Deploy Any SaaS Boilerplate for Free

TL;DR — SaaS boilerplates save you 2-4 weeks of auth/billing/email setup. But most assume you'll deploy on Vercel + a separate database. On RaidFrame, you deploy any boilerplate — Supastarter, Open SaaS, ShipFast, Next SaaS Starter, or your own Prisma + Stripe stack — with a single rf deploy. App, database, and background jobs on one platform for $0.

Why use a SaaS boilerplate?

Every SaaS needs the same boring plumbing: authentication, subscription billing, transactional email, a landing page, and a dashboard layout. Building that from scratch takes 2-4 weeks before you write a single line of product code.

A good boilerplate gives you all of it on day one. You clone, configure your environment variables, and start building the thing that actually makes money.

The tradeoff is cost. Paid boilerplates run $199-$399 upfront. But that's cheaper than a month of your own time — and you still need somewhere to deploy.

What to look for in a boilerplate

Not all starters are equal. Before you buy (or clone), check for:

• Active maintenance — Last commit within 30 days. Stale boilerplates mean stale dependencies.
• TypeScript — If it's still plain JavaScript in 2026, walk away.
• Real documentation — Not just a README with "coming soon" sections.
• Testing setup — At least a working test runner configured. Bonus for integration tests.
• Escape hatches — Can you swap out Supabase for raw Postgres? Replace Stripe with Lemon Squeezy? Rigid boilerplates become liabilities.

The build-vs-buy decision is simple: if auth and billing aren't your product, don't build them. Use a boilerplate. Spend your time on the features your users will pay for.

1. Supastarter (Next.js + Supabase)

Price: $299 | Stack: Next.js, Supabase, Stripe, Tailwind, i18n

Supastarter is one of the most polished paid boilerplates. It includes authentication (email, OAuth, magic link), Stripe subscriptions, team management, admin dashboard, blog with MDX, and internationalization out of the box.

Deploy on RaidFrame:

# Clone your licensed repo
git clone https://github.com/your-username/supastarter-nextjs my-saas
cd my-saas
npm install
 
# Install RaidFrame CLI and deploy
npm install -g @raidframe/cli
rf login
rf init
rf add postgres
rf deploy

Environment variables to set:

rf env set NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL https://my-saas.raidframe.app
rf env set STRIPE_SECRET_KEY sk_live_xxx
rf env set STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET whsec_xxx
rf env set RESEND_API_KEY re_xxx

Gotcha: Supastarter defaults to Supabase for auth and database. You can swap the database layer to RaidFrame's managed Postgres by updating DATABASE_URL — RaidFrame sets this automatically. For auth, we recommend migrating to Better Auth or Lucia — both are self-hosted, open-source, and run on your own database with no per-user fees. See our Next.js + Postgres deploy guide for the database pattern and our SaaS stack guide for auth recommendations.

2. Open SaaS by Wasp (free, open source)

Price: Free | Stack: Wasp (React + Node), Prisma, Stripe, Tailwind

Open SaaS is the fastest-growing free boilerplate. Built on the Wasp framework, it includes auth, Stripe payments, an admin dashboard, email sending, file uploads, and OpenAI integration. Because it's open source, you get full access without license keys.

Deploy on RaidFrame:

# Create a new Open SaaS project
curl -sSL https://get.wasp-lang.dev/installer.sh | sh
wasp new my-saas -t saas
cd my-saas
 
# Build the production output
wasp build
 
# Deploy the built output
cd .wasp/build
rf login
rf init
rf add postgres
rf deploy

Environment variables to set:

rf env set DATABASE_URL # auto-set by RaidFrame
rf env set STRIPE_SECRET_KEY sk_live_xxx
rf env set RESEND_API_KEY re_xxx
rf env set GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID xxx
rf env set GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET xxx

Gotcha: Wasp compiles to a standard Node.js server + React client. RaidFrame detects the Dockerfile in .wasp/build and deploys it as a container. No special configuration needed — it's just a Node app once it's compiled.

3. Next SaaS Starter (Vercel's template)

Price: Free | Stack: Next.js, Supabase, Stripe

Next SaaS Starter is Vercel's open-source subscription template. It includes authentication with Supabase Auth, Stripe subscription management via webhooks, and a clean account management UI. Minimal and well-documented.

Deploy on RaidFrame:

git clone https://github.com/vercel/nextjs-subscription-payments my-saas
cd my-saas
npm install
 
rf login
rf init
rf add postgres
rf deploy

Environment variables to set:

rf env set NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL https://xxx.supabase.co
rf env set NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY xxx
rf env set SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY xxx
rf env set STRIPE_SECRET_KEY sk_live_xxx
rf env set STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET whsec_xxx

Gotcha: This template was designed for Vercel's serverless runtime and uses Supabase for auth and database. On RaidFrame it runs as a persistent Node.js server, which is actually better — no cold starts, no function timeouts, and WebSocket support if you need it. You can point the database at RaidFrame's managed Postgres and migrate auth to Better Auth or Lucia over time. Make sure next.config.ts has output: "standalone" for an optimized build.

4. ShipFast (Next.js + MongoDB/Supabase)

Price: $199 | Stack: Next.js, MongoDB or Supabase, Stripe, Mailgun, NextAuth

ShipFast focuses on speed-to-launch. It includes authentication, Stripe payments, SEO tags, email sequences, a landing page with testimonials, and a blog. Popular with indie hackers who want to ship in a weekend.

Deploy on RaidFrame:

git clone https://github.com/your-username/shipfast my-saas
cd my-saas
npm install
 
rf login
rf init
rf add postgres
rf deploy

Environment variables to set:

rf env set MONGODB_URI # or swap to DATABASE_URL for Postgres
rf env set NEXTAUTH_SECRET $(openssl rand -base64 32)
rf env set STRIPE_SECRET_KEY sk_live_xxx
rf env set MAILGUN_API_KEY xxx

Gotcha: ShipFast offers both MongoDB and Supabase database options. If possible, swap MongoDB for Postgres. RaidFrame manages Postgres natively — backups, connection pooling, and scaling are all handled for you. If you must keep MongoDB, you'll need an external provider like MongoDB Atlas (RaidFrame doesn't manage MongoDB). Our strong recommendation: choose the Supabase variant and point it at RaidFrame's managed Postgres — the Prisma adapter handles the switch. See deploying Docker apps on RaidFrame if you need to self-host MongoDB in a container.

5. DIY: Next.js + Prisma + Stripe

Price: Free | Stack: Next.js, Prisma, Stripe, NextAuth, Resend

No boilerplate? No problem. The indie starter pattern is a Next.js app with Prisma for the database, NextAuth for authentication, Stripe for billing, and Resend for email. You wire it up yourself but own every line.

Deploy on RaidFrame:

npx create-next-app@latest my-saas --typescript --tailwind --app
cd my-saas
npm install prisma @prisma/client next-auth stripe @stripe/stripe-js resend
 
npx prisma init
 
rf login
rf init
rf add postgres
rf deploy

Minimal Dockerfile (optional):

FROM node:20-alpine AS builder
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci
COPY . .
RUN npx prisma generate
RUN npm run build
 
FROM node:20-alpine AS runner
WORKDIR /app
COPY --from=builder /app/.next/standalone ./
COPY --from=builder /app/.next/static ./.next/static
COPY --from=builder /app/public ./public
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["node", "server.js"]

RaidFrame auto-detects Next.js projects and builds them without a Dockerfile. But if you need custom build steps — like generating Prisma clients or running seed scripts — a Dockerfile gives you full control.

What to configure: Set DATABASE_URL (auto-set by RaidFrame), add your Stripe keys, configure NextAuth providers, and you're live. Follow our Stripe billing integration guide for the payment setup.

Comparison: which boilerplate should you pick?

All five deploy on RaidFrame with the same workflow: rf init, rf add postgres, then rf deploy.

FAQ

Do I need a Dockerfile to deploy a boilerplate on RaidFrame?

No. RaidFrame auto-detects Next.js, Node.js, and other frameworks and builds them automatically. A Dockerfile is only needed if you have custom build steps like Prisma client generation or seed scripts.

Can I use RaidFrame's Postgres instead of Supabase?

Yes. Most boilerplates that use Supabase only use it for the database and auth. Swap the database by pointing DATABASE_URL at RaidFrame's managed Postgres — which is set automatically on rf add postgres. For auth, switch to Better Auth or Lucia with a Postgres adapter.

How much does it cost to run a SaaS boilerplate on RaidFrame?

$0 on the free tier. That covers your app, a managed Postgres instance, and SSL. You'll stay free through development and early users. When you need auto-scaling or more database storage, Pro starts at ~$25/mo. See our real cost of hosting a SaaS breakdown.

What if my boilerplate uses MongoDB instead of Postgres?

RaidFrame manages Postgres natively. For MongoDB, you can either use MongoDB Atlas as an external service or run MongoDB in a Docker container on RaidFrame. We recommend Postgres for new projects — it handles 95% of SaaS use cases.

Can I add background jobs and cron tasks?

Yes. RaidFrame supports background workers and scheduled tasks natively. No need to ping a URL from an external cron service. See free background jobs without URL pinging.

Should I pay for a boilerplate or use a free one?

Depends on your timeline. Paid boilerplates like Supastarter and ShipFast save you an extra week of polish — landing pages, email templates, admin dashboards are production-ready. Free options like Open SaaS are catching up fast. Either way, the boilerplate cost is trivial compared to the time you save.

How do I handle environment variables and secrets?

Use rf env set KEY value for each secret. RaidFrame encrypts them at rest and injects them at runtime. Never commit .env files to your repo. Check our SaaS stack guide for 2026 for the full list of env vars a typical SaaS needs.

What to read next

• Deploy Next.js + Postgres for Free — the foundational deploy guide
• Deploy Any Docker App for Free — for custom or non-Next.js boilerplates
• The 2026 SaaS Stack — what to pair with your boilerplate
• Add Stripe Billing to Your SaaS — payment integration walkthrough

Pick a boilerplate, clone it, and deploy — start for free on RaidFrame.