ShipRust vs Loco: SaaS starter or Rust framework?

Choose Loco if you want a Rails-inspired Rust framework to build around. Choose ShipRust if you want a generated, server-rendered SaaS application built with Axum, Maud, and SQLx. Both make decisions for you; the useful question is which decisions match the application you intend to sell.

We build ShipRust. This comparison uses our source and Loco's public documentation, checked October 12, 2026. It is not a performance benchmark.

The difference you will feel in everyday development

Loco organizes development around models, controllers, mailers, jobs, and generators. Its current documentation presents version 1.2.0. It uses Axum underneath, with SeaORM for database work.

ShipRust generates a Cargo workspace with application code and supporting core/authentication crates. HTML lives in Maud views; data access uses SQLx queries. Its project generator lets you select integrations before downloading the source.

Decision	ShipRust	Loco
Starting point	Named SaaS application download	Framework and application generators
Database approach	SQLx and PostgreSQL	SeaORM-backed models
HTTP foundation	Axum	Axum with Loco conventions
Main workflow	Change your application's routes and views	Use framework conventions and CLI tooling

The difference is not “Rust versus a framework.” Both are Rust. Loco's Axum guide explains how its AppContext, route helpers, and boot hooks sit on normal Axum concepts.

Three reasons to choose Loco

• You already like Rails-style models and controllers, and want those conventions in Rust.
• You prefer SeaORM models and scaffolding to writing application SQL directly.
• You want a framework CLI for ongoing work: Loco documents generators, database operations, route inspection, and diagnostics.

Those are substantial advantages if they fit how you work. Picking ShipRust solely to avoid learning Loco would be a poor trade if Loco's conventions are exactly what your team wants.

Where ShipRust earns its place

ShipRust is aimed at a narrower starting point: a browser-based SaaS with accounts, dashboard pages, and server-rendered forms. Email verification and password authentication are connected to Postgres-backed sessions. Every generated project includes a Postgres background-job queue.

Optional Stripe billing adds hosted Checkout, a customer portal, and signed webhooks. You still implement your product's paid-feature gates. The current starter accepts one recurring price and one optional one-time price; it is not a finished multi-tier billing system.

Here is our suggested decision test: sketch one paid feature, including its database query, HTML page, and access rule. If you want to own those pieces as SQLx, Maud, and Axum code, ShipRust fits. If you want the feature expressed through generated models and framework conventions, start with Loco's documentation.

Before you buy

ShipRust costs $999 once for lifetime access to unlimited projects, as listed in our getting-started guide on October 12, 2026. Hosting and provider fees are separate. Generated signup requires your email configuration; purchasing does not deploy or operate the application for you.

Read the setup guide first. If this stack matches your product, create an account, verify your email, purchase access, and generate your project.