SaaSrock (Remix) vs Makerkit (Next.js): Full-Featured SaaS Starters
Maximum Features, Different Frameworks
Some SaaS boilerplates give you the basics — auth, payments, a landing page — and let you build from there. SaaSrock and Makerkit are not those boilerplates.
These two starters pack an almost overwhelming amount of features. CRM, email marketing, knowledge base, API keys, audit logs, webhooks, analytics dashboards — features that most SaaS products don't build until they have paying customers.
The fundamental difference: SaaSrock is built on Remix with a philosophy of including everything. Makerkit is built on Next.js (and now SvelteKit/Remix variants) with a modular plugin architecture. Same ambition, radically different approaches.
TL;DR
SaaSrock ($149-$699) is a Remix-based boilerplate with 40+ built-in modules including CRM, knowledge base, email marketing, and workflow automation. Makerkit ($249-$599) uses a Next.js plugin architecture where you add features as needed. SaaSrock gives you more out of the box. Makerkit gives you more flexibility. Choose SaaSrock for feature-rich B2B SaaS. Choose Makerkit for clean, modular architecture.
Key Takeaways
- SaaSrock includes 40+ modules out of the box — CRM, help desk, knowledge base, email campaigns, API keys, webhooks, and more. Makerkit includes core features and adds others via plugins.
- Makerkit's plugin architecture is cleaner. You install only what you need. SaaSrock's everything-included approach means more initial complexity.
- Framework choice matters. SaaSrock is Remix-first (with a Next.js variant). Makerkit supports Next.js, SvelteKit, and Remix with the same plugin system.
- SaaSrock is cheaper at the low end — $149 for the personal license. Makerkit starts at $249.
- Makerkit has better documentation. Extensive guides, video tutorials, and plugin docs. SaaSrock's docs are adequate but less polished.
- Both support multi-tenancy, RBAC, and Stripe — these aren't differentiators.
Feature Comparison
Core SaaS Features
| Feature | SaaSrock | Makerkit |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | Remix Auth | NextAuth / Auth.js |
| Multi-tenancy | ✅ Full (orgs, workspaces) | ✅ Full (orgs, teams) |
| RBAC | ✅ Granular permissions | ✅ Role-based |
| Stripe billing | ✅ Subscriptions + one-time | ✅ Subscriptions + one-time |
| Lemon Squeezy | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported |
| Admin panel | ✅ Full admin dashboard | ✅ Super admin panel |
| Email templates | ✅ Built-in system | ✅ Via Mailers plugin |
| i18n | ✅ Multi-language | ✅ Multi-language |
| Blog/CMS | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Plugin |
| Landing pages | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
Where SaaSrock Goes Further
| Module | SaaSrock | Makerkit |
|---|---|---|
| CRM (contacts, deals, pipeline) | ✅ Full CRM module | ❌ Not included |
| Knowledge base | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Not included |
| Email marketing/campaigns | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Not included |
| Help desk/tickets | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Not included |
| Workflow automation | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Not included |
| Affiliate program | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Not included |
| API key management | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Plugin |
| Webhooks | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Manual setup |
| Audit logs | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Plugin |
| Feature flags | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Plugin (PostHog) |
| Analytics dashboard | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Plugin |
| Entity builder (CRUD gen) | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Not included |
| Page builder | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Not included |
SaaSrock's feature count is genuinely impressive. The CRM module alone — with contacts, companies, deals, pipeline views — would take weeks to build from scratch. The knowledge base, help desk, and email marketing modules save even more time.
The tradeoff: you inherit all that code. If you only need auth + payments + a dashboard, SaaSrock's 40+ modules are code you'll carry but never use.
Where Makerkit Wins
| Aspect | Makerkit | SaaSrock |
|---|---|---|
| Plugin system | ✅ Install/remove features cleanly | ❌ Modules are integrated |
| Multi-framework | ✅ Next.js, SvelteKit, Remix | ⚠️ Remix primary, Next.js variant |
| Documentation quality | ✅ Excellent, with videos | ⚠️ Adequate |
| Code organization | ✅ Clean monorepo with packages | ⚠️ Dense, more coupled |
| Testing coverage | ✅ Good (Cypress, Vitest) | ⚠️ Basic |
| Community size | ✅ Larger, more active Discord | ⚠️ Smaller community |
| Updates frequency | ✅ Regular, well-documented | ⚠️ Less frequent |
Architecture Deep Dive
SaaSrock's All-in-One Approach
SaaSrock uses a modular monolith pattern within a single Remix app:
app/
├── modules/
│ ├── crm/
│ │ ├── components/
│ │ ├── routes/
│ │ └── services/
│ ├── knowledgeBase/
│ ├── emailMarketing/
│ ├── helpDesk/
│ ├── affiliates/
│ └── ... (40+ modules)
├── routes/
│ ├── app.$tenant/ # Tenant routes
│ ├── admin/ # Admin routes
│ └── (marketing)/ # Public routes
└── utils/
Each module has its own components, routes, and services. They share the same database and session. Removing a module means finding and deleting its references throughout the codebase — possible but not clean.
Remix's nested routing works well for SaaSrock's complex layouts. A typical B2B SaaS might have:
- Sidebar navigation (root layout)
- Tenant-scoped header (tenant layout)
- Page content (leaf route)
- Modal or slide-over (outlet)
Each level loads its data in parallel, keeping navigation fast even with 40+ modules.
Makerkit's Plugin Architecture
Makerkit uses a Turborepo monorepo where features are separate packages:
packages/
├── core/ # Shared utilities, types
├── ui/ # Component library
├── billing/ # Stripe/Lemon Squeezy
│ ├── stripe/
│ └── lemon-squeezy/
├── auth/ # Authentication
├── cms/ # Blog/content
├── email/ # Email templates
└── plugins/
├── api-keys/ # API key management
├── audit-log/ # Activity tracking
├── analytics/ # Dashboard analytics
└── feedback/ # User feedback
apps/
├── web/ # Main Next.js app
└── admin/ # Admin panel (optional)
Adding a feature means installing a plugin package. Removing it means uninstalling the package and removing its route/config references. The boundaries are cleaner than SaaSrock's approach.
The tradeoff: Makerkit's plugin system means you spend time assembling the right combination of plugins. SaaSrock gives you everything at once — higher initial complexity but no assembly required.
Pricing Comparison
| Tier | SaaSrock | Makerkit |
|---|---|---|
| Personal/Indie | $149 (1 project) | $249 (1 project) |
| Startup/Team | $299 (3 projects) | $399 (3 projects) |
| Enterprise | $699 (unlimited) | $599 (unlimited) |
| Lifetime updates | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Source code access | ✅ Full | ✅ Full |
| Discord support | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
SaaSrock is cheaper at the indie tier ($149 vs $249). Makerkit is cheaper at enterprise ($599 vs $699). Both offer good value relative to development time saved.
Per-feature cost analysis: SaaSrock's $149 tier includes the CRM, knowledge base, and email marketing modules. Building those from scratch would take 4-8 weeks of development. That makes the effective ROI significantly higher than Makerkit's core-only starter at $249.
But if you don't need those features, SaaSrock's cost advantage disappears — you're paying for complexity you won't use.
Database and Data Model
Both use Prisma with PostgreSQL as the primary database.
SaaSrock's schema is significantly larger due to its 40+ modules:
- ~80 models covering CRM, help desk, workflows, etc.
- Pre-built entity relationships for contacts, deals, activities
- More complex migration history
Makerkit's schema is leaner:
- ~20 core models for auth, billing, organizations
- Plugins add their own models when installed
- Cleaner migration history
For a typical SaaS MVP, Makerkit's lighter schema means less cognitive overhead when working with the database. SaaSrock's larger schema means more tables but also more ready-made data structures for B2B features.
Developer Experience
Learning Curve
SaaSrock: Higher initial learning curve due to code volume. You need to understand which of the 40+ modules exist, how they interact, and which ones to disable for your use case. The Remix framework itself has a moderate learning curve if you're coming from Next.js.
Makerkit: Lower initial learning curve. The core is straightforward Next.js with a clean project structure. Plugins add complexity incrementally. If you know Next.js, you'll feel at home immediately.
Customization
SaaSrock: Deep customization of built-in modules is possible but requires understanding their internal architecture. Adding new features alongside existing modules is straightforward — you follow the same module pattern.
Makerkit: Customization is cleaner because plugins are isolated. You can modify a plugin without affecting others. Creating new plugins follows the established pattern with good documentation.
Maintenance
SaaSrock: Updates can be complex because modules are tightly integrated. Pulling in upstream updates may conflict with your customizations. The smaller community means fewer eyes on bugs.
Makerkit: Updates are smoother because of the monorepo structure. Core updates rarely conflict with plugin customizations. Larger community means faster bug discovery and fixes.
When to Choose Each
Choose SaaSrock If:
- You're building B2B SaaS that needs CRM, help desk, or knowledge base features — they're already built
- You prefer Remix and want the most feature-complete Remix boilerplate available
- You want maximum features for minimum cost — $149 gets you an extraordinary amount of pre-built functionality
- You're building an internal tool where most of the 40+ modules will actually get used
- You like monolithic architecture and prefer all your code in one codebase
Choose Makerkit If:
- You want clean, modular architecture where you can add and remove features without entangling your codebase
- You want framework flexibility — start with Next.js, potentially switch to SvelteKit later
- You prioritize code quality and documentation — Makerkit's codebase is more polished
- You're building a focused SaaS that needs auth + payments + a few specific features, not 40 modules
- You value community and ecosystem — larger Discord, more users, faster issue resolution
The Middle Ground
If you want SaaSrock's feature richness with Makerkit's architecture quality, consider:
- Starting with Makerkit and building the specific B2B modules you need
- Starting with SaaSrock and removing modules you don't need (more work but faster to a full-featured launch)
The Verdict
SaaSrock and Makerkit represent two valid philosophies for SaaS boilerplates:
SaaSrock is a pre-built SaaS product that you customize into your product. It trades code cleanliness for feature completeness. If you need even half of its modules, the time savings are enormous.
Makerkit is an architectural foundation that you build your product on. It trades feature completeness for code quality and flexibility. You'll build more, but what you build will be cleaner.
For most developers building a typical SaaS (auth, billing, dashboard, maybe a few custom features), Makerkit's clean foundation and larger community make it the safer choice.
For developers building B2B platforms where CRM, help desk, and workflows are core features — not nice-to-haves — SaaSrock saves weeks of development time.
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