Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

SaaS Boilerplate VS Parse

Compare SaaS Boilerplate VS Parse and see what are their differences

SaaS Boilerplate logo SaaS Boilerplate

Launch a SaaS business faster with this boilerplate app

Parse logo Parse

Build applications faster with object and file storage, user authentication, push notifications, dashboard and more out of the box.
  • SaaS Boilerplate Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-14
  • Parse Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-17

SaaS Boilerplate features and specs

  • Faster Development Time
    By providing a pre-built structure and components, the SaaS boilerplate allows developers to accelerate the development process, reducing the time-to-market for the final product.
  • Built-in Features
    The boilerplate includes essential features such as authentication, billing, user management, and more, which saves developers from having to implement these from scratch.
  • Scalability
    Designed with scalability in mind, it offers a robust foundation that can grow alongside your application, making it easier to handle increased load and complex use cases.
  • Community Support
    Being a widely-used open-source project, it has an active community that contributes to its improvement and provides support, which can be highly beneficial for troubleshooting and feature expansion.
  • Cost-effective
    Using a well-maintained open-source boilerplate can be more cost-effective compared to building a SaaS application from scratch, as it lowers development costs.

Possible disadvantages of SaaS Boilerplate

  • Learning Curve
    There can be a significant learning curve associated with understanding and customizing the boilerplate, especially for developers who are not familiar with its technologies and structure.
  • Limited Customizability
    While the boilerplate provides a strong starting point, it may impose limitations on how much the underlying architecture and features can be customized to fit specific needs.
  • Dependency Management
    The boilerplate relies on a number of third-party dependencies that may require regular updates and maintenance, which can become cumbersome and introduce integration challenges.
  • Potential Overhead
    The inclusion of multiple built-in features might introduce unnecessary overhead for projects that don't require all the functionalities, potentially impacting performance.
  • Licensing Restrictions
    Being an open-source project, the boilerplate is subject to its licensing terms, which may not align with every commercial use case or business model.

Parse features and specs

  • Open Source
    Parse Platform is open-source, which means it is free to use and can be customized to fit the needs of your application without any licensing fees.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Parse provides a wide range of built-in features such as a robust database system, real-time notifications, user authentication, cloud functions, and file storage, reducing the amount of development work needed.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Parse supports multiple platforms including iOS, Android, JavaScript, .NET, and more, enabling easier development across different types of applications.
  • Community and Documentation
    There is a strong community around Parse with extensive documentation and numerous tutorials, which can help developers quickly resolve issues and learn best practices.
  • Unified Backend
    Parse allows developers to manage database, server code, and user authentication in one unified platform, simplifying backend management.

Possible disadvantages of Parse

  • Self-Hosting Complexity
    While Parse is open-source, it requires self-hosting, which involves managing and maintaining your own server infrastructure, adding operational complexity.
  • Performance
    Depending on your server setup and scaling needs, you might encounter performance issues, especially for high-traffic applications, requiring constant monitoring and fine-tuning.
  • Limited Scalability
    Parse might not be as scalable as other backend solutions like Firebase, particularly for apps that need to handle massive amounts of data and users.
  • Initial Setup Time
    The initial setup of a Parse server and its environment can be time-consuming and challenging, particularly for those without DevOps experience.
  • Feature Limitations
    While Parse offers a rich feature set, some advanced features available in other modern backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platforms may lack, necessitating custom development.

Analysis of SaaS Boilerplate

Overall verdict

  • While 'good' is subjective and depends on specific needs and expertise levels, many developers find SaaS Boilerplates on GitHub to be beneficial for speeding up their development process and providing a robust starting point. It's essential to review the code quality, documentation, and community support for the specific boilerplate you are considering to ensure it meets your project's requirements.

Why this product is good

  • SaaS Boilerplate repositories on GitHub offer a structured starting point for building SaaS applications by providing a set of pre-configured features and integrations. This can significantly reduce development time and effort, allowing developers to focus on building unique features rather than re-implementing common SaaS functionalities like authentication, payment integrations, and subscription management. Such boilerplates often follow best practices and include scalable architectures, making them a solid foundation for developers.

Recommended for

    SaaS Boilerplates are recommended for developers and startups looking to quickly prototype and develop SaaS applications without reinventing the wheel. They are especially beneficial for teams with limited resources or tight deadlines, and for those who want to ensure adherence to industry best practices from the outset.

Analysis of Parse

Overall verdict

  • Parse is a good choice for developers looking for a flexible and scalable backend solution that can be deployed on their own servers or using cloud services. It is particularly beneficial due to its active community and extensive documentation.

Why this product is good

  • Parse is a popular open-source backend-as-a-service framework that simplifies app development by handling server-side components, freeing developers to focus on front-end development. It offers features like push notifications, cloud functions, social media integration, and a real-time database.

Recommended for

  • Developers who want an open-source solution with the freedom to self-host.
  • Teams building mobile or web applications that require a robust backend service.
  • Projects that need strong support for relational data and real-time functionalities.
  • Developers looking to avoid the overhead of writing custom backend code.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to SaaS Boilerplate and Parse)
Developer Tools
51 51%
49% 49
Boilerplate
100 100%
0% 0
Realtime Backend / API
0 0%
100% 100
React
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare SaaS Boilerplate and Parse

SaaS Boilerplate Reviews

We have no reviews of SaaS Boilerplate yet.
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Parse Reviews

10 Top Firebase Alternatives to Ignite Your Development in 2024
If you’re looking for a Firebase alternative that gives you full control and the freedom to tinker, Parse Platform is your jam. Again, it’s a popular open-source framework loved by developers who want to build custom backends without being tied to a specific provider.
Source: genezio.com
Top 7 Firebase Alternatives for App Development in 2024
Back4App is a backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platform that uses Parse Server, the open-source version of the Parse backend. It simplifies backend development and management, providing developers with a robust platform for building modern applications.
Source: signoz.io
What is AWS Amplify? - AWS Amplify Alternatives
It is well-known for making the development process quick, easy, and simple. Using Parse, you may complete a day's worth of work in a few hours.
Source: mindmajix.com
2023 Firebase Alternatives: Top 10 Open-Source & Free
Community Support – If Firebase comes with the backing of Google, then Parse is also tested and trusted by Facebook. Yes, Facebook is the parent company of Parse. Therefore, it has a big community. You can find resources and solutions regarding Parse on GitHub, Stack Overflow and several other programming forums.
12 Best Open-source Database Backend Server and Google Firebase Alternatives
Parse server is an open-source database backend solution which speed up application building. It features database, user management, authentication, file upload and push notification.I used Parse for a few times, and I was satisfied with the speed and productivity it offers, especially in terms of developer tools as it comes with dozens of SDKs, libraries and sample code to...
Source: medevel.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Parse seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 21 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

SaaS Boilerplate mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of SaaS Boilerplate yet. Tracking of SaaS Boilerplate recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Parse mentions (21)

  • Supabase Alternatives 🔄 in 2025 😼
    Parse deserves mention primarily for its historical significance as the precursor that inspired the entire backend-as-a-service space. Founded in 2011, Parse pioneered many concepts that we now take for granted in modern BaaS platforms. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • The 2024 Web Hosting Report
    Backend as a Service (BaaS) goes back to early 2010’s with companies like Parse and Firebase. These products integrated everything a backend provides to a webapp in a single, integrated package that makes it easier to get started and enables you to offload some of the devops maintenance work to someone else. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • How to set up a Parse Server backend with Typescript
    Parse Server is a great way to quickly spin up a backend for your project. Parse is a Node based utility that sits on top of ExpressJS. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Free online DB for production app
    You can try https://parseplatform.org/, it is self-hosted if you need. And also there are a number of cloud services with compatible API, like https://www.back4app.com/ It has dart-friendly generated API client, much simpler than firebase and is built on top of postgresql and mongodb. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Supabase Series B
    Not to crash the party or anything. Supabase is great and all but in terms of feature completeness and getting actual products built, it doesn't come close to Parse[0]. Same with Appwrite. Both of these are very popular but they either lack essential features or have them behind a subscription wall. For example, the OSS version of Supabase (last I checked) doesn't include the edge functions which are really... - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing SaaS Boilerplate and Parse, you can also consider the following products

UseGravity.App - Build a Node.js & React app at warp speed with a SaaS boilerplate

Firebase - Firebase is a cloud service designed to power real-time, collaborative applications for mobile and web.

Nuxtbe.dev - Nuxtbe: The Ultimate SaaS Starter Kit for building scalable and efficient SaaS applications. Ship fast with comprehensive, customizable, and developer-friendly boilerplate.

AWS Amplify - JavaScript library for app development using cloud services

mvpbase - An MVP boilerplate marketplace where you can find developers and designers to make the first version of your SaaS product.

Back4App - Low code backend to build apps faster and scale easily.