SaasForgeKit vs Laravel Spark vs Wave (2026): which starter kit should you choose?

If you want the shortest answer: choose the starter kit that matches your tenancy model, billing model, and team workflow today, not the one with the longest feature list.

For most teams:

• Choose SaasForgeKit when you want a production-ready Laravel SaaS baseline with a clear Lite to Pro upgrade path.
• Choose Laravel Spark when you want the official Laravel subscription product workflow.
• Choose Wave when you prefer a community-oriented, open-source-first foundation.

Quick decision table

Scenario	Best fit	Why
Solo founder launching MVP quickly	SaasForgeKit Lite	Fast setup with modern stack and fewer moving parts
Team building B2B SaaS with collaboration and seat billing	SaasForgeKit Pro	Workspaces, roles, tenancy options, and team-aware pricing
Team already aligned with Spark conventions	Laravel Spark	Official ecosystem and subscription-centric workflow
Team prioritizing open-source-first starter flow	Wave	Community-friendly entry point and broad baseline

How to choose in under 10 minutes

1) Pick your tenancy trajectory first

Ask: are you starting with single-database tenancy and potentially moving to multi-database later?

• If yes, prioritize a starter kit that gives you that migration path.
• If no, and your product will stay simple, optimize for speed and maintainability.

Related reading: Single-database vs multi-database tenancy in Laravel

2) Pick billing complexity second

Ask: do you need basic subscriptions only, or seat-based/team pricing?

• Basic subscriptions: almost any serious kit can work.
• Seat-based team billing: choose a kit with explicit support for quantity sync, membership rules, and lifecycle handling.

Related reading: How to implement seat-based pricing in Laravel SaaS apps

3) Pick developer workflow third

Ask: do you want a React + TypeScript Inertia flow, or a different UI workflow?

Product velocity depends on the stack your team can maintain confidently over the next 12 to 24 months.

Common mistake: choosing by marketing checklists

A starter kit can look complete on paper but still slow you down if:

• the tenancy model does not match your customer profile,
• the billing primitives do not match your pricing model,
• or the default developer workflow fights your team.

Choose the kit that minimizes rewrites in your first 6 months.

Recommended path for most new Laravel SaaS teams

1. Start with a stable single-database baseline.
2. Launch and validate with early paying customers.
3. Upgrade to advanced tenancy and team billing only when needed.

If that is your path, start with SaasForgeKit, then compare editions on pricing.

FAQ

Is Laravel Spark better than SaasForgeKit?

It depends on your workflow preferences and product needs. Spark is strong for teams that want its official subscription-first model. SaasForgeKit is strong for teams that want a broader SaaS foundation and a practical Lite-to-Pro path.

Is Wave enough for production SaaS?

Wave can be a good baseline, especially for open-source-first teams. As with any starter, verify tenancy, billing, and operational fit against your product roadmap.

Should I optimize for features or speed to first revenue?

In early stages, optimize for speed to first revenue and maintainability. Add complexity only when customer requirements force it.

Next steps

• Review the full Laravel SaaS starter kit page
• Compare plans on pricing
• Dive into documentation