Free SaaS Template With Next.js, Node.js and MongoDB

Building a SaaS from scratch usually means solving a technical foundation before reaching the feature that actually differentiates the product: authentication, users, protected routes, database integration, backend structure, dashboard, and administrative components.

SG SaaS Starter Lite is a free starter kit developed by Santiago Gretter Software Studio to accelerate that early stage with a fullstack structure that can be adapted.

It is designed for developers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs who need a foundation for SaaS products, MVPs, CRMs, backoffice tools, internal portals, or management applications.

What problem it tries to solve

When every project starts from an empty folder, a large part of the first development phase is spent rebuilding:

• Login.
• Registration.
• Users.
• Middleware.
• Models.
• CRUD.
• Dashboard.
• Layout.
• Tables.
• Filters.
• Seed data.
• Environment variables.

The starter does not remove the architecture work required for a real product, but it reduces repetition around a basic admin foundation.

General architecture

The project uses separate frontend and backend applications.

This can help:

• Keep responsibilities clear.
• Deploy services separately.
• Consume the API from different clients.
• Scale parts independently.

The architecture can still be adapted to project size.

For a very small MVP, a single fullstack project may also be a reasonable choice.

Frontend

The Lite edition includes a foundation with:

• Next.js.
• React.
• TypeScript.
• TailwindCSS.
• Responsive admin layout.
• Reusable components.
• Dashboard.
• User management.
• Search.
• Filters.
• Pagination.
• Modals.
• Tables.
• Badges.
• Empty states.
• Toasts.

The goal is not to impose a final product design.

The components provide a starting point for your own visual identity.

Backend

The backend uses:

• Node.js.
• Express.
• TypeScript.
• MongoDB.
• Mongoose.
• JWT.
• Protected routes.
• User management.
• Basic dashboard.
• Seed data.

The backend foundation can then be extended with domain-specific entities.

Examples include:

• Bookings.
• Projects.
• Products.
• Tickets.
• Clients.
• Tasks.
• Orders.

Authentication

The Lite edition includes a JWT authentication foundation for:

• Registration.
• Login.
• Validation.
• Protected routes.
• Frontend logout.

This saves initial work, but a product moving to production should review the security model according to its actual requirements.

Areas that may need further development include:

• Refresh tokens.
• Password recovery.
• MFA.
• Rotation.
• Session management.
• Audit.
• SSO.

The starter is a base rather than a universal security certification.

User management

Administrative operations include:

• Create.
• Edit.
• Delete.
• Activate/deactivate.
• Search.
• Filter.
• Paginate.

Initial roles are:

• `admin`
• `member`

The structure can be expanded if the product needs additional permissions.

Simple roles versus advanced permissions

Two roles may be enough for an MVP.

When organizations, teams, and responsibilities become more complex, a more granular permissions system may be required.

Possible future roles include:

• owner.
• admin.
• manager.
• agent.
• member.
• read-only.

Do not add complexity before the product actually needs it.

Dashboard

The Lite dashboard is intentionally basic.

It can display:

• Total users.
• Active users.
• Inactive users.
• Quick actions.

A real product should replace or extend these metrics with domain-specific indicators.

A booking system, for example, might show:

• Today's bookings.
• Cancellations.
• Clients.
• Occupancy.
• Revenue.

Demo seed

The project includes demo data for easier local testing.

It also includes a demo administrator account.

Email:

```text

admin@example.com

```

Password:

```text

123456

```

These credentials are for development only.

Before publishing any derivative project:

• Remove demo users.
• Change credentials.
• Review secrets.
• Clean test data.

A known demo password should never reach production.

Environment variables

The project uses example files to separate configuration from code.

Backend examples include:

• Port.
• MongoDB connection.
• JWT secret.

Frontend configuration includes:

• API URL.

Real secret files are not included in the download.

This separation makes it easier to maintain development, staging, and production environments.

MongoDB and Mongoose

MongoDB offers a flexible database model for many MVPs.

Mongoose provides:

• Schemas.
• Models.
• Validation.
• Queries.
• Hooks.
• Indexes.

Database choice should still depend on the product.

Using a starter does not force you to keep MongoDB if another database is a better fit.

API

The separated backend allows new endpoints to be added for domain entities.

A good evolution should maintain:

• Validation.
• Error handling.
• Authorization.
• Logging.
• Rate limiting where needed.
• Consistent responses.

Do not copy controllers without adapting business rules.

Responsive admin

The administrative interface includes a responsive base.

That matters because many users check dashboards on mobile devices.

When adding new tables or grids, review:

• Overflow.
• Actions.
• Filters.
• Modals.
• Cards.
• Typography.
• Navigation.

A responsive starting layout does not guarantee that every future module will remain responsive.

What Lite does not include

The free edition intentionally stays simple and does not include the advanced layer available or planned for more complete editions.

Examples outside Lite include:

• Multi-tenant organizations.
• Workspace isolation.
• Advanced roles.
• Advanced permissions.
• Realtime features.
• Socket.IO.
• Activity logs.
• Advanced analytics.
• Advanced charts.
• Workspace branding.
• Advanced organization settings.

This keeps the base easier to understand without loading a mature SaaS architecture into every project.

When Lite can be useful

It can fit when you need to:

• Test an idea.
• Build an MVP.
• Create a dashboard.
• Build a backoffice.
• Learn a frontend/backend architecture.
• Create a small CRM.
• Build an internal tool.
• Avoid rebuilding authentication and users.

When it may not be enough

It may be too simple when a product needs from day one:

• Multiple organizations.
• Complex billing.
• Advanced RBAC.
• Audit requirements.
• Compliance.
• Realtime.
• Large teams.
• SSO.
• Critical integrations.

In those cases, the initial architecture should account for those constraints.

Lite versus Pro

The Lite edition is intended to be a free and understandable foundation.

A Pro edition can justify additional value by including features that normally require substantial development.

Always review the current Market record to confirm exactly what each edition includes.

Recommended starting flow

After downloading:

1. Read the README.

2. Configure variables.

3. Start MongoDB.

4. Install dependencies.

5. Run the seed.

6. Test login.

7. Review user management.

8. Identify business entities.

9. Change branding.

10. Add features incrementally.

11. Create tests.

12. Prepare deployment.

Avoid changing twenty areas at the same time.

Customization

When adapting the starter:

• Change colors and logo.
• Review navigation.
• Remove unnecessary screens.
• Add domain models.
• Adjust roles.
• Rewrite text.
• Replace dashboard metrics.
• Review emails.
• Update metadata.

The goal is for the result to stop looking like a starter and become your product.

Security before production

Before deployment:

• Change JWT secret.
• Remove demo credentials.
• Review CORS.
• Review permissions.
• Add rate limiting where appropriate.
• Validate inputs.
• Update dependencies.
• Protect environment variables.
• Review logs.
• Test protected routes.

A starter accelerates development, while final security review remains the responsibility of the production project.

Deployment

Separate frontend and backend applications can be deployed with different providers.

For example:

• Frontend on a platform compatible with Next.js.
• API on a Node hosting service.
• MongoDB through a managed or self-hosted option.

No single provider is required.

The right choice depends on budget, region, traffic, and operational requirements.

License

The download includes a license.

Before using the code in a commercial project, review the license version contained in the ZIP.

The Market record and license file should be the references for permitted usage.

Download

SG SaaS Starter Lite is available through SG Hub Market.

Download SG SaaS Starter Lite

According to the current record, the resource includes:

• Source code.
• Frontend and backend.
• Documentation.
• `.env.example`.
• Demo seed.
• License.
• ZIP package.

Relationship with a SaaS landing page

After building the product, you still need to present it.

You can combine this resource with the SaaS landing page guide.

The architecture and landing page solve different problems: one provides the technical foundation, while the other communicates value.

Pre-use checklist

• Did you read the documentation?
• Does the stack fit the project?
• Did you remove demo credentials?
• Did you review the license?
• Did you define your domain entities?
• Did you review security?
• Are environments separated?
• Did you test the build?
• Did you test mobile?
• Did you prepare backups?

SG SaaS Starter Lite is not intended to be a finished SaaS product. Its value is providing a working foundation so you can focus earlier on the part that actually differentiates your product.