I built a free tool that picks your entire SaaS tech stack in a minute
Source: Dev.to
Every developer who’s started a SaaS has been here:
- You open a blank doc.
- You start listing tools.
- You spend days reading comparison articles.
- You ask Twitter and get dozens of opinions.
- You still don’t know what to pick.
I’ve been there three times, so I built something to fix it.
What I Built
appstackbuilder.com – an AI‑powered tool that takes your:
- Budget
- App type
- Team size
- Skill level
…and generates a complete recommended stack in seconds.
It covers every layer:
- Authentication
- Database
- Hosting / Deployment
- Payments
- Analytics
- Error Monitoring
- And more
Completely free. No account required.
The Problem With Existing Advice
When you Google “best tech stack for SaaS 2026”, most articles:
- ❌ Recommend the same tools regardless of budget
- ❌ Ignore per‑seat pricing (which kills small teams)
- ❌ Assume you’re a senior full‑stack developer
- ❌ Are written by people who haven’t shipped in years
The real answer to “What stack should I use?” is:
It depends on your budget, team size, and skill level.
That’s exactly what this tool accounts for.
🚀 What Makes It Different
1. Pricing That Actually Reflects Team Size
Most guides say things like:
“Use Clerk for auth — it has a free tier.”
What they often don’t mention:
- Clerk’s free tier caps at 10,000 MAU
- Paid plans are per‑user
For a 5‑person internal tool with heavy usage, that pricing model can completely change your cost assumptions.
👉 This tool factors team size directly into every cost calculation, keeping estimates realistic.
2. No‑Code Mode for Non‑Technical Founders
Not everyone building a product is a developer.
Toggle “No‑Code Only”, and recommendations are filtered to platforms you can actually ship with:
- Bubble
- Glide
- Webflow
No backend engineering required.
3. Real Alternatives — Not Just One Pick
Instead of prescribing a single tool per category, each section shows:
- ✅ Up to 10 alternatives
- ✅ Clear pros & cons
- ✅ Room for informed decisions
Because stack choices are never one‑size‑fits‑all.
4. Shareable Stack Links
Generated a stack? Share it instantly via a link—perfect for:
- Co‑founder discussions
- Team feedback
- Community validation
The Stack I Used to Build It
Since this is Dev.to and you’ll ask anyway:
- Framework: Next.js 16 (App Router)
- Database: Supabase
- AI: Multiple LLMs (OpenAI / Claude / Gemini)
- Auth: Custom JWT
- Hosting: Vercel
- Styling: Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui
Yes — I used the tool to help validate my own stack choices. Meta, I know.
What I Learned Building This
Pricing Data Is a Nightmare
Tools change pricing constantly. Supabase updated their free‑tier limits twice while I was building this. I handle it via:
- Manual verification
- Scheduled checks
Not elegant, but it works.
No‑Code Recommendations Are Hard
As a developer, my instinct is always:
“Just code it.”
Getting no‑code suggestions right required significant feedback from non‑technical founders. Still improving this area.
People Care More About Cost Than Features
The most‑used feature is the monthly cost calculator—more than tool names or explanations. Budget anxiety is very real for early‑stage founders.
Try It
👉 appstackbuilder.com – free, no signup, takes ~60 seconds.
If the recommendations feel off for your use case, drop a comment below — I read everything, and it directly influences what I improve next.