The Vibe Coders' Stack: All The Tools You Need to Ship

I’ve been tracking the vibe coding movement since Andrej Karpathy coined the term in February 2025, and I’ve watched the ecosystem explode. New tools launch weekly. Indie hackers ship MVPs in weekends. A quarter of Y Combinator’s Winter 2025 batch built products with 95% AI-generated code.

There are now too many tools. Every category has five options, each with its own pricing model, learning curve, and tradeoffs. How do you know which ones to actually use?

I’ve spent months testing these tools, building projects with them, and talking to developers who ship. This guide is the result: a comprehensive breakdown of every tool category in the vibe coder’s stack, with honest assessments of when to use each one.

Think of this as your shopping list for building a shipping machine.

AI Coding Assistants: The Foundation

Everything starts here. Your AI coding assistant is the engine that powers vibe coding. Pick the wrong one and you’ll fight the tool instead of shipping features.

IDE-Based Tools

These live inside your IDE (coding editor) and augment your existing workflow.

Tool	Price	Best For
Cursor	~$20/mo	Most sophisticated agent workflows, Composer mode
Windsurf	$15/mo	Budget-friendly with Cascade agentic architecture
GitHub Copilot	$10/mo	Familiar interface, lowest entry price

Cursor is my recommendation for most developers. It’s a VS Code fork with AI baked into every interaction. The Composer mode lets you describe changes in natural language and watch them happen across multiple files. It feels like pair programming with someone who never gets tired.

Windsurf takes a different approach. Instead of you directing the AI, you describe the outcome and Windsurf’s “Cascade” feature figures out which files to edit. It’s more autonomous, which is either liberating or terrifying depending on how much control you want.

GitHub Copilot is the safe choice but lags behind the others. It’s been around the longest, integrates with everything, and Microsoft keeps improving it. The agent mode they added in early 2025 closed the gap with Cursor considerably.

Terminal-Based Tools

These run in your terminal and work with your existing editor. They tend to excel at complex, multi-file changes.

Tool	Price	Best For
Claude Code	~$20/mo (Claude Pro)	200K context, complex refactors, 80.9% SWE-bench
OpenAI Codex CLI	ChatGPT Plus/Pro	GPT-5.2-Codex, state-of-the-art benchmarks
Amp Code	Free (ad-supported) or pay-per-use	Sourcegraph’s agent, team collaboration
Factory (Droids)	Enterprise	#1 on Terminal-Bench (58.75%), model-agnostic
OpenCode	Free (open source)	60K+ GitHub stars, model-agnostic, self-hostable

Claude Code is my daily driver. It embraces the Unix philosophy: small, composable tools that do one thing well. It runs in your terminal, uses your existing editor, and shows you exactly what it’s doing at every step. The 200K token context window means it can understand entire codebases, not just individual files.

OpenAI Codex CLI is the OpenAI alternative. Their GPT-5.2-Codex model achieves state-of-the-art performance on coding benchmarks.

Amp Code comes from Sourcegraph (the code search company). It has persistent memory across sessions and sub-agent orchestration for complex tasks. The free tier is ad-supported, which is a great entry point if you’re testing the AI coding waters.

Factory positions themselves as the enterprise option. Their Droids scored #1 on Terminal-Bench with a 58.75% success rate, beating Claude Code with Opus (43.2%). If you’re building at scale and have budget, it’s worth evaluating.

OpenCode is the open-source alternative for those who want to self-host or use their own API keys. It has over 60K GitHub stars and supports every major model provider.

Browser-Based Builders

These generate entire applications from prompts. No local setup required.

Tool	Price	Best For
Bolt.new	$20/mo	Full-stack from prompts, one-click Vercel deploy
Lovable	Varies	Non-technical founders, rapid MVPs
Replit	Free tier + Pro	100% vibe-coded projects, all-in-one
v0	Free tier	React/Next.js UI generation

Bolt.new from the StackBlitz team generates full-stack apps in the browser. You describe what you want, it spits out React, Node, and database code, and you can deploy to Vercel with one click. At $20/month, it’s popular with indie hackers who want to skip local development entirely.

Lovable claims to be “20x faster” than traditional development. It’s specifically designed for rapid MVP development and works well for non-technical founders who want to validate ideas.

Replit is the all-in-one environment. Database, auth, deployment, all handled for you. If you’re building a 100% vibe-coded project from scratch, Replit eliminates the need to wire together separate services.

v0 is Vercel’s UI generation tool. It excels at creating React and Next.js components from descriptions. It’s more focused than the others, but if you’re building in the Next.js ecosystem, it integrates beautifully.

Frameworks: What To Build With

The framework you choose determines your deployment options, your mental model, and how much JavaScript you ship to users.

Framework	Language	Best For
Next.js	React/JS	Full-stack apps, SSR, API routes
Astro	JS (multi-framework)	Content sites, blogs, minimal JS
SvelteKit	Svelte	Lightweight apps, excellent DX
Nuxt	Vue	Vue ecosystem, SSR/SSG
Phoenix	Elixir	Real-time apps, high concurrency
Remix	React	Web standards, nested routing

Next.js is the default choice for full-stack React apps. It’s maintained by Vercel, has excellent documentation, and the ecosystem is massive. If you’re using React anyway, Next.js gives you server-side rendering, API routes, and image optimization out of the box.

Astro is my choice for content-heavy sites (like this blog). Astro sites routinely achieve near-perfect Lighthouse scores, with 60% getting “Good” Core Web Vitals scores compared to just 38% for WordPress and Gatsby. The “islands architecture” means you can use React, Vue, or Svelte components, but Astro only ships JavaScript for the parts that need interactivity. Everything else is static HTML.

Phoenix (Elixir) is the dark horse. If you’re building something with real-time features or high concurrency requirements, Phoenix LiveView lets you build interactive UIs without writing JavaScript. The Elixir ecosystem is smaller, but the people who use it tend to be fanatical about it.

Quick decision guide:

Content-heavy site (blog, docs, marketing) -> Astro
Dynamic app with React investment -> Next.js
Real-time features, high concurrency -> Phoenix
Want minimal JS shipped -> Astro or SvelteKit

Deployment Platforms: Getting It Online

You’ve built something. Now you need to put it on the internet.

Platform	Best For	Pricing Model
Vercel	Next.js apps, preview environments	Usage-based
Cloudflare Pages	Cost efficiency, static sites	Unlimited bandwidth free
Netlify	JAMstack, built-in forms	Usage-based
Fly.io	Containers, Phoenix, global edge	Pay-per-VM

Vercel is the obvious choice for Next.js. It’s built by the same team, so everything just works. Preview deployments for every PR, edge functions, and detailed build logs. The downside is usage-based pricing that can spike unexpectedly if you go viral.

Cloudflare Pages is the cost-conscious choice. Unlimited bandwidth on the free tier is remarkable. If you’re building static sites or using Cloudflare Workers for serverless functions, the integration is seamless. This is what I use for this blog.

Netlify pioneered JAMstack deployment. It has built-in forms, identity management, and split testing. If you need those features without wiring up external services, Netlify saves time.

Fly.io is the container platform for developers who want Heroku-like simplicity with global distribution. It’s particularly popular with Phoenix/Elixir developers and anyone using SQLite (since you don’t need a separate database VM).

My recommendations:

Next.js -> Vercel
Static sites with cost concerns -> Cloudflare Pages
Containers or Phoenix -> Fly.io
Need built-in forms/auth -> Netlify

Databases & Backend: Where Your Data Lives

Tool	Type	Best For
Supabase	PostgreSQL BaaS	Open-source, auth+storage+realtime built-in
Convex	Reactive BaaS	Real-time sync, type-safe, AI features
Neon	Serverless Postgres	Branching, modern Postgres
PlanetScale	MySQL (Vitess)	Massive scale, database branching
Firebase	NoSQL	Google ecosystem, established

Supabase is the vibe coder’s default database. It’s an open-source Firebase alternative built on PostgreSQL. You get auth, storage, realtime subscriptions, and a database, all from one service. The free tier (500MB database, 1GB storage) is enough for side projects and early MVPs.

Convex takes a different approach. Instead of SQL, it uses a reactive programming paradigm where state syncs across clients in real-time. It has built-in RAG components for AI features and maintains sub-50ms latency at 5,000 concurrent connections. If you’re building something with real-time collaboration, Convex handles the hard parts.

Neon is serverless Postgres with branching. You can create database branches like git branches, which is useful for testing migrations or giving each developer their own database copy. It’s Postgres under the hood, so all your SQL knowledge transfers.

PlanetScale is MySQL powered by Vitess (YouTube’s database technology). It handles massive scale with horizontal sharding and non-blocking schema changes. No free tier anymore though, so it’s better suited for funded projects.

The Supabase stack (auth + database + storage + realtime) handles 80% of what indie projects need. Start there and only add complexity when you hit its limits.

Authentication: Who’s Who

Tool	Price	Best For
Clerk	10K MAU free	React/Next.js, beautiful pre-built UI
Auth.js (NextAuth)	Free	Self-hosted, data ownership
Supabase Auth	Included	Already using Supabase
Auth0	Enterprise pricing	Complex enterprise needs

Clerk is the fastest path to authentication in React/Next.js. It has beautiful pre-built UI components, supports magic links and social sign-in, and handles edge cases you’d never think about.

Auth.js (formerly NextAuth) is free and self-hosted. You own your data. It requires more wiring but gives you maximum control and no per-user pricing. If budget is tight or data sovereignty matters, this is the choice.

Supabase Auth comes free with Supabase. If you’re already using Supabase for your database, there’s no reason to add another service. It handles email/password, OAuth providers, and magic links.

Auth0 is enterprise-grade but enterprise-priced. Unless you have complex requirements, the simpler options work fine.

Payments: Getting Paid

Tool	Fee	Model	Best For
Stripe	2.9% + 30¢	Payment Processor	Full control, complex billing
Lemon Squeezy	5% + 50¢	Merchant of Record	Solo founders, zero tax headache
Paddle	5% + 50¢	Merchant of Record	Global sales, automatic VAT/GST

There are two models here: payment processor (Stripe) where you’re the merchant and handle compliance, and merchant of record (Lemon Squeezy, Paddle) where they handle everything including taxes.

Stripe is the most powerful option. You get full control, complex billing logic, and the best API in payments. The tradeoff is you’re responsible for tax compliance, chargebacks, and customer disputes. If you’re selling globally, that means registering for VAT in multiple jurisdictions.

Lemon Squeezy (acquired by Stripe in 2024) handles all of that for you. They’re the merchant of record, so they deal with taxes, refunds, and compliance. You just receive payouts. The 5% + 50¢ fee is higher than Stripe’s 2.9% + 30¢, but when you factor in the compliance overhead you’re avoiding, it often comes out cheaper.

Paddle is similar to Lemon Squeezy but more established. The verification process takes longer and they’re perceived as more enterprise-focused, but they’ve been doing this longer.

For most indie hackers: Start with Lemon Squeezy. The higher percentage is worth avoiding tax compliance until you’re making enough money to care about optimizing fees.

Email: Talking To Users

Tool	Free Tier	Best For
Resend	3K emails/mo	React devs, modern DX
Postmark	100 emails/mo	Deliverability-obsessed
SendGrid	100 emails/day	Volume senders

Resend is the darling of the vibe coding community. It has a clean API, React Email integration for building emails with components, and transparent pricing. The free tier of 3,000 emails per month is generous enough for early-stage products.

Postmark is obsessed with deliverability. They focus exclusively on transactional email (no marketing campaigns) which keeps their sending reputation pristine. If your emails absolutely must land in the inbox, Postmark is the choice.

SendGrid has been around forever and handles volume. If you’re sending millions of emails, they have the infrastructure.

Analytics: Understanding Usage

Tool	Price	Best For
Plausible	$9/mo	Privacy-first, simple, GDPR-compliant
PostHog	Generous free	Full product analytics, session replay
Umami	Free (self-host)	Self-hosters, minimal

Plausible is the privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative. No cookies, GDPR-compliant by default, and a tracking script under 1KB. If you want simple web analytics without the ethical baggage, Plausible is clean.

PostHog is a full product analytics suite. Web analytics, session replays, feature flags, A/B testing, and surveys, all in one platform. The free tier is generous enough that ~90% of users never pay. If you want to understand how users actually interact with your product, PostHog gives you the tools.

Umami is open-source and self-hostable. If you want analytics without paying anyone, you can run it yourself.

Forms: Collecting Input

Tool	Free Tier	Best For
Tally	Unlimited forms	Notion vibes, indie favorite
Typeform	Limited	Beautiful conversational forms
Fillout	Good free tier	Balance of power and simplicity

Tally is the indie hacker favorite. Unlimited forms and responses on the free tier. The interface feels like Notion, you can spin up forms from the keyboard and embed them anywhere.

Typeform pioneered conversational forms and they’re still beautiful. But the pricing is aggressive for what you get, starting at $25/month with limits that Tally doesn’t have.

File Storage: Handling Uploads

Tool	Free Tier	Best For
Cloudflare R2	10GB	Zero egress fees, S3-compatible
Supabase Storage	Included	Already using Supabase
UploadThing	2GB	Easiest TypeScript integration

Cloudflare R2 is the clear winner for cost-conscious builders. It’s S3-compatible (so existing tools work) but with zero egress fees.

Supabase Storage comes with Supabase. If you’re already in that ecosystem, no need to add another service.

UploadThing makes file uploads trivially easy in TypeScript projects. If you don’t want to think about signed URLs and bucket policies, it abstracts it all away.

SaaS Boilerplates: Skip The Setup

Kit	Price	Best For
ShipFast	$169	Indie hackers, active community
Supastarter	$349	Enterprise features, multi-framework
Achromatic	$349	Next.js 15, complete feature set

These are pre-built codebases with auth, payments, emails, landing pages, and more already wired together.

ShipFast was created by Marc Lou (Product Hunt Maker of the Year 2024). It’s used by 8,000+ makers and has an active Discord community. At $169, it’s the entry point for indie hackers who want to skip weeks of boilerplate.

Supastarter supports Next.js, Nuxt, and SvelteKit with features like multi-tenancy and internationalization. At $349, it’s more expensive but covers more enterprise use cases.

Indie hackers report reducing MVP development time from 3 months to under 2 weeks using quality boilerplates. The math works out.

Putting It All Together: Example Stacks

Here are some proven combinations:

The “Ship in a Weekend” Stack

Coding: Lovable or Bolt.new
Database: Supabase (auth + db + storage)
Deployment: Vercel
Payments: Lemon Squeezy
Email: Resend

Everything is managed, generous free tiers, minimal configuration. You can go from idea to deployed product in a weekend.

The “Zero Recurring Cost” Stack

Coding: Amp Code or OpenCode
Database: Supabase free tier
Deployment: Cloudflare Pages
Payments: Stripe (pay per transaction)
Analytics: Self-hosted Umami

No monthly fees until you’re making money. You pay Claude for API usage and Stripe per transaction, but nothing upfront.

The “Maximum Vibe” Stack (for non-coders)

Coding: Replit
Database: Supabase
Deployment: Vercel (auto-deploys)
Forms: Tally
Payments: Lemon Squeezy

Zero local development required. Everything happens in the browser. Describe what you want, deploy, collect payments.

Sid’s Stack

This is what I actually use:

AI Coding: Claude Code
Blog/Content: Astro + Cloudflare Pages
Web Apps: React + Vercel
Payments: Stripe or Lemon Squeezy depending on the project
Email: Resend
Forms: Tally

I don’t use one stack for everything. Static content gets the lightweight framework (Astro ships minimal JavaScript). Interactive apps get the React ecosystem.

Final Thoughts

The barrier to shipping has never been lower. A decade ago, building a SaaS meant months of setup, DevOps knowledge, and significant capital. Now you can describe what you want, let AI generate the code, and deploy to production in an afternoon.

But here’s the thing: the tools matter less than shipping.

Pieter Levels built multiple million-dollar products with PHP and jQuery. Not because those are the best tools, but because he shipped fast and iterated based on user feedback. The perfect stack is the one that gets you to launch.

Start with the simplest combination that handles your use case. Add complexity only when you hit real limits, not imagined ones. And remember that every hour spent researching tools is an hour not spent building.

Now go ship something.