Rockstack vs ShipAhead

When choosing between Rockstack and ShipAhead, 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 Rockstack?

This boilerplate is a comprehensive solution for building SaaS applications, featuring three main sections essential for any app: Public Pages (like Landing, Login, Contact), Admin (/admin for Dashboard, Users, Settings), and App (/app/:tenant for tenant-specific dashboards). It leverages a next-generation Node.js and TypeScript ORM with a Repository Pattern for efficient data management. The platform supports flexible payment models through Stripe, including flat-rate, user-based, and one-time fees. Enhance performance with data caching, and customize your app's appearance using Tailwind CSS. Additionally, it offers multilingual support, built-in user management, and a reliable email service for traRockStack is a full‑stack SaaS boilerplate / kit designed to work with several modern JavaScript frameworks. Including Next.js, Remix, or SvelteKit and intended to give you a ready-to-go foundation for building subscription‑based, multi‑tenant web applications. With RockStack you get a basic SaaS “shell” that includes core needed parts: built‑in email/password authentication and user management (without requiring external auth libraries), tenant/organization support so different customers/users can live under separate “workspaces,” subscription and payment flows (flat‑rate, one‑time, per‑seat or usage-based) via Stripe, and support for roles & permissions to help manage access control. RockStack is a full‑stack SaaS boilerplate / kit designed to work with several modern JavaScript frameworks. Including Next.js, Remix, or SvelteKit and intended to give you a ready-to-go foundation for building subscription‑based, multi‑tenant web applications. With RockStack you get a basic SaaS “shell” that includes core needed parts: built‑in email/password authentication and user management (without requiring external auth libraries), tenant/organization support so different customers/users can live under separate “workspaces,” subscription and payment flows (flat‑rate, one‑time, per‑seat or usage-based) via Stripe, and support for roles & permissions to help manage access control. The kit provides a UI + layout foundation: a public “marketing / landing” section (for pages like landing page, pricing, contact, login), an admin dashboard area (for app owners), and the application dashboard area (for tenants/users) so both the public‑facing site and internal user/admin interfaces are ready.

Developed by Alexandro Martínez, Rockstack has become a popular choice among developers looking for a reliable starting point for their SaaS projects.

What is ShipAhead?

The NuxtJS boilerplate to ship your SaaS, AI tool, or your next big app. ShipAhead is a Nuxt boilerplate designed to accelerate the development of AI SaaS applications. It provides pre-built features like authentication, payments, internationalization, and security, allowing developers to focus on core product functionality rather than repetitive setup tasks. Key Features: - Authentication: Email/password, magic links, and OAuth (Google, GitHub) support. - Backend: Drizzle ORM, Postgres, Cloudflare R2/AWS S3 storage, admin dashboard, user management, and cron jobs. - Payments: Stripe/Polar/Dodo Payments integration with checkout flows, subscriptions, and multi-currency support. - Frontend & UI: Nuxt, Vue, Tailwind CSS, and daisyUI for responsive design and pre-built UI components. - Internationalization: Multi-language support with Vue i18n. - Security: Cloudflare Turnstile for captcha and Redis for rate limiting. - Email: Transactional emails with pre-built templates using Resend. - SEO: Optimized SEO setup with Nuxt SEO. - PWA: Progressive Web App support for installable apps. - AI Integration: OpenRouter integration for AI features. - Customer Support: Built-in live chat and support widget. - Others: Code templates, tutorials, legal page prompts, and Cursor/Windsurf integration. Use Cases: - Rapid prototyping of SaaS applications. - Building AI-powered tools and services. - Creating platforms with user authentication and subscription models. - Developing internationalized applications with multi-language support.

Created by Tom Han, ShipAhead 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 Rockstack and ShipAhead.

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

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

ShipAhead 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.