Why we test boilerplates by hand
Day Zero Kits started as a spreadsheet. Three of us were choosing starter kits for side projects and kept losing evenings to landing pages that promised teams, billing and admin, when the code had half of one and a TODO for the rest.
Now every kit gets the same routine: install it on a clean machine, deploy it, sign up, pay, cancel, invite a teammate, break something on purpose. We write down what's included, what it's opinionated about, and at least one honest limitation, because every boilerplate has one.
Some paid kits pay us a referral fee and we say so on the listing. It does not change the order, the rating or the limitation. If a kit stops being maintained, it leaves the directory, whoever made it.
- 48
- starters tested
- 7
- stacks covered
- 90 days
- max between re-checks
- 48
- starters listed right now
How do you test each starter kit?
We clone or buy the kit, follow its own setup docs on a clean machine and time how long it takes to run locally. Then we deploy it to the host it recommends, sign up, reset a password, pay with a Stripe or Paddle test card, cancel, invite a second user to a team and check the admin panel. Anything that breaks goes into the listing.
Do you earn money from these listings?
Some paid kits pay us an affiliate commission, usually 20–30% of the sale, when you buy through our link. Those listings are marked on the detail page. Affiliate status never changes the order, the rating or the limitation we write, and kits without an affiliate program are listed the same way.
How often is the data refreshed?
Every listing is re-checked at least every 90 days: price, license, last commit date and whether the demo still works. Kits with no meaningful commit for six months get a warning, and after a year without updates we remove them.
How should I pick a starter kit?
Start with the stack you already know, not the one with the nicest landing page. Then check three things: does it handle teams if you sell to businesses, does it support your billing provider and country, and can you read the code in an afternoon. A smaller kit you understand beats a large one you fight.
Is a paid boilerplate worth it over an open-source one?
Sometimes. Paid kits tend to have better docs, a support channel and more polished billing flows. Open-source kits are easier to audit and have no license limits on how many products you build. If you plan to ship several products, check whether a one-time license covers unlimited projects.