Two approaches to launching a SaaS. One leads with security architecture. The other leads with feature breadth. Here's an honest breakdown.
The security-first Next.js SaaS template. Backend-only data access, Zod validation on every input, and RLS deny-all by default. Built for developers who refuse to ship vulnerable code.
Best for: Developers who want security handled from day one
The feature-complete Next.js SaaS starter. Multiple database options, ORM choices, payment providers, multi-tenant organizations, metered billing, and 400+ pages of documentation. Maintained since 2022.
Best for: Developers who need maximum feature coverage and stack flexibility
An honest look at what each template includes. Checkmarks and Xs tell part of the story — read the details for the full picture.
| Feature | SecureStartKit | Makerkit |
|---|---|---|
| Security Architecture | ||
| Backend-only data access | ||
| Zod validation on every input | Enforced by default | Used in routes |
| RLS deny-all by default | Enabled, deny-all | Enabled, not deny-all |
| Webhook signature verification | Required by default | Not documented |
| Core Stack | ||
| Framework | Next.js 15 | Next.js 16 |
| Database options | Supabase (Postgres) | Supabase, Neon, PlanetScale |
| Auth | Supabase Auth | Supabase Auth or Better Auth |
| Payments | Stripe | Stripe, Lemon Squeezy, or Paddle |
| ORM | Supabase native | Supabase, Drizzle, or Prisma |
| Emails | React Email + Resend | React Email |
| Styling | Tailwind CSS | Tailwind CSS v4 |
| Features | ||
| Admin dashboard | ||
| Blog system (MDX) | ||
| i18n support | ||
| Transactional email templates | Auth emails only | |
| Changelog system | ||
| Claude Code skills | 4 skills included | MCP server only |
| Multi-tenant organizations | ||
| RBAC (role-based access) | ||
| Metered / AI usage billing | ||
| Multiple DB / ORM options | 3 options each | |
| Mobile (React Native / Expo) | ||
| Cloudflare Workers support | ||
| E2E tests (Playwright) | ||
| Pricing & Support | ||
| Entry price | $199 | $299 (Supabase Pro) |
| Top-tier price | $249 (Pro) | $599 (Teams) |
| Payment model | One-time | One-time (lifetime) |
| Lifetime updates | Pro plan ($249) | All paid plans |
| Support channel | Email (Pro plan) | Discord (all plans) |
| Documentation | Standard | 400+ pages |
Both templates have genuine strengths. Here's what each does well.
Backend-only data access, RLS deny-all by default, and Zod on every input. These aren't features you configure — they're the foundation the template is built on.
Your database never touches the browser. Server Actions handle all mutations. No client-side data access patterns to accidentally introduce.
SecureStartKit starts at $199 (Starter) or $249 (Pro with lifetime updates). Makerkit's entry price is $299. You get a security-first foundation for $100 less.
No decision paralysis over three ORM options, three database choices, or three payment providers. One opinionated stack means less surface area to get wrong.
Multi-tenant organizations, RBAC, metered billing, AI credit consumption, mobile (React Native), Cloudflare Workers — Makerkit covers ground most kits require you to build yourself.
Ships with full organization management, role-based permissions, and MFA enforcement for admins. If you're building a B2B SaaS with teams, this is first-class support.
Per-seat subscriptions, metered API usage, AI credit billing, quota management — billing scenarios that most kits treat as afterthoughts are first-class features in Makerkit.
The most documented SaaS starter kit in the market. Maintained since 2022, with daily updates, per-stack variant guides, and active Discord support.
SecureStartKit and Makerkit represent two different philosophies for building a SaaS foundation. Makerkit is the most feature-complete starter in the market — multiple database options, three ORM choices, metered billing, multi-tenant organizations, mobile support, and Cloudflare deployment. If you need that breadth, it delivers.
SecureStartKit takes the opposite approach: one stack, done correctly. Backend-only data access means your database never touches the browser. Zod validates every input. RLS denies all by default. These aren't settings you configure later — they're the architecture the template is built on. And at $199, it's the more accessible starting point.
The question isn't features vs. security. The question is whether you want to choose between three ORMs and configure security yourself, or start with security already handled and build on a foundation that won't leave vulnerabilities as TODOs.
Security-first foundation. From $199.
Feature-complete workhorse. From $299.
Backend-only data access. Zod validation on every input. RLS by default. One purchase, lifetime access.