Stack Toast vs Laravel Spark

Two heavyweight Laravel SaaS boilerplates enter the ring. Both promise to accelerate your SaaS development, both handle billing and teams, and both cost real money. But which one actually delivers on the promise of "launch faster"?

If you're choosing between Laravel Spark and Stack Toast, this guide shows the practical differences—and why many teams pick Stack Toast as the best Spark alternative when they need AI integration, multiple payment processors, and modern development workflows.

Quick Verdict

Spark is a solid, traditional SaaS foundation with Vue.js focus. Stack Toast is the AI-first, modern alternative with 4 payment processors, comprehensive admin features, and everything needed for 2025 SaaS development.

Who Each Boilerplate is For

Choose Laravel Spark if...

• ✅ You prefer Vue.js + Inertia.js frontend stack
• ✅ You want Laravel's semi-official SaaS solution
• ✅ You're comfortable with single payment processor (Stripe/Paddle)
• ✅ You like traditional SaaS patterns from the pre-AI era
• ✅ You don't need AI integration in your SaaS
• ✅ You're building standard subscription business models
• ✅ You prefer package-based architecture

Choose Stack Toast if...

• ✅ You want AI-first development optimized for Cursor/Windsurf
• ✅ You need 4 payment processors with instant switching capability
• ✅ You want comprehensive admin dashboard with business intelligence
• ✅ You're building AI-powered SaaS features for competitive advantage
• ✅ You prefer service-based architecture for maintainable code
• ✅ You need complete source code ownership for unlimited customization
• ✅ You want to launch in 2025 with modern development workflows

Key Differences Summary

• • Stack Toast offers 4 payment processors with instant switching vs Spark's 2 processors requiring code changes
• • Custom payment providers - Stack Toast allows full customization vs Spark's limitation to Stripe/Paddle only
• • AI integration is Stack Toast's major advantage - 100+ AI models vs no AI capabilities in Spark
• • Modern development workflow - Stack Toast is optimized for AI-assisted development while Spark follows traditional patterns
• • Source code ownership - Stack Toast gives you the complete codebase vs Spark's package limitations
• • Business intelligence - Stack Toast includes comprehensive analytics vs Spark's basic user management

Time-to-Value: Traditional vs AI-First

The Laravel Spark Path (Estimated: 15-25 hours)

# Install Spark (Complex Setup)
# 1. Purchase license and get API token
# 2. Add Spark repository to composer.json
# 3. Configure auth.json with credentials
composer require laravel/spark-paddle
php artisan spark:install
php artisan migrate

# Additional setup needed:
# - Configure webhooks for Stripe/Paddle
# - Set up auth.json for CI environments
# - Handle expired license limitations

What Spark gives you:

• ✅ Stripe billing integration
• ✅ Basic team management
• ✅ User dashboard
• ✅ Subscription handling

What you still need to build (15-25 hours):

• • Admin analytics dashboard
• • Multiple payment processor support (Spark only supports Stripe/Paddle)
• • Custom payment provider integration (not possible with Spark)
• • Webhook configuration for Stripe/Paddle
• • CI/CD setup with auth.json management
• • License renewal and expired license handling
• • AI feature integration
• • Advanced user management
• • Email template system
• • Enhanced security features
• • Production deployment guides

The Stack Toast Path (Actual: 30 minutes)

# Setup Stack Toast
unzip stack-toast.zip
cd stack-toast
./configure-stacktoast.sh

# You immediately get everything Spark provides PLUS:
# ✅ 4 payment processors (vs Spark's 2)
# ✅ AI integration (vs Spark's none)
# ✅ Business intelligence dashboard
# ✅ Advanced admin features
# ✅ Professional email templates
# ✅ Production deployment guides

Time advantage: Stack Toast gives you everything Spark provides plus 20+ hours of additional features in 30 minutes.

Best Spark Alternative (and Why)

Short answer: If you're building a Laravel SaaS in 2025 and want AI integration, multiple payment processors, comprehensive business analytics, and modern development workflows, Stack Toast is the strongest alternative to Laravel Spark because it includes everything Spark provides plus the advanced features that modern SaaS businesses actually need.

The 2025 SaaS Requirements

Laravel Spark was designed for the SaaS landscape of 2018. Stack Toast was built for the AI-first development era of 2025.

What's changed since Spark was created:

• • AI integration is now essential for competitive advantage
• • Multiple payment processors are required for business continuity
• • Business intelligence is critical from day one
• • AI-assisted development changes how we build software
• • Global markets require diverse payment options

Stack Toast's Modern Approach:

// 2025 SaaS development with Stack Toast
$subscription = PaymentService::createSubscription($user, $plan, [
    'processor' => 'paddle', // Switch from Stripe instantly
    'ai_onboarding' => true,  // AI-generated welcome content
    'analytics_tracking' => true // Business intelligence from day one
]);

// Generate AI-powered features
$personalizedDashboard = Cocktail::chat(
    "Create dashboard content for {$user->industry} professional"
);

// Track business metrics automatically
$growth = AdminDashboardService::getGrowthMetrics();

Payment Processor Reality Check

Spark's Approach:

• • Choose Stripe OR Paddle (not both)
• • Switching requires code changes and deployment
• • Single point of failure for your revenue

Stack Toast's Approach:

• • Use all 4 processors simultaneously
• • Switch with a single config change
• • Revenue protection through diversity

Real-world impact: When payment processors freeze accounts (and they do), Spark users panic while Stack Toast users switch processors and keep selling.

The AI Advantage

Spark's AI Story:

No AI integration. You'll research providers, build integrations, handle different APIs, manage costs, and maintain compatibility as AI services evolve.

Stack Toast's AI Story:

// Build AI features that would take weeks with Spark
$result = Cocktail::pipeline()
    ->search('Latest trends in {{user.industry}}')
    ->chat('Create personalized recommendations based on {{trends}}')
    ->image('Generate custom dashboard visual for {{recommendations}}')
    ->voice('Create audio summary for {{recommendations}}')
    ->execute();

The competitive reality: While Spark users are building basic subscription apps, Stack Toast users are shipping AI-powered features that justify 3x higher pricing.

The Modern SaaS Reality: 2025 vs 2018

Laravel Spark was built for the SaaS landscape of 2018. The world has changed dramatically since then, and modern SaaS applications require capabilities that simply didn't exist when Spark was designed.

What's Changed Since 2018

AI Integration is Now Essential

In 2018, AI was a nice-to-have feature. In 2025, it's a competitive necessity. SaaS applications without AI capabilities struggle to justify premium pricing and differentiate from competitors. Stack Toast includes comprehensive AI integration with 100+ models, while Spark requires you to build this from scratch.

Payment Processor Diversity is Critical

The payment landscape has become more complex and regulated. Having multiple payment processors isn't just about choice—it's about business continuity. When one processor freezes your account (and they do), you need alternatives ready to go. Stack Toast provides 4 processors with instant switching, while Spark locks you into one choice.

Business Intelligence from Day One

Modern SaaS businesses need comprehensive analytics from launch. MRR, churn rates, LTV, and forecasting aren't optional features—they're essential for making informed business decisions. Stack Toast includes a complete business intelligence dashboard, while Spark provides basic user management.

AI-Assisted Development Workflows

The development process itself has been revolutionized by AI coding assistants. Stack Toast is optimized for AI-assisted development with Cursor, Windsurf, and GitHub Copilot, while Spark follows traditional patterns that don't work well with modern AI tools.

Already Started with Spark?

If you're already invested in a Spark project, you're not alone. Many successful SaaS applications have been built on Spark. The question isn't whether Spark works—it's whether it's the best choice for your next project.

The Migration Reality

Should You Migrate?

For existing projects: If you're significantly invested in a Spark project, finish it. Migration is complex and time-consuming, and your current project can still succeed with Spark.

For new projects: This is where Stack Toast shines. Starting fresh with Stack Toast gives you access to modern features, AI integration, and development workflows that simply aren't available in Spark.

The Learning Curve

If you're comfortable with Spark, you'll find Stack Toast familiar but more powerful. The core concepts are the same—user management, billing, subscriptions—but Stack Toast adds the modern features that 2025 SaaS applications need.

The ROI Calculation

Consider the time saved: Stack Toast gives you AI integration, multiple payment processors, and business intelligence out of the box. Building these features on top of Spark would take months of additional development time. For most teams, the time savings alone justify the switch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does Stack Toast compare to Spark's pricing?

Laravel Spark:
$99 Per Project (single-site license)
$199 Unlimited Projects (unlimited license)
Per-project licensing model
Package-based limitations

Stack Toast:
$300 one-time for complete bundle
Unlimited sites and projects
Full source code ownership
No ongoing licensing fees

Cost comparison for 3 SaaS projects:
Spark: $297 (Per Project) or $199 (Unlimited)
Stack Toast: $300 total
Value proposition: While Spark's Unlimited option is $101 cheaper, Stack Toast provides full source code ownership, AI integration, and comprehensive business intelligence features that would cost significantly more to build separately.

Q: Can I use Spark and Stack Toast together?

Technically possible but not recommended. They solve the same problems in different ways. You'd end up with:

• • Conflicting authentication systems
• • Duplicate billing logic
• • Architectural inconsistencies
• • Maintenance nightmares

Better approach: Choose one foundation and stick with it.

Q: Which has better Vue.js support?

Laravel Spark: Built specifically for Vue.js + Inertia.js with tight integration.

Stack Toast: Supports Vue.js + Inertia.js but optimized for Blade + Alpine.js for AI development.

If Vue.js is essential: Spark has the edge for Vue-centric development.
If AI development is essential: Stack Toast's Blade + Alpine approach works better with AI coding assistants.

Q: What about team management features?

Both support teams, but with different approaches:

Spark Teams:
• Basic team creation and management
• Role-based permissions
• Team switching interface
• Invitation system

Stack Toast Teams:
• Everything Spark has PLUS:
• Advanced permission granularity
• Multi-tenant architecture support
• Team activity logging
• Advanced admin oversight
• Integration with billing analytics

Verdict: Spark covers team basics well. Stack Toast adds enterprise-grade team features.

Q: Which is better for AI-powered SaaS?

Laravel Spark: No AI integration. You'll need to:

• • Research AI providers
• • Build custom integrations
• • Handle different API formats
• • Manage costs and usage
• • Maintain compatibility as AI services evolve

Stack Toast: AI Cocktail included with 100+ models:

• • Unified API for all AI providers
• • Automatic failover between providers
• • Cost tracking and optimization
• • Pipeline system for complex workflows
• • Ready-to-use AI features

Clear winner: Stack Toast for any SaaS that needs AI capabilities.

Q: Can I migrate from Spark to Stack Toast?

Honest answer: No automated migration exists. Spark and Stack Toast have different architectures (package vs application).

Practical approach:

1. 1. Finish your Spark project if you're significantly invested
2. 2. Start your next SaaS with Stack Toast to experience the difference
3. 3. Evaluate based on development speed and feature requirements

Most teams don't migrate existing projects but choose Stack Toast for new SaaS development.

Ready to Build the Future?

The choice between Laravel Spark and Stack Toast isn't just about features—it's about building for the future. While Spark served the SaaS community well in 2018, the landscape has evolved, and modern applications need modern tools.

The Bottom Line

Laravel Spark: Solid Foundation, Limited Future

Spark provides a reliable foundation for basic SaaS applications. If you need Vue.js integration and are comfortable with traditional development patterns, Spark can work. However, you'll need to build AI integration, multiple payment processors, and business intelligence from scratch.

Stack Toast: Modern Foundation, Unlimited Potential

Stack Toast gives you everything Spark provides plus the modern features that 2025 SaaS applications need. AI integration, multiple payment processors, comprehensive business intelligence, and AI-optimized development workflows—all included from day one.

The Decision Framework

Choose Spark if: You're building a simple subscription app, Vue.js is essential, and you don't need AI features or multiple payment processors.

Choose Stack Toast if: You want to build a modern SaaS with AI capabilities, need payment processor flexibility, want comprehensive business intelligence, or prefer AI-assisted development workflows.

For most developers in 2025: Stack Toast provides the modern foundation you need to build competitive SaaS applications that can justify premium pricing and scale effectively.