made foundation for SaaS or subscription‑driven web applications. With Ship SaaS you obtain working user authentication (registration / login / password reset flows via Supabase), database setup, integrated billing/subscription support via Stripe, and a serverless-ready stack that can be hosted on scalable platforms. It also includes public‑facing page templates, a Striped‑connected backend and basic UI/layout scaffolding. Ship SaaS is best when you’re building a SaaS or subscription‑based web app, you value rapid launch, and you’re comfortable with its tech stack and abstractions. It’s ideal for a solo developer, indie founder or small team wanting to get up and running quickly without reinventing the “plumbing.” It may be less suitable if your project needs a highly customized backend, non‑standard architecture, or minimal dependency footprint - in those cases a lighter template or custom build might serve better.

Created by Nico Botha, Ship SaaS 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 Indie Starter and Ship SaaS.

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

Indie Starter is ideal if you're looking for a more affordable option with built-in authentication.

Ship SaaS stands out for its comprehensive feature set 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.