💨 SaaS Boilerplates: Building in Public, AI Features, Monetizing Your Expertise

In this Trends.vc Report, we talk about building in tublic, attracting warm leads, getting early users, AI Features and more.

🔍 Problem

Each SaaS has the same core functions.

Such as notifications, payments, analytics and user authentication.

💡 Solution

SaaS boilerplates help you get to market faster.

You can build core functionality in hours.

🏁 Players

SaaS Boilerplates

• SaaS Themes • Laravel SaaS boilerplate themes by Simon and Albfort
• ShipFast • The NextJS boilerplate to build a SaaS, AI tool or any web app by Marc Lou
• Divjoy • SaaS codebase generator by Gabe Ragland
• No-Code SaaS Boilerplate • Customizable SaaS boilerplate in Bubble by Mohit
• Gravity • Build a Node.js and React app at warp speed by Kyle Gawley
• Shipped • Next.js boilerplate with auth, emails, payments and more by Luca Restagno
• Launch Today • Production-ready boilerplate for startups and indie makers by Paul Waweru

🛠 How to Build SaaS Boilerplates

• Build in public to get early feedback.

• GeniePy shares updates in public.
• Bhargav is building NextBase in public.
• Gian Carlo shares Makerkit updates in public.

• Build a waiting list to gauge interest and get contact details of prospective customers.

• Saas.js has a waiting list for SaaS patterns, tools and packages.
• Samuel Štancl opened a waiting list for Laravel Tenancy Boilerplate 2.0.

• Presell to validate demand and get early users.

• Max Stoiber opened pre-orders for Bedrock.
• Jake Trefethen offers an early-bird price for Indiestack.
• Muhammad Salman made $800 with a launch discount for the first 30 users.

• Piggyback on market trends by adding AI to your boilerplate.

• NextAppFast uses AI to generate SaaS code.
• AI Tool has pre-built OpenAI content generators.
• BoilerCode has LangChain, Pinecone and OpenAI integrations.
• Michael Dausmann added AI note generation with OpenAI to SupaNuxt SaaS.

🌱 How to Grow SaaS Boilerplates

• Explain the ROI in terms of time, money and energy saved by using your boilerplate.

• Boostack says you’ll save $19,500 on development costs.
• Turbojet says you’ll save 200 hours and $18,000 on development costs.
• Ship SaaS says you’ll save $10,000+ and 2 months of development time.

• Share testimonials to build trust. Show that developers approve your tech stack and functionality.

• ShipFast shares video reviews from happy customers.
• Gravity shares its Trustpilot rating and customer reviews.
• ASP.NET Zero shares how customers use it to build web apps.

• Build a lead magnet to attract warm leads.

• SaaS Pegasus offers a free consultation.
• Gravity offers a free SaaS boilerplate and a guide on building profitable SaaS apps.

💰 How to Monetize SaaS Boilerplates

• Charge per project.

• Remixtape costs $299 per project.
• Laravel Spark costs $99 per project.
• Volca has $99 and $349 licenses to use with one project.

• Charge per seat.

• NextAppFast has paid plans for 1 and 2 developers.
• ASP.NET Zero charges for 3, 10 and 20 developers.
• Makerkit offers plans for 1 and an unlimited number of developers.

• Offer lifetime updates to boost perceived value.

• PySaaS offers lifetime updates for $149.
• GeniePy offers lifetime updates for $129.
• Nodewood offers lifetime updates for $595.

🔮 Predictions

• We’ll see no-code SaaS boilerplates. Non-tech customers will build SaaS without code.

• Mohit G made a SaaS boilerplate in Bubble.
• NextAppFast has no-code UI and database builders.
• Jorg Poolman made Ultimate SaaS Template in Bubble.
• WGMI Academy made an AI SaaS Starter Kit in Bubble.

• SaaS boilerplate generators will help users get boilerplates on demand.

• NextAppFast can generate a SaaS from text.
• Flatlogic generates source code for B2B apps.
• Divjoy is a codebase generator for SaaS apps.
• ABP Commercial is an app generator with pre-built SaaS modules.

• We’ll see more open-source SaaS boilerplates.

• Golang Startup Kit is a SaaS boilerplate in Go.
• Play is a free, open-source starter kit for Next.js.
• Arjay Osma is building Nextacular for making multi-tenant apps.
• Cuthbert Mirambo made an open-source SaaS boilerplate built in Laravel, Bootstrap 4 and Vue.js.

😠 Haters

“It’s hard to keep the boilerplate up-to-date.”
This is another way to boost perceived value. Take the burden off customers to keep up with security patches, bug fixes and best practices.

“I can make more money with software development services.”
While custom development services bring more money, SaaS boilerplates are digital products. They scale better than your time. You can offer both to get the best of both worlds.

“If I can build SaaS faster than competitors, why should I help them do the same?”
Others are turning their SaaS development expertise into boilerplates. People can buy from them and catch up with you. The difference is that you won’t get paid. Others will.

🔗 Links

1. Making $200,000 with a SaaS Boilerplate • The thread behind this report.
2. Building a Report on SaaS Boilerplates • The tweet behind this report.
3. SaaS Boilerplates and Starter Kits • The complete guide to SaaS boilerplates.

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