What is App Stack Builder?

App Stack Builder is a free AI-powered tool that helps founders and developers choose the right tech stack for their projects based on budget, app type, team size, and skill level.

What is the best tech stack for SaaS in 2026?

The best tech stack for SaaS in 2026 typically includes Next.js 16 for frontend, Supabase for database and auth, Vercel for hosting, Stripe for payments, and PostHog for analytics. App Stack Builder can generate a personalized recommendation based on your specific budget and requirements.

Is App Stack Builder free to use?

Yes, App Stack Builder is completely free to use. You can generate unlimited tech stack recommendations without any cost.

What types of apps can I build with the recommended stacks?

App Stack Builder supports various app types including SaaS applications, web apps, mobile apps, e-commerce stores, internal tools, and AI/ML products.

How much does a SaaS tech stack cost per month?

A modern SaaS tech stack can cost anywhere from $0-50/month for bootstrapped startups using free tiers, $100-300/month for growth-stage startups, to $500+/month for enterprise-ready infrastructure. App Stack Builder helps you find the best tools within your specific budget.

What is the best tech stack for solo founders?

For solo founders, we recommend Next.js + Vercel (free), Supabase (free tier), Supabase Auth (free), Stripe (pay as you go), and Plausible or PostHog for analytics. This stack can run your entire SaaS for under $50/month.

Can I export my tech stack recommendations?

Yes, you can export your tech stack recommendations as a PDF document or copy them to your clipboard. You can also share a link to your stack with others.

Authorization & Permissions

Best Authorization & Permissions Tools in 2026

Login tells you who someone is; authorization decides what they can do. Once a product has teams, sharing, custom roles or AI agents acting for users, hand-written if-statements stop scaling. Here are the four leading authorization tools in 2026: two open-source engines based on Google's Zanzibar, a policy-as-code engine and a hosted platform with a UI, compared on model, hosting and price.

Authorization & Permissions Tools Compared

Tool	Pricing	Free tier
Cerbos	Free · paid from $25/mo
OpenFGA	Free · paid plans by quote
SpiceDB	Free · then usage-based
Permit.io	Free · paid plans by quote

The Best Authorization & Permissions Tools, Ranked

1. Cerbos

Free tier· Free · paid from $25/mo

Open-source (Apache-2.0) policy decision point: write RBAC and ABAC rules in YAML, run the stateless PDP next to your app for free, and add Cerbos Hub from $25 a month to manage and roll out policies.

Free, stateless PDP that is easy to deploy
Policies as code with built-in testing
Published, usage-based Hub pricing

Cerbos & alternatives

2. OpenFGA

Free tier· Free · paid plans by quote

Open-source (Apache-2.0) relationship-based authorization engine inspired by Google Zanzibar, a CNCF incubating project created by Auth0/Okta. Free to self-host; Auth0 FGA is the managed version.

Free and vendor-neutral under the CNCF
Zanzibar-style model scales to sharing and nested resources
Managed path through Auth0 FGA

OpenFGA & alternatives

3. SpiceDB

Free tier· Free · then usage-based

Open-source (Apache-2.0) Zanzibar-style permissions database from AuthZed, used by Red Hat, IBM and GitPod. Free to self-host; AuthZed Cloud is usage-billed from about $2 an hour.

Most complete open-source Zanzibar implementation
Strong consistency guarantees on revocation
Several production-grade datastores

SpiceDB & alternatives

4. Permit.io

Free tier· Free · paid plans by quote

Hosted authorization with a UI for roles, attributes and relationships (RBAC, ABAC, ReBAC). Free for 1,000 monthly active users and 20 tenants; policy runs in a local decision point built on the open-source OPAL.

RBAC, ABAC and ReBAC in one product
UI that non-engineers can use to manage permissions
Local decision point keeps checks fast

Permit.io & alternatives

How to choose a authorization & permissions tool

Choose Permit.io for a hosted platform with a UI where product and support teams can manage roles too. It is free for 1,000 monthly active users.
Choose OpenFGA for an Apache-2.0, CNCF-hosted Zanzibar engine you run yourself, with Auth0 FGA as the managed path.
Choose Cerbos to keep roles and attribute rules as YAML policies in your repo, with a free stateless decision point next to your app.
Choose SpiceDB for the most complete open-source Zanzibar implementation, built for large sharing graphs and strict consistency on revocation.
Match the model to the product. Plain roles fit any of them; documents shared across nested teams and folders need a relationship (ReBAC) engine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best authorization & permissions tools for startups in 2026?⌄

The best authorization & permissions tools for startups in 2026 include Cerbos, OpenFGA, SpiceDB, Permit.io. Compare them by pricing, free tiers, and features in the list above.

What is the best free authorization & permissions tool?⌄

Free authorization & permissions options include Cerbos, OpenFGA, SpiceDB, Permit.io — all offer a free tier suitable for bootstrapped startups and MVPs.

How do I choose a authorization & permissions tool?⌄

Start with your budget and team size, prefer tools with a free tier to validate, and make sure your pick integrates with the rest of your stack. App Stack Builder can recommend a complete, budget-aware stack in about 60 seconds.

Need the whole stack, not just authorization & permissions?

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