If you're building a SaaS product in 2026, you've probably come across both LaunchFast and ShipFast. Both are Next.js boilerplates designed to help you ship faster, but they take notably different approaches. I've spent time with both codebases, and in this article, I'll give you an honest, detailed comparison to help you choose the right one for your project.
TL;DR: ShipFast is the battle-tested, community-backed choice with thousands of success stories. LaunchFast is the open-source, AI-first alternative with a lower price point and built-in Claude integration. Both are excellent choices depending on your needs.
ShipFast is a Next.js SaaS boilerplate created by Marc Lou (@marc_louvion), who's built a reputation in the indie hacker community for shipping products quickly. It's one of the most popular SaaS starters available, with thousands of customers and a large, active Discord community.
ShipFast at a glance: - $199 one-time payment - Closed source (you get the code after purchase) - Battle-tested across thousands of projects - Strong community support - Comprehensive feature set for SaaS apps - Regular updates from Marc and the team
LaunchFast is a newer Next.js SaaS boilerplate that takes a different approach: it's completely open source before you buy, includes built-in AI chat capabilities, and comes with extensive E2E testing. It's built by a solo developer focused on modern tech stack and transparency.
LaunchFast at a glance: - $59 standard / $89 pro (one-time payment) - 100% open source on GitHub (inspect before you buy) - 81 E2E tests with Playwright - Built-in Claude AI integration - Modern stack (Next.js 16, NextAuth v5, Prisma 6) - 14-day money-back guarantee
Let's break down the key features side by side:
| Feature | LaunchFast | ShipFast |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59 / $89 | $199 |
| Source Access | Open source (GitHub) | Closed (post-purchase) |
| Next.js Version | 16.1+ | Latest |
| Authentication | NextAuth v5 (Google, GitHub OAuth) | Multiple providers |
| Payments | Stripe SDK v17 (subscriptions, checkout, webhooks) | Stripe integration |
| AI Integration | Claude AI (streaming, rate limiting, tokens) | Not built-in |
| Database | PostgreSQL with Prisma 6 | Multiple options |
| Resend | Multiple providers | |
| Testing | 81 E2E tests (Playwright) | Not advertised |
| SEO Tools | Basic | Comprehensive |
| Community | Growing | Large, established |
| Support | GitHub issues, email | Discord, email |
| Updates | GitHub releases | Regular updates |
| Money-back Guarantee | 14 days | 7 days (typical) |
This is probably the biggest philosophical difference between the two products.
LaunchFast is completely open source on GitHub. You can browse the entire codebase at github.com/Wittlesus/launchfast-starter before spending a dollar. This means: - You know exactly what you're getting - You can verify code quality before purchase - The community can contribute improvements - Full transparency in how features are implemented
ShipFast is closed source until you purchase. This is a more traditional model: - Protects Marc's intellectual property - Prevents free copies from circulating - You're buying based on trust and reputation - Still get full source code after purchase
My take: If you're risk-averse or want to inspect code quality before buying, LaunchFast's open-source approach is incredibly valuable. If you trust the ShipFast brand (and thousands of customers do), the closed model is a non-issue.
LaunchFast ships with a complete Claude AI integration out of the box: - Streaming chat interface - Rate limiting to prevent abuse - Token usage tracking - Configurable AI behavior - Ready to ship an AI-powered SaaS
ShipFast doesn't include AI integration. You'll need to: - Add OpenAI/Anthropic SDKs yourself - Build the chat interface - Implement rate limiting - Handle streaming responses
My take: If you're building an AI-powered product in 2026 (and honestly, who isn't?), LaunchFast saves you 10-20 hours of integration work. If AI isn't core to your product, this feature might be overkill.
LaunchFast includes 81 end-to-end tests using Playwright covering: - Authentication flows - Payment processing - AI chat functionality - Dashboard features - Admin panels - Edge cases and error states
ShipFast doesn't advertise a built-in test suite. You're responsible for: - Writing your own tests - Setting up testing infrastructure - Ensuring quality control
My take: E2E tests are a massive time-saver for catching regressions. If you're planning to iterate quickly or work with a team, having tests pre-written is worth significant money. If you're a solo founder who doesn't prioritize testing, this might not matter.
ShipFast has: - Thousands of paying customers - Large, active Discord community - Proven track record of successful launches - Regular updates and improvements - Community-contributed resources
LaunchFast has: - Smaller, growing community - GitHub-based discussions - Newer product (less battle-testing) - Active solo developer - Open contribution model
My take: ShipFast's community is a genuine advantage. When you hit a weird bug at 2am, having hundreds of developers who've seen it before is invaluable. LaunchFast is newer but growing—the open-source model should accelerate community building.
LaunchFast explicitly uses cutting-edge versions: - Next.js 16 - NextAuth v5 - Stripe SDK v17 - Prisma 6 - Modern TypeScript patterns
ShipFast stays current but may be more conservative: - Latest stable Next.js - Proven, stable versions of dependencies - Battle-tested configurations
My take: LaunchFast's aggressive version strategy means you get the latest features but potentially more edge cases. ShipFast's approach prioritizes stability. Neither is wrong—it depends if you want bleeding-edge or battle-tested.
LaunchFast: $59 (standard) or $89 (pro) ShipFast: $199
That's a $80-$120 difference. Is ShipFast worth the premium?
Arguments for ShipFast's higher price: - Proven track record - Larger community - More comprehensive SEO tools - Battle-tested across thousands of projects - Marc Lou's ongoing updates and reputation
Arguments for LaunchFast's lower price: - You get AI integration (worth $50-100 in dev time) - 81 E2E tests (worth $200-500 in QA time) - Open-source inspection before purchase - Modern stack saves migration time later - $100+ savings per license
My take: Both are priced fairly for what they deliver. ShipFast's premium reflects its established reputation. LaunchFast's pricing reflects its newer status and open-source model.
LaunchFast is the better choice if you:
Are building an AI-powered SaaS: The built-in Claude integration alone saves 10-20 hours of development time.
Value transparency: Being able to inspect the entire codebase on GitHub before purchase is a huge risk reducer.
Want comprehensive testing: 81 E2E tests mean you can refactor with confidence and catch bugs before users do.
Are budget-conscious: $59-$89 vs $199 is meaningful when you're bootstrapping.
Prefer open-source: If you want to contribute improvements or understand exactly how everything works, open source is ideal.
Want the latest tech: Next.js 16, NextAuth v5, Stripe SDK v17—you're starting with modern patterns.
Are comfortable with a smaller community: You'll rely more on documentation and GitHub issues than a Discord with thousands of members.
LaunchFast is a strong choice for technical founders who value code quality, testing, and AI-first features.
ShipFast is the better choice if you:
Want a proven, battle-tested solution: Thousands of successful launches mean most edge cases are already solved.
Value community support: The large Discord community is incredibly helpful when you're stuck.
Need comprehensive SEO tools: ShipFast has more built-in SEO features and guides.
Prefer stability over bleeding-edge: Battle-tested configurations mean fewer surprises.
Trust the brand: Marc Lou has built a strong reputation—you're buying peace of mind.
Don't need AI integration: If AI isn't core to your product, LaunchFast's main differentiator doesn't matter.
Want extensive documentation: ShipFast's docs are comprehensive and community-contributed.
Are non-technical or junior: The large community makes it easier to get help with any issue.
ShipFast is ideal for founders who want maximum support, proven patterns, and a community-backed solution.
Both use modern, production-ready technologies. LaunchFast is more opinionated (Prisma, Resend, Claude), while ShipFast offers more flexibility in provider choice.
LaunchFast: Because it's open source, you can clone it, run it locally, and evaluate the code quality before purchase. The 81 E2E tests give you confidence when making changes. The built-in AI chat means you can start building AI features immediately.
ShipFast: You're buying based on reputation and documentation. Once you purchase, you get well-organized, commented code. The large community means most questions have already been answered.
LaunchFast: If you're building an AI product, LaunchFast might get you to market faster thanks to the pre-built Claude integration. The E2E tests mean you can ship with confidence.
ShipFast: If you're building a traditional SaaS, ShipFast's battle-tested patterns and comprehensive community resources might get you launched faster. The extensive SEO tools help with post-launch growth.
LaunchFast: The E2E tests are a massive advantage for long-term maintenance. You can refactor confidently knowing tests will catch regressions. The open-source model means community contributions could add features you need.
ShipFast: The large community means someone has probably solved any issue you'll face. Marc's ongoing updates keep the boilerplate current with Next.js changes.
LaunchFast: The open-source code on GitHub is a learning resource. You can study how modern patterns (Next.js 16, NextAuth v5, Stripe v17) are implemented before buying.
ShipFast: The comprehensive documentation and community knowledge base are excellent learning resources. The Discord has channels for different topics where you can learn from others.
LaunchFast Support: - GitHub issues for bugs and feature requests - Email support - Community discussions on GitHub - 14-day money-back guarantee - Solo developer responsiveness
ShipFast Support: - Large, active Discord community - Email support - Extensive documentation - Community-contributed guides - Marc and team responsiveness - 7-day money-back guarantee (typical)
If you value community support, ShipFast's Discord is hard to beat. If you prefer GitHub-based workflows, LaunchFast's approach will feel natural.
No. While both are Next.js SaaS boilerplates, they have different architectures, different feature sets (LaunchFast has AI, ShipFast doesn't), and different philosophies (open vs. closed source). LaunchFast was built independently with a focus on AI integration and comprehensive testing.
Depends on your situation. If you highly value the large community, extensive SEO tools, and battle-tested stability, yes. If you prioritize AI integration, E2E tests, and open-source transparency, LaunchFast's lower price and feature set might be more valuable.
Yes. The entire codebase is on GitHub at github.com/Wittlesus/launchfast-starter. You can read every line of code before spending a dollar.
Both have good code quality, but LaunchFast's 81 E2E tests provide objective evidence of reliability. ShipFast's code quality is validated by thousands of successful deployments. You can inspect LaunchFast's code on GitHub right now—ShipFast requires purchase first.
LaunchFast, hands down. The built-in Claude integration (streaming, rate limiting, token tracking) saves significant development time. With ShipFast, you'd need to build this yourself.
For traditional SaaS products, it's closer. ShipFast's larger community and SEO tools are advantages. LaunchFast's E2E tests and lower price are advantages. Both will get you to launch successfully.
Here's my honest assessment after comparing both products:
ShipFast is the safer choice. It has a proven track record, thousands of successful launches, and a large community. If you want minimum risk and maximum support, ShipFast delivers. The $199 price tag is justified by the peace of mind and community resources.
LaunchFast is the innovative choice. It brings fresh ideas to the boilerplate space: open source before purchase, built-in AI, comprehensive E2E testing, and a modern tech stack. At $59-$89, it's also more accessible for bootstrapped founders. The trade-off is a smaller community and less battle-testing.
For AI-powered SaaS products: LaunchFast is the clear winner. The built-in Claude integration alone justifies the purchase.
For traditional SaaS products: It depends on your priorities. Value community and proven stability? ShipFast. Value testing, transparency, and lower price? LaunchFast.
For technical founders: LaunchFast's open source model and E2E tests might appeal more.
For non-technical founders: ShipFast's large community provides more safety nets.
Neither product is objectively "better"—they serve different needs and philosophies. ShipFast is the established, community-backed leader. LaunchFast is the open-source, AI-first challenger with compelling unique features.
Here's a thought: at $59 for LaunchFast Standard and $199 for ShipFast, you could purchase both for $258 total. Use LaunchFast's AI integration and testing patterns. Use ShipFast's SEO tools and community knowledge. Take the best of both worlds and build something incredible.
Choose LaunchFast if: - You're building an AI-powered SaaS - You value code transparency and open source - You want comprehensive E2E testing - You're budget-conscious ($80-120 savings) - You prefer GitHub-based workflows
Choose ShipFast if: - You want proven, battle-tested stability - You value large community support - You need comprehensive SEO tools - You're willing to pay premium for peace of mind - You trust established brands
Choose something else if: - You're a senior developer who prefers building from scratch - You have very specific tech stack requirements neither meets - You want enterprise-level support contracts
Both LaunchFast and ShipFast are excellent Next.js SaaS boilerplates that will save you weeks of development time. ShipFast is the established leader with a massive community and proven track record. LaunchFast is the innovative challenger with open source, AI integration, and comprehensive testing.
Your choice should depend on what you're building and what you value. For AI products, LaunchFast's built-in Claude integration is a massive time-saver. For traditional SaaS, ShipFast's community and SEO tools provide significant advantages.
The good news? You can't really go wrong with either. Both will help you ship faster, handle the boring boilerplate stuff, and let you focus on building your unique product.
The best SaaS boilerplate is the one you actually use to ship your product. Pick the one that matches your priorities, and start building.
Resources: - LaunchFast: github.com/Wittlesus/launchfast-starter - ShipFast: shipfa.st - LaunchFast Pricing: $59 Standard / $89 Pro - ShipFast Pricing: $199
Last updated: February 2026
This article targets: shipfast alternative, launchfast vs shipfast, best next.js saas boilerplate 2026, nextjs starter kit comparison, saas boilerplate with ai, open source saas starter, shipfast competitor, next.js boilerplate with testing, ai saas starter kit, indie hacker saas template
Disclaimer: I'm the creator of LaunchFast, but I've tried to write this comparison as honestly as possible. ShipFast is a great product with thousands of satisfied customers. This article aims to help you choose the right tool for your specific needs, not to unfairly criticize the competition.