Stack guides / Starters
Don’t start from an empty folder. Check the license badge first: MIT and Apache are fine for any business; AGPL means you must publish your changes if you run it as a service.
55 options. Free tiers, catches and prices checked by hand on 2026-10-27; each one links to its sources.
React component library for ChatGPT-style chat UIs (threads, streaming, tool UIs).
Best for: Starting an AI app from working code instead of an empty folder.
React, TypeScript
Maintained: release 2026-10
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Official minimal Astro blog template with posts, RSS and sitemap.
Best for: Starting a content site from working code instead of an empty folder.
Astro, Markdown/MDX
Maintained: last commit to the example 2026-10
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com
Minimal, accessible, SEO-friendly Astro blog theme with search, tags and light/dark mode.
Best for: Starting a content site from working code instead of an empty folder.
Astro, Tailwind CSS, TypeScript
Maintained: release 2026-06 (v6.1.0); last commit 2026-08
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Landing-page and website template with blog and ready-made sections.
Best for: Starting a landing page or a content site from working code instead of an empty folder.
Astro, Tailwind CSS
Maintained: release 2026-09 (v1.0.0-beta.65)
Still versioned as a 1.0 beta.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Full-featured CRM (contacts, companies, deals, notes) to fork and customise.
Best for: Starting an internal tool from working code instead of an empty folder.
React, shadcn-admin-kit, Supabase
Maintained: release 2026-09 (v1.6.0); last commit 2026-10
Needs Supabase (hosted, or local via Docker).
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Enterprise-flavoured SaaS starter with teams, SAML SSO and directory sync, webhooks, audit logs and Stripe payments.
Best for: Starting a SaaS app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js, PostgreSQL (Prisma), NextAuth.js, SAML Jackson, Svix, Retraced, Stripe
Maintained: last commit 2026-05 (dependency bumps); release 2024-12
Recent commits are dependency bumps only; last tagged release v1.6.0 (Dec 2024).
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Full-featured chat app template with multiple models, chat history, file storage and auth.
Best for: Starting an AI app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js, AI SDK, shadcn/ui, Neon Postgres, Vercel Blob, Auth.js
Maintained: last commit 2026-07; release v3.1.0 (2025-07)
Defaults to Vercel AI Gateway (needs AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY when not on Vercel) plus Neon and Vercel Blob.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Docs-site generator with versioning, blog, i18n and search integrations.
Best for: Starting a content site from working code instead of an empty folder.
React, MDX
Maintained: release 2026-07 (3.10.2); last commit 2026-10
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
The template create-expo-app generates: a tabbed Expo Router app for iOS, Android and web.
Best for: Starting a mobile app from working code instead of an empty folder.
React Native, Expo, Expo Router, TypeScript
Maintained: last commit to the template 2026-10; create-expo-app 5.0.0 (2026-09)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, npmjs.com
Documentation framework for React/Next.js with MDX content, search and UI components.
Best for: Starting a content site from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js (React), MDX
Maintained: release 2026-10
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Battle-tested React Native boilerplate and CLI with generators, navigation and theming.
Best for: Starting a mobile app from working code instead of an empty folder.
React Native, Expo, TypeScript
Maintained: release 2026-03 (v11.5.0); last commit 2026-04
Activity has slowed: last release Mar 2026, last commit Apr 2026.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Production-ready landing-page and website sections plus a template built on shadcn/ui.
Best for: Starting a landing page from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js 16, shadcn/ui, Tailwind CSS 4
Maintained: release 2026-09 (v2.10.1)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Free trimmed-down Makerkit with Supabase auth, profile/settings, protected routes, marketing pages, i18n and Playwright tests.
Best for: Starting a SaaS app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js 16, Supabase, shadcn/ui (Base UI), Tailwind CSS v4, Turborepo
Maintained: last commit 2026-10 (no tagged releases)
Billing/subscriptions and team accounts are only in the paid full kit; needs Supabase.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, makerkit.dev
Production-grade Turborepo monorepo with marketing site, app, API, docs, email and Storybook, plus auth, payments, analytics, observability and security packages.
Best for: Starting a SaaS app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js, Turborepo, Prisma (Neon Postgres), Clerk, Stripe, Resend
Maintained: npm 6.0.3 2026-05; last commit 2026-05
Wires in third-party hosted services (Clerk, Stripe, Resend, PostHog, Sentry, BetterStack, Arcjet); their free tiers vary.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com, npmjs.com
Official Next.js example pre-wired for Supabase Auth and database.
Best for: Starting a SaaS app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js, Supabase (Auth, Postgres)
Maintained: last commit to the example 2026-10
Needs a Supabase project (hosted or self-hosted).
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Opinionated Expo starter with project structure, tooling and CI conventions.
Best for: Starting a mobile app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Expo, React Native, TypeScript
Maintained: release 2026-01 (v9.0.0); last commit 2026-06
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Full SaaS template with auth, payments, admin dashboard, OpenAI example, S3 file uploads, analytics and a docs/blog site.
Best for: Starting a SaaS app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Wasp (React, Node.js, Prisma), shadcn/ui, Stripe / Polar / Lemon Squeezy, Astro Starlight docs
Maintained: release 2026-10 (for Wasp 0.26)
Built on the Wasp framework, so you adopt Wasp’s tooling and conventions.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com, docs.opensaas.sh
Website/blog template with layout-builder pages and posts, draft preview and an admin panel.
Best for: Starting a content site or a landing page from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js, Payload CMS, TypeScript
Maintained: last commit to the template 2026-10
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Framework for building admin panels and B2B apps on top of any API.
Best for: Starting an internal tool from working code instead of an empty folder.
React, Material UI; REST/GraphQL data providers
Maintained: release 2026-10 (5.15.5)
Some advanced modules are in the paid Enterprise Edition.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
React meta-framework for CRUD-heavy admin panels, dashboards and internal tools.
Best for: Starting an internal tool from working code instead of an empty folder.
React; data providers for REST, GraphQL, Supabase and others
Maintained: release 2026-04 (@refinedev/core 5.0.12); last commit 2026-09
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
SaaS starter with auth, multi-tenancy and teams, roles and permissions, i18n, landing page, user dashboard, logging and tests.
Best for: Starting a SaaS app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js, Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui, Clerk, Drizzle (PostgreSQL/SQLite/MySQL)
Maintained: release 2026-07 (v1.9.1); last commit 2026-08
Auth depends on Clerk (hosted); some screens shown in the README belong to a paid Pro version.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Customisable web front end for a Sharetribe marketplace (listings, search, transactions).
Best for: Starting a marketplace from working code instead of an empty folder.
React, Node.js, Sharetribe Marketplace API
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v12.6.0)
Front end only: needs a paid Sharetribe subscription for the hosted marketplace backend.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Documentation-site framework with navigation, search, i18n and accessible defaults.
Best for: Starting a content site from working code instead of an empty folder.
Astro
Maintained: release 2026-10 (0.42.7)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Vercel’s Next.js storefront for Shopify with catalog, cart, checkout, customer accounts, search, llms.txt/structured data and a built-in shop agent.
Best for: Starting an online store from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js, Shopify (Hydrogen SDK, Storefront API)
Maintained: release 2026-10 (2026.10.2)
Requires a Shopify store and Storefront API token (Shopify is paid); replaces the archived Next.js Commerce template.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
All-in-one AI app for chatting with documents (RAG), agents and multiple LLM providers.
Best for: Starting an AI app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Node.js, React; desktop app or Docker
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v1.19.0)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Q&A community platform (Stack Overflow-style) with plugins.
Best for: Starting a community from working code instead of an empty folder.
Go, React; MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQLite
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v2.0.3)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Low-code builder for internal tools with drag-and-drop widgets and database/API connectors.
Best for: Starting an internal tool from working code instead of an empty folder.
Java (Spring), React, MongoDB, Redis
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v2.5.1)
Some features are reserved for paid Business/Enterprise editions.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Self-hosted Laravel e-commerce platform with storefront and admin panel.
Best for: Starting an online store from working code instead of an empty folder.
Laravel (PHP), Vue.js, MySQL
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v2.5.0)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
No-code database and app builder (Airtable alternative) with an API.
Best for: Starting an internal tool from working code instead of an empty folder.
Python (Django), Vue/Nuxt, PostgreSQL
Maintained: release 2026-10 (2.4.1)
Premium and enterprise features need paid licenses.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Low-code platform for internal apps, forms, portals and workflow automations.
Best for: Starting an internal tool from working code instead of an empty folder.
Node.js, Svelte, CouchDB
Maintained: release 2026-10
Paid features are BSL-licensed and license-gated; Budibase states that apps you build do not include GPL code.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Self-hosted scheduling and booking pages with the Cal.com scheduling engine, app store and API v2, with no license key.
Best for: Starting a booking app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js, tRPC, Prisma, Tailwind CSS
Maintained: last commit 2026-10; last release v6.2.0 (2026-03)
Teams/organizations, routing forms, workflows, insights, SAML/SSO and API v1 were removed; the README recommends personal, non-production use; no hosted version. The production Cal.com codebase is now closed-source.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com, cal.com
Omnichannel customer-support inbox (website chat, email, social) with a help center.
Best for: Starting an internal tool or a SaaS app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Ruby on Rails, Vue.js, PostgreSQL, Redis
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v4.19.1)
Enterprise features live under enterprise/ and need a paid license.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Open-source platform for running online courses and bootcamps.
Best for: Starting an online course from working code instead of an empty folder.
SvelteKit, Hono, PostgreSQL, Redis (Docker)
Maintained: release 2026-07 (v1.0.0); last commit 2026-10
AGPL: you must publish your changes if you run it as a service.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Full-featured community forum with moderation, trust levels, plugins and email integration.
Best for: Starting a community from working code instead of an empty folder.
Ruby on Rails, Ember.js, PostgreSQL, Redis
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v2026.11.0)
GPL: share source if you distribute modified versions (hosting alone does not trigger it).
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Self-hosted appointment scheduler with services, providers and a public booking page.
Best for: Starting a booking app from working code instead of an empty folder.
PHP (CodeIgniter), MySQL
Maintained: release 2026-10 (1.6.1)
GPL: share source if you distribute modified versions.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Customer feedback board where users post and vote on ideas.
Best for: Starting a SaaS app or a community from working code instead of an empty folder.
Go, React, PostgreSQL
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v0.38.2)
AGPL: you must publish your changes if you run it as a service.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Lightweight, extensible forum software; version 2.0 is now stable.
Best for: Starting a community from working code instead of an empty folder.
PHP, MySQL
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v2.0.0)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Survey and experience-management platform (link, website and in-app surveys).
Best for: Starting a SaaS app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js, PostgreSQL
Maintained: release 2026-10 (6.1.2)
AGPL: you must publish your changes if you run it as a service; enterprise features need a license.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Self-hosted LMS for courses, quizzes and certificates.
Best for: Starting an online course from working code instead of an empty folder.
Frappe Framework (Python), Vue.js, MariaDB
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v2.67.1)
AGPL: you must publish your changes if you run it as a service.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Publishing platform for blogs and newsletters with memberships and paid subscriptions.
Best for: Starting a content site from working code instead of an empty folder.
Node.js, MySQL
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v6.73.0)
Paid subscriptions use Stripe; managed Ghost(Pro) hosting is paid (optional).
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Visual builder for AI agents and workflows that you can serve as APIs.
Best for: Starting an AI app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Python, React
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v1.13.0)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com, pypi.org
Self-hosted multi-provider AI chat with agents, file search, code execution and multi-user auth.
Best for: Starting an AI app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Node.js, React, MongoDB
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v0.8.9-rc1)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Headless commerce engine with modular commerce features and an admin dashboard.
Best for: Starting an online store or a marketplace from working code instead of an empty folder.
Node.js / TypeScript, PostgreSQL
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v2.22.1)
Since Aug 2026 the RBAC and SSO code in the repo is proprietary Enterprise Edition (needs a commercial agreement); the rest stays MIT.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com, github.com
Mature, plugin-rich LMS for courses, assessments and gradebooks.
Best for: Starting an online course from working code instead of an empty folder.
PHP; PostgreSQL, MySQL or MariaDB
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v5.3.0)
GPL: share source if you distribute modified versions.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Real-time forum software with plugins and themes.
Best for: Starting a community from working code instead of an empty folder.
Node.js; MongoDB, Redis or PostgreSQL
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v4.16.4)
GPL: share source if you distribute modified versions.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Code-first headless CMS and app framework that installs into a Next.js app, with admin panel, auth and APIs.
Best for: Starting a content site or an internal tool from working code instead of an empty folder.
Next.js, TypeScript; PostgreSQL, MongoDB or SQLite
Maintained: release 2026-10 (3.92.1; v4 in beta)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, npmjs.com, github.com
Headless, API-first commerce backend with a GraphQL API.
Best for: Starting an online store from working code instead of an empty folder.
Python (Django), GraphQL API, PostgreSQL
Maintained: release 2026-10 (3.23.44)
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Open-source commerce platform with REST API, TypeScript SDKs, admin dashboard, Next.js storefront, marketplace and B2B features.
Best for: Starting an online store or a marketplace from working code instead of an empty folder.
Ruby on Rails, REST API, TypeScript SDKs, React admin, Next.js storefront
Maintained: release 2026-10 (Spree 6.0)
Multi-tenant SaaS, B2B approval workflows and some marketplace automations require the paid Enterprise Edition.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com, github.com
Headless CMS with content-type builder, admin panel and REST/GraphQL APIs.
Best for: Starting a content site or an internal tool from working code instead of an empty folder.
Node.js, TypeScript, React admin; PostgreSQL, MySQL or SQLite
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v5.59.0)
Using ee/ code needs a commercial license; per the LICENSE, the MIT grant covers Community Edition users without a Strapi Cloud account.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Open-source CRM with custom objects, views, workflows and API.
Best for: Starting an internal tool from working code instead of an empty folder.
TypeScript, NestJS, React, PostgreSQL, Redis
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v2.52.0)
AGPL: you must publish your changes if you run it as a service; enterprise-marked files need a commercial license.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Headless commerce framework with GraphQL APIs, admin UI and a plugin system.
Best for: Starting an online store from working code instead of an empty folder.
TypeScript (Node.js, NestJS), GraphQL, SQL database
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v3.8.1)
GPLv3 copyleft applies when you distribute modified core; a section 7 exception lets plugins use other licenses; a commercial license is sold by Vendure GmbH.
Free and open source
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Visual platform for building LLM apps, agents, workflows and RAG pipelines.
Best for: Starting an AI app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Python, Next.js; PostgreSQL, Redis, vector DB (Docker)
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v1.18.0)
A commercial license is needed to run it as a multi-tenant (multi-workspace) service, and you may not remove or modify the Dify logo/copyright in the web frontend.
No free plan
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
Headless CMS and backend that wraps a SQL database with REST/GraphQL APIs and a no-code admin app.
Best for: Starting an internal tool or a content site from working code instead of an empty folder.
Node.js, Vue, SQL database
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v12.6.0)
Not OSI open source: any use except offering a competing paid service; do not bypass license-key-gated features; each version becomes GPL-3.0 four years after release.
No free plan
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com, github.com
Airtable-style spreadsheet UI and APIs on top of SQL databases.
Best for: Starting an internal tool from working code instead of an empty folder.
Node.js, Vue; PostgreSQL, MySQL or SQLite
Maintained: release 2026-10 (2026.10.0)
Not open source: use only for internal business, non-commercial or personal purposes; you may only provide it to others free of charge for non-commercial purposes.
No free plan
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com, github.com
Self-hosted AI chat interface for local and API models with RAG, tools and multi-user admin.
Best for: Starting an AI app from working code instead of an empty folder.
Python, Svelte; Ollama or OpenAI-compatible APIs
Maintained: release 2026-10 (v0.12.4)
You may not remove or alter Open WebUI branding if more than 50 end users use it in any rolling 30 days, unless you have written permission or an enterprise license; contributions require a CLA.
No free plan
Free
Checked 2026-10-27: github.com, github.com
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