How to Build a SaaS Product with Laravel: A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on
4 Apr, 2025
blog


Introduction

Building a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product requires a strong, scalable framework. Laravel, with its elegant syntax, robust features, and extensive community support, is one of the best choices for developing SaaS applications. In this guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of building a SaaS product using Laravel.

Why Choose Laravel for SaaS?

  • Built-in Authentication: Laravel provides an out-of-the-box authentication system, essential for SaaS products.

  • Eloquent ORM: Simplifies database interactions with an intuitive syntax.

  • Scalability: Laravel is well-suited for multi-tenant SaaS applications.

  • Robust Ecosystem: Includes packages for caching, queueing, API handling, and more.

  • Laravel Cashier: Simplifies subscription billing with Stripe and PayPal integration.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Laravel Project

Install Laravel

Start by setting up a new Laravel project using Composer:

composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel my-saas-app

Navigate to your project folder:

cd my-saas-app

Set Up Database

Configure your .env file with the database credentials:

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=my_saas_db
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=

Run migrations:

php artisan migrate

Step 2: Implement User Authentication

Use Laravel Breeze or Jetstream for authentication:

composer require laravel/breeze --dev
php artisan breeze:install
npm install && npm run dev
php artisan migrate

This sets up user authentication, registration, and password reset functionality.

Step 3: Implement Multi-Tenancy

Multi-tenancy allows multiple customers to use the same SaaS platform. Use the tenancy/tenancy package:

composer require stancl/tenancy

Run the installation command:

php artisan tenancy:install
php artisan migrate

Configure tenant databases in the config/tenancy.php file.

Step 4: Add Subscription Billing with Laravel Cashier

Install Laravel Cashier:

composer require laravel/cashier

Publish configuration:

php artisan vendor:publish --tag="cashier-migrations"
php artisan migrate

Set up Stripe keys in the .env file:

STRIPE_KEY=your_stripe_key
STRIPE_SECRET=your_stripe_secret

Create a billing controller and implement subscription plans:

use Laravel\Cashier\Billable;

class User extends Authenticatable
{
    use Billable;
}

Step 5: Optimize Performance & Security

Performance

  • Use caching (Redis, Memcached) to speed up queries.

  • Implement queue workers for background tasks (Supervisor + Redis).

  • Optimize database indexing.

Security

  • Use HTTPS & Laravel’s built-in encryption.

  • Protect against SQL injection using Eloquent ORM.

  • Implement role-based access control (RBAC) with Laravel Gates/Policies.

Step 6: Deploy Your SaaS Application

Use Laravel Forge, Envoyer, or a cloud provider like AWS/DigitalOcean for deployment:

git push heroku main

Set up a domain, configure the environment, and ensure automatic backups.

Conclusion

Building a SaaS product with Laravel is an excellent choice due to its flexibility, security, and built-in features. By following this guide, you’ll have a solid foundation for developing a scalable SaaS application. Start today and turn your SaaS idea into reality!

Keywords: Laravel SaaS, SaaS development, Laravel SaaS boilerplate, build SaaS with Laravel

Meta Title: Build a SaaS Product with Laravel – Step-by-Step Guide