MakerKit vs CheapStack: which Next.js starter kit should you buy?
The short answer
**MakerKit** ($349-649) is the right choice if you need production-grade multi-tenancy, team management, enterprise auth (MFA, passkeys), and an MCP server for AI agents. **CheapStack** ($49-79) is the right choice if you're a solo developer who wants auth, payments, and a dashboard without paying $349.
Pricing comparison
Feature comparison
Which one is cheaper in the long run?
MakerKit at $349 is a better deal than ShipFast at $249 + $199 for a landing page kit. But CheapStack at $79 gives you both for less than either.
When to choose MakerKit over CheapStack
- You need multi-tenancy and team management from day one
- You want MFA/passkey auth
- You use AI coding agents and want MCP server support
- Your budget allows $349+
When to choose CheapStack over MakerKit
- You're a solo founder building an MVP
- Your budget is under $100
- You need Polar.sh for payments (e.g., Pakistan, India, SE Asia)
- You want landing page templates included
Bottom line
MakerKit is a more mature, feature-rich product for serious B2B SaaS projects. CheapStack is the best value for solo devs who want to ship fast without paying enterprise prices.
About the author
Syed Muhammad Akbar Gillani is a full-stack developer and the founder of CheapStack and Mag Studios. He builds affordable developer tools and writes about bootstrapping products on realistic budgets. All pricing data in this guide was verified from public pricing pages and personal usage in July 2026.