Building a SaaS with a $0 Budget: How I Used Next.js and PayPal to Disrupt Ghostwriting
Dev.to AI
•
Generative AI
AI Hardware
Open Source AI
Most people think you need a $2,000/month stack to launch a SaaS. I built Lancer Write with a $0 budget. The Tech Stack: Framework: Next.js 15 (App Router) Auth: Clerk (Free tier) Database: Supabase (Free tier) AI: Groq + Llama 3.3 (Zero latency, ultra-cheap) Payments: PayPal Developer SDK The "Aha!" Moment I noticed ghostwriters were struggling with client management. I built a system where the "back door" is automated via webhooks. When a user pays via PayPal, a Supabase webhook triggers, updating their is_pro status instantly.