# How to Vibe Code Your Own FoundersPrime (and Stop Paying for It) > The intelligence terminal for bootstrapped founders. - Site: https://foundersprime.com - Category: Startup Directory & SaaS Deals Platform - Platforms: Web app - Verdict: **Solid side project** (75/100 vibecodeable) - Estimated effort: 2-3 weeks part-time ## Verdict You can build the web directory, auth layer, and deal database in a few weekends, but maintaining the deal flow will take ongoing manual effort. The engineering core of FoundersPrime is a standard content-driven SaaS directory with a membership paywall. Setting up Next.js, a Turso SQLite database, and a payment gateway is straightforward with an AI coding agent. However, the real product value of FoundersPrime is not the code; it is the hours spent sourcing, verifying, and updating hundreds of active startup deals and grants every week. If you build this for personal use, you are building an automated or semi-curated bookmark vault for yourself and your friends. ### What you can't replicate - Direct partnership relationships with startup perks providers - Ongoing manual verification labor to keep 300+ deals active ## What it does Curated intelligence terminal and directory platform aggregating startup perks, cloud credits, SaaS discounts, non-dilutive grants, and accelerators into a single searchable dashboard. ### Core features - Categorized database of verified startup deals, cloud credits, and grants - Tiered membership paywall and checkout gating - Advanced search and filtering by category, stage, and eligibility - Admin dashboard for reviewing, adding, and updating weekly deal cycles - Featured placement ad slot booking and management - User profile and claimed perks tracker ## The business ### Pricing - Next'Founder: $14.99/yr - Founder: $48/yr - Legend: $99 once Founded 2026. Team size: Small / solo team. ## The hard parts - Ongoing manual content curation and partner outreach to keep 300+ rapidly changing deals fresh - Verification loops to prevent broken links and expired credit applications - SEO maintenance and backlink architecture for high-intent organic discovery ## How to vibe code FoundersPrime ### Prerequisites - Node.js (free): Required runtime for modern web app development. - GitHub (free): Source control and deployment pipeline integration. ### Recommended AI tools - Claude Code: Best-in-class terminal agent for scaffolding full-stack CRUD apps and setting up database schemas. - Cursor: Ideal for iterative frontend styling and tweaking directory card components. ### Stack - Frontend: Next.js - Backend: Next.js API Routes / Server Actions - Database: Turso - Auth: better-auth - Payments: Stripe - Other: Tailwind CSS, Resend ### Hosting - Vercel (Hosting the Next.js frontend and serverless API routes on the hobby tier.): $0/mo - Turso (Serverless SQLite database storing deals, categories, and user memberships.): $0/mo ### Build guide 1. **Project Scaffolding & Database Schema** — Initialize the Next.js application with Tailwind CSS and configure the Turso SQLite database schema for deals, categories, users, and subscriptions. ``` Initialize a new Next.js project with TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, and App Router. Set up a Turso database client using libSQL. Create database migrations and schema for: 1) 'deals' table with fields id, title, category, description, value_amount, link, eligibility, is_featured, and updated_at; 2) 'users' table with auth fields; 3) 'subscriptions' table tracking tier (Next'Founder, Founder, Legend) and status. Write clean modular code with TypeScript types for all models. ``` 2. **Authentication & Membership Gating** — Implement authentication using better-auth and create middleware to restrict access to the full deal catalog based on active user subscription tiers. ``` Integrate better-auth into the Next.js app supporting email/password and magic link authentication. Create server-side session utilities and middleware that check if an authenticated user has an active subscription in the subscriptions table. Design clean login, registration, and pricing redirect pages for unauthorized visitors trying to access premium deal rows. ``` 3. **Catalog UI & Advanced Filtering** — Build the main dashboard directory view featuring category tabs, instant search, and card listings for cloud credits, grants, and SaaS tools. ``` Build a responsive directory dashboard in Next.js App Router that displays startup deals in a grid and list view. Implement category filter tabs (Cloud Credits, SaaS & Tools, Grants, Accelerators, Students) and a real-time search input that queries the deals table. Each deal card must display the provider badge, title, estimated value, summary description, and a 'Get deal' action button that checks subscription status before revealing external links. ``` 4. **Admin Dashboard & Content Management** — Create an administrative interface to add, edit, verify, and pin deals in weekly cycles. ``` Build an admin-only dashboard route (/admin) protected by an email whitelist or admin role check. Implement forms and data tables allowing admins to create new deals, update existing perk details, toggle 'is_featured' status for pinned ad slots, and manage expiration dates. Ensure proper server actions with error handling and validation. ``` 5. **Checkout Integration & Polish** — Integrate Stripe checkout sessions for the annual and lifetime membership tiers and finalize responsive design polish. ``` Integrate Stripe billing for the subscription tiers (Next'Founder $14.99/yr, Founder $48/yr, Legend $99 one-time). Implement Stripe webhook handling to automatically provision or update subscription records in the Turso database upon successful checkout. Add final UI polish, dark/light mode toggle matching the original aesthetic, and mobile responsiveness across all directory views. ``` ### Cost vs paying **Starting costs (one-time):** - Custom domain name: $12 - Total: ~$12 one-time **Ongoing costs (monthly):** - Hosting & Database (Vercel & Turso free tiers): $0/mo - Total: $0/mo - Paying for the SaaS instead: $48/yr ($4/mo avg) - Build time: 18 hours - AI tool credits: $20 - Break-even: Not a business investment; build for personal utility and learning. ## Sources - [FoundersPrime Official Website](https://www.foundersprime.com) - [FoundersPrime Pricing Page](https://www.foundersprime.com/pricing) - [FoundersPrime About Page](https://www.foundersprime.com/about)