The Bootstrapped SaaS Pirate's Guide

SaaS Yacht Club

EXCLUSIVE guide for bootstrapped SaaS pirates navigating from $0 to $1M in revenue. The ultimate tech stack recommendations to build, scale, and conquer the SaaS seas.

The Bootstrapped SaaS Pirate's Guide

⚓ PIRATE'S HONOR ⚓

I am not selling anything on this page. This is the entire stack - a complete treasure map for bootstrapped SaaS founders. Take it, use it, and build your empire!

The SaaS Pirate's

TREASURE MAP

Navigate from $0 to $1M ARR

SaaS Yacht Club

The Ultimate SaaS Guide

This comprehensive guide contains all the secrets a bootstrapped SaaS founder needs to navigate from launch to $1M in annual recurring revenue.

  • ⚓Complete tech stack recommendations for every stage
  • ⚓100+ essential metrics to track your voyage
  • ⚓Battle-tested strategies from successful founders
  • ⚓Avoid common pitfalls that sink most SaaS ships
"The treasure isn't gold, matey. It's the knowledge to build a profitable SaaS that runs while ye sleep!"

🏴‍☠️ Recommended Tech Stack

Frontend

Primary:Next.js 14+ (App Router)
Alternative:Remix, Nuxt.js
Cost:$0 (OSS)

Backend/Database

Primary:Supabase
Alternative:Firebase, PlanetScale
Cost:$0-$25

Authentication

Primary:Supabase Auth
Alternative:NextAuth.js, Clerk
Cost:$0 (included)

Payments

Primary:Stripe
Alternative:PayPal, Paddle
Cost:2.9% + $0.30/tx

Hosting

Primary:Vercel
Alternative:Netlify, Railway
Cost:$0-$20

UI Framework

Primary:Tailwind + shadcn/ui
Alternative:MUI, Chakra UI
Cost:$0 (OSS)

Analytics

Primary:Plausible
Alternative:PostHog, GA4
Cost:$9+

Email

Primary:Resend
Alternative:SendGrid, Mailchimp
Cost:$0-$20

Recommended Starter Kits

  • MakerKitComplete SaaS boilerplate
  • SaaS-UIUI components for SaaS
  • ShipFastLaunch faster with templates

⚓ Metrics Available with Just Stripe Data

Track these key metrics to navigate your SaaS journey from early traction to profitable growth. All available directly from your Stripe data without additional tools.

Revenue Metrics

  • ⚓Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)
  • ⚓Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)
  • ⚓Revenue Growth Rate
  • ⚓Net New MRR
  • ⚓Net Revenue Retention (NRR)

Customer Metrics

  • ⚓Active Customers
  • ⚓Customer Growth Rate
  • ⚓Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)
  • ⚓Customer Churn Rate
  • ⚓Customer Geographic Distribution

Subscription Metrics

  • ⚓Active Subscriptions
  • ⚓Average Subscription Value
  • ⚓Monthly vs. Annual Plan Ratio
  • ⚓Plan Upgrade Rate
  • ⚓Plan Downgrade Rate

Growth Metrics

  • ⚓MRR Growth Rate
  • ⚓Customer Growth Rate
  • ⚓Quick Ratio
  • ⚓Month-over-Month Growth
  • ⚓Year-over-Year Growth

🏴‍☠️ Installation Guide

Get your SaaS ship sailing quickly with these installation instructions. Follow these steps to deploy your tech stack in minutes.

One-Command Setup

# Clone the repository and install dependencies

npx create-saas-yacht-app my-saas-app

# Navigate to your new project

cd my-saas-app

# Start the development server

npm run dev

Deploy to Vercel

The fastest way to deploy your SaaS application is with Vercel. Click the button below to deploy a complete SaaS starter:

Deploy SaaS Starter

Tech Stack Partners

Vercel logoVercel
Supabase logoSupabase
Stripe logoStripe
Resend logoResend
Tailwind CSS logoTailwind CSS
Next.js logoNext.js
Plausible logoPlausible
GitHub logoGitHub

⚓ Project Plan

Follow this battle-tested project plan to launch your SaaS product in record time. From initial setup to successful launch in just 6-8 weeks.

Week 1-2: Foundation

2 weeks
  • ⚓Set up project repository and CI/CD pipeline
  • ⚓Configure development environment
  • ⚓Implement authentication system
  • ⚓Create database schema and migrations
  • ⚓Set up basic UI components and layouts

Week 3-4: Core Features

2 weeks
  • ⚓Implement core product functionality
  • ⚓Build user dashboard and settings
  • ⚓Create admin panel for management
  • ⚓Set up email notifications
  • ⚓Implement basic analytics tracking

Week 5: Monetization

1 week
  • ⚓Integrate Stripe for payments
  • ⚓Set up subscription plans and pricing
  • ⚓Implement checkout flow
  • ⚓Create billing portal for users
  • ⚓Set up webhook handlers for payment events

Week 6: Polish & Launch

1 week
  • ⚓Optimize performance and loading times
  • ⚓Implement error tracking and monitoring
  • ⚓Create marketing landing pages
  • ⚓Set up SEO and metadata
  • ⚓Prepare for launch and deployment

Total Development Timeline: 6-8 Weeks

This timeline assumes a single developer or small team working full-time on the project. Using our recommended boilerplates can reduce this timeline by 30-50%.

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