Compare / Alternatives
Electrik vs Laravel Jetstream
A Laravel Jetstream alternative for Laravel SaaS teams that want package-first auth, teams, and Stripe.
Official Laravel application scaffold with auth, optional teams, and profile management — no Stripe billing.
The short version
Jetstream is the right default when you want Laravel’s official auth/teams scaffold and are happy owning every file. Electrik wins when you also need team-scoped Stripe billing, an upgradable Composer package, and a dedicated Blade UI kit (Slate) without assembling Spark + a theme yourself.
- Stack notes
- Livewire or Inertia (Vue/React); published into your application.
- Pricing posture
- MIT / free. You add Cashier or Spark yourself for billing.
Feature matrix
Jetstream ships the authentication and team patterns many Laravel SaaS apps start from. It is maintained by the Laravel team, well documented, and deliberately incomplete as a billing product — by design you compose Cashier, Spark, or a custom billing layer on top.
Comparisons are based on publicly documented product positioning and may lag vendor changes. Always verify on the competitor’s site and run both demos before you buy or commit.
| Feature | Electrik | Laravel Jetstream |
|---|---|---|
| Distribution model How code lands in your app and how you upgrade it. |
Yes composer require electrik/electrik |
No Installer publishes into App\ |
| Authentication Login, register, password reset, verification, sessions. |
Yes 2FA, sessions, verification |
Yes First-party Laravel |
| Teams / workspaces Multi-user workspaces with invites and switching. |
Yes Teamwork fork + invites |
Partial Optional teams feature |
| Roles & permissions RBAC beyond a single owner/admin flag. |
Yes Spatie, team-scoped |
Partial Basic team roles |
| Stripe / Cashier billing Subscriptions, invoices, payment methods. |
Yes Cashier + plan sync |
No Add Cashier/Spark |
| Billing on the team Subscription owned by workspace, not only the user. |
Yes Cashier customer = Team |
No Not included |
| Onboarding wizard Guided first-run flow after signup. |
Yes Configurable wizard |
No DIY |
| Product UI kit First-class Blade (or equivalent) design system for the app shell. |
Yes Electrik Slate (MIT) |
Partial Published views / Inertia pages |
| Primary stack Livewire, Inertia, Filament, or mix. |
Yes Livewire 4 |
Yes Livewire or Inertia |
| Admin / resource panel CRUD admin for operators (not end-user SaaS shell). |
No Product shell, not Filament admin |
No Not an admin framework |
| Vendor-owned upgrades Composer package you update vs scaffold dumped into App\. |
Yes Code stays under Electrik\ |
No You own published files |
| Free commercial lane Ship commercially without paying the kit vendor (grant or MIT). |
Partial Grant for indie/OSS; companies need commercial |
Yes MIT |
| Kit pricing posture What you typically pay the kit vendor (not your Stripe plans). |
Partial $0 grant or one-time commercial tiers |
Yes $0 for the scaffold |
Deeper comparison
Package vs scaffold
Jetstream uses an installer that publishes controllers, views, and actions into your app. That is excellent for total control and for learning Laravel conventions. It also means upgrades are merges: you own the drift. Electrik installs as electrik/electrik — product code stays under the Electrik\ namespace. You customize via config, env flags, and selective view publishes, then composer update for kit fixes.
Teams without billing
Jetstream teams cover membership and basic roles. Electrik teams are the billing tenant: Cashier attaches to the team, plans sync with electrik:stripe:sync, and Spatie permissions are team-scoped. If your product sells seats or workspace plans, that difference is the whole product model — not a weekend plugin.
UI surface
Jetstream’s Livewire stack uses Tailwind and published Blade/Vue. Electrik standardizes on Electrik Slate (anonymous Blade components, tokens, dark mode) so the shell matches marketing and docs. Slate is MIT and usable without Electrik; Electrik simply ships on it.
License and money
Jetstream is free and MIT — you can ship commercially at $0 to Laravel. Electrik’s source is BSL 1.1: personal, educational, OSS, and pre-revenue indie use are covered by the Additional Use Grant; companies and client work need Solo/Studio/Agency. You are not paying Electrik to unlock billing features — those ship in the package either way.
Choose Electrik if
- You want auth + teams + Stripe on the team in one Composer install
- You prefer vendor-owned upgrades over merging published scaffolds
- You want Slate Blade UI instead of assembling a theme
- You are fine with BSL for commercial company use
Choose Laravel Jetstream if
- You only need auth/profile/teams and will build billing later (or never)
- You want every line of the scaffold in App\ under your full ownership
- You standardize on Inertia + Vue/React instead of Livewire
- You need a fully MIT stack with zero BSL considerations
Caveats
- Electrik is still 5.x alpha — APIs can move; Jetstream is mature.
- Comparisons reflect publicly documented Jetstream features; stacks evolve.
- “Free commercial” for Jetstream means the scaffold license — not that billing is free to build.
Electrik vs Laravel Jetstream FAQ
Is Electrik a good Laravel Jetstream alternative?
Yes, when you want a Composer-package SaaS shell (auth, teams, Stripe on the team, Slate UI) instead of Laravel Jetstream’s model. Read the “Choose Electrik if / Choose Laravel Jetstream if” sections on this page — Laravel Jetstream is still the better pick for some teams.
Is Electrik a Jetstream replacement?
For many SaaS apps, yes in spirit: auth, teams, and a product shell. Electrik adds team billing and a package distribution model Jetstream does not attempt. If you only need Jetstream’s scope, stay on Jetstream.
Can I use Jetstream and Electrik together?
Not as overlapping scaffolds. Pick one shell. You can still use Electrik Slate as a UI kit in a Jetstream app via electrik/slate without installing Electrik.
Does Jetstream include Stripe billing?
No. Pair Jetstream with Laravel Cashier or Laravel Spark. Electrik ships Cashier-based billing on the team out of the box.
Try Electrik next
Composer install, or click the demo — then read pricing if you are past the grant.