Choosing between React vs Next.js for your SaaS MVP affects SEO, performance, and how fast you ship. Here is a practical decision framework.
Choose React (Vite/CRA) when
- Your MVP is app-first with login-gated content (SEO matters less)
- You want maximum flexibility and a simpler mental model
- You are building a dashboard or internal tool
Choose Next.js when
- Marketing pages and product content need strong SEO
- You want server-side rendering and faster first paint out of the box
- You plan API routes in the same codebase
My default for SaaS MVPs
For founder-led SaaS with a marketing site plus app, Next.js is usually the better default. For pure B2B tools behind auth, React + Vite is often faster to build.
Need help choosing? Hire a full-stack developer who has shipped both — or get a free MVP plan with a stack recommendation.