Recommended Stacks for Common Projects (2026)
Pre-combined service recommendations for common project types. Each stack is optimized for a specific scenario — cost, speed, compliance, or scale.
Next.js SaaS (under $50/month)
| Layer | Service | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auth | Supabase Auth | Free (50K MAU) | Bundled with database, Google + email/password built-in |
| Database | Supabase (PostgreSQL) | Free (500 MB), Pro $25/mo | Same vendor as auth, Row Level Security |
| Resend | Free (3K/mo), Pro $20/mo | Best DX, 5 min setup, React Email support |
Total: $0/month at launch, ~$45/month at scale. 2 vendors (Supabase + Resend).
Choose this stack if: You want the fastest path to a working SaaS with minimal vendors. Supabase handles auth + database in one platform, Resend handles email.
Avoid if: You need GDPR-compliant EU data residency (Supabase and Resend store data in the US by default).
Next.js SaaS (GDPR-compliant)
| Layer | Service | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auth | Better Auth | Free (open source) | Self-hosted, your database, full EU residency control |
| Database | Neon | Free (0.5 GB), Launch $19/mo | Deploy in EU region, serverless Postgres |
| Postmark | Free (100/mo), $15/mo for 10K | Best deliverability, GDPR-compliant |
Total: $0/month at launch, ~$34/month at scale. 3 vendors but full EU data residency.
Choose this stack if: You have EU users and GDPR compliance is a hard requirement. Better Auth on Neon in eu-west gives you bulletproof data residency.
Avoid if: You need auth working in 10 minutes (Better Auth requires 1-3 days to build UI).
Express.js API (budget-first)
| Layer | Service | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auth | Better Auth | Free (open source) | Zero per-user cost, works with any database |
| Database | Render Postgres | $7/mo (Starter) | Cheapest always-on, simple setup |
| Resend | Free (3K/mo) | Best DX, generous free tier |
Total: $7/month. 3 vendors, maximum budget efficiency.
Choose this stack if: You’re bootstrapping and every dollar matters. $7/month gets you a real database, auth, and email.
Avoid if: You need serverless scaling or enterprise features.
Enterprise / Regulated (HIPAA, SOC 2)
| Layer | Service | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auth | Auth0 | $35+/mo (Essentials) | HIPAA, FedRAMP, SAML, LDAP |
| Database | AWS RDS | ~$50+/mo (Multi-AZ) | All compliance certs, battle-tested |
| AWS SES | $0.10/1K emails | Same cloud, HIPAA eligible |
Total: ~$100+/month. All AWS + Auth0, maximum compliance coverage.
Choose this stack if: You’re in healthcare, fintech, or government and need compliance certifications.
Avoid if: You’re a startup — this stack is expensive and complex for non-regulated apps.
SvelteKit Project
| Layer | Service | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auth | Better Auth | Free (open source) | SvelteKit-native handler, no React dependency |
| Database | Neon | Free (0.5 GB), Launch $19/mo | Serverless driver works on edge, SvelteKit integration code available |
| Resend | Free (3K/mo) | Simple API, works from any framework |
Total: $0/month at launch, ~$19/month at scale. All services have SvelteKit integration examples on auxiliar.ai.
Each service links to its full entry on auxiliar.ai with integration code, pricing details, and risk flags.
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