Lightning Rails vs. Jumpstart Pro
Choosing the right boilerplate can save you hundreds of hours. We've created this in-depth comparison to help you decide which is the best fit for your next project.
About Lightning Rails and Jumpstart Pro
Jumpstart Pro hit the scene in 2018, crafted as a go-to Rails app template for startups and agencies. It's packed with features and integrations that speed up development, and it supports a bunch of CSS frameworks while offering a solid admin dashboard. Over time, it's become a favorite for developers wanting to make their Rails projects smoother and more efficient.
Lightning Rails came along in 2025, aimed at Ruby on Rails solopreneurs and indie hackers. It's all about keeping things simple and user-friendly, with a one-time price tag. Using Tailwind with DaisyUI components, it delivers a sleek UI experience and has quickly become a hit with developers looking for a no-fuss, effective boilerplate.
| Feature |
|
Jumpstart Pro
|
|---|---|---|
| Core Features | ||
| Pricing | $149 One-time |
$749/year |
| Target Audience | Solopreneurs & Indie Hackers | Startups & Agencies |
| CSS Framework | Tailwind with DaisyUI | Tailwind, Bootstrap, or Bulma |
| Tech Stack | Ruby on Rails, Stimulus, Hotwire & Turbo | Ruby on Rails, Stimulus, Hotwire & Turbo |
| Authentication | ||
| Social Login (OAuth) | GitHub | Multiple Providers |
| Passwordless Login | Magic Links | |
| User Impersonation | ||
| Payments | ||
| Payment Providers | Stripe | Stripe, Braintree, PayPal, Paddle |
| Invoicing | Stripe | PDF Invoices |
| Pre-built components | 15+ components | 12+ components |
| Themes | 20+ themes | 2 themes |
| Icons Library | Lucide Icons | Font Awesome |
| Features | ||
| Admin Dashboard | Motor Admin | MAdmin (Custom solution) |
| AI Integration | Multi-provider | |
| SEO Ready | Pre-configured | Pre-configured |
| Legal Pages | Pre-filled | |
| Announcements | Built-in | |
| Notifications | Realtime | |
| Internationalization | Built-in | |
| One-line generator | Bash script | UI dashboard |
| Development & Community | ||
| Upgrades | Update script | Git Merge |
| Community | Slack | Discord |
At a Glance
A quick overview of both boilerplates.
Lightning Rails
Built for solopreneurs and indie hackers who want to ship fast. It comes with modern features like AI integration, passwordless login, and a beautiful UI out of the box, all for a one-time fee.
Jumpstart Pro
Aimed at startups and agencies needing flexibility. It supports multiple CSS frameworks and provides a solid foundation, but requires more setup for features like social sign-on. It operates on a subscription model.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Lightning Rails if...
- You're an indie hacker or solopreneur who needs to build and validate business ideas fast without sinking costs into subscriptions.
- You want a stunning front-end from day one, leveraging a huge library of themes and pre-built components with DaisyUI.
- You want to build with cutting-edge AI features to give your app a competitive advantage.
- You prefer a lifetime membership. Buy once, and launch as many projects as you want, forever.
Choose Jumpstart Pro if...
- You're an agency or established startup building a single, large-scale application with a dedicated budget.
- You have the funds to afford a $749/year subscription for unlimited apps, or a per-project license.
- You need enterprise-focused features.
- Your primary focus is back-end flexibility over out-of-the-box front-end design.