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Before deploying your Next.js SaaS Starter application to production, it’s important to understand the deployment options available and ensure your application is properly configured.

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Deployment Options

The Next.js SaaS Starter is designed to work seamlessly with modern hosting platforms that support Next.js applications: Vercel is the recommended deployment platform as it’s built by the creators of Next.js and offers:
  • Zero-configuration deployments
  • Automatic HTTPS and SSL certificates
  • Global CDN and edge network
  • Automatic preview deployments for pull requests
  • Built-in environment variable management
  • Excellent Next.js optimization
The official demo at next-saas-start.vercel.app is deployed on Vercel.

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Other Platforms

You can also deploy to other platforms that support Next.js:
  • AWS (using Amplify, ECS, or EC2)
  • Google Cloud Platform (using Cloud Run or App Engine)
  • Azure (using App Service)
  • DigitalOcean (using App Platform)
  • Railway
  • Render
These platforms require more manual configuration but offer greater infrastructure control.

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Pre-Deployment Checklist

Before deploying your application, ensure you’ve completed the following steps:
1

Environment Variables

Verify all required environment variables are configured:
  • BASE_URL - Your production domain
  • POSTGRES_URL - Production database connection string
  • STRIPE_SECRET_KEY - Production Stripe secret key
  • STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET - Production webhook secret
  • AUTH_SECRET - Secure random string for JWT signing
Never use development or test credentials in production. Always use production-specific API keys and secrets.
2

Database Setup

Ensure your production database is ready:
  • Database is created and accessible
  • Connection string is secure (use SSL if available)
  • Run migrations: pnpm db:migrate
  • Optionally seed with initial data: pnpm db:seed
3

Stripe Configuration

Switch from test mode to production mode:
  • Use production API keys from Stripe Dashboard
  • Create production webhook endpoint
  • Configure webhook to listen for required events
  • Test payment flow with real card (then refund)
4

Build Verification

Test the production build locally:
pnpm build
pnpm start
Verify there are no build errors or TypeScript issues.
5

Security Review

Review security settings:
  • JWT tokens are using secure AUTH_SECRET
  • Cookies are configured with httpOnly, secure, and sameSite flags (middleware.ts:29-32)
  • Protected routes are properly secured by middleware (middleware.ts:5-14)
  • API routes validate authentication where needed

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Environment Setup Overview

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Required Environment Variables

The application requires five essential environment variables to function:
.env
POSTGRES_URL=postgresql://user:password@host:port/database
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=sk_live_...
STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET=whsec_...
BASE_URL=https://yourdomain.com
AUTH_SECRET=your-secure-random-string
Generate a secure AUTH_SECRET using OpenSSL:
openssl rand -base64 32

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Database Considerations

  • The application uses PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM
  • Supports any PostgreSQL-compatible database (Vercel Postgres, Neon, Supabase, etc.)
  • Migrations are stored in lib/db/migrations/
  • Schema is defined in lib/db/schema.ts

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Stripe Webhook Configuration

The application requires a webhook endpoint to handle subscription changes:
  • Endpoint URL: https://yourdomain.com/api/stripe/webhook
  • Required Events:
    • customer.subscription.updated
    • customer.subscription.deleted
The webhook handler is implemented in app/api/stripe/webhook/route.ts:23-28.

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Next Steps

Deploy to Vercel

Follow our step-by-step guide to deploy on Vercel

Production Setup

Configure production environment variables and webhooks

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