SaaS Suite Infrastructure Development

I’m looking for a full-stack developer/team to set up the initial infrastructure for a SaaS suite. This first milestone includes:
- User authentication and subscription management (Stripe)
- Email service integration (SendGrid)
- Dockerized microservice setup with reverse proxy (Caddy)
- Frontend boilerplate in Next.js (React + TailwindCSS)

Goal: a working prototype environment deployed on a DigitalOcean droplet by mid-December 2025.

I am looking for a freelancer to build this initial stack who would be willing to transition into a long-term relationship to support me in building out the functionality of the suite in later stages.


The initial stack will look as follows:

dockerised microservice architecture. Therefore docker expertise is required, including writing docker-compose files and .env files.
The entire setup will be provided on my github account (you will be given project access), therefore git and github skills also essential.

The docker containers will be:

caddy for reverse proxy and ssl management

frontend container with next.js, utilising both react and tailwind.
The design will consist of elements from a component library. Therefore design skills are minimal as most elements will be taken over from component library (such as daisyUI or tailwise).

Auth service, handling authentication (email / password, magic links, social login), subscriptions (stripe API), and access to the various services from later stages.
Preferably built on express.js but open to suggestions
If node.js is used as suggested, I would like prisma to be the ORM that is used.

PostgreSQL for auth service.

eMail service. Integration of Sendgrid API and providing endpoints for other services to send emails through the services.
The service needs to be ready to work with a messaging queue such as rabbitMQ, however this does not need to be build in this initial phase, yet.


Deliverables for this phase:

- Fully working Dockerized setup (with docker-compose up running all services)
- Auth service supporting:
- Email/password registration & login
- Social login (Google)
- Stripe subscription management (test mode only)
- Email service integrated with SendGrid API
- Next.js frontend skeleton (auth pages, basic navigation)
- Basic test environment (can be local Docker setup)
- Documentation (README + setup instructions)

To confirm you’ve read the full description, please start your bid with a ‘#’. This helps me quickly identify genuine submissions
Bids without this will not be considered, even if we have had a previous exchange via chat or forum.

Please indicate in the bid whether your estimated amount is a placeholder bid (if so, indicate the estimated range in the bid text). If you do not do so, I will hold you to the price, should you get awarded the project.

I am looking for a workable prototype by mid-December. Meaning the service needs to be able to handle signups, logins, password reset, display of boilerplate admin dashboard and user profile editing, email sending, simple static landingpages , and some other simple tweaks that may come out of the discussions in the chats and forum.
I expect the service to built with security and quality in mind, including input validation, basic automated tests, and seeders.

I expect you to provide a testing environment.
The final environment for the live version of the service will be digital ocean droplet.
I expect to run all services on a single droplet initially, so no Kubernetes needed for now.

I am happy for any suggestions on architecture or technology, so please feel free to comment.

I will answer all questions in the forum in a timely manner. Please check other questions an answers as I will not answer the same question multiple times if it has already been answered in the forum.

The process will be as follows:
I will answer questions in the forum and chat.
I will shortlist developers based on bid quality and engagement in the Q&A forum and chats. If you are unable to place a bid, please let me know in the forum so I can invite you to place a bid.
I will generate a document with all questions and answers from forum, chat, and other media and will distribute to all short-listed freelancers so that all of them have the same basis of information.
I will offer all shortlisted freelancers the opportunity to go through all the new information and adjust their bid accordingly.
Only then will I choose a freelancer to work with.
I will not take meetings or calls before the final steps as I don't want any one to be treated unfairly.

If possible, please provide me with your public github accounts so I can have a look at your past projects to assess suitability.

The payment will happen in milestones.
1/3 of the project price will be withheld until all code is handed over and the sign off on rights and IP has been handed over. The rest will be split into milestones of equal size (2-3).

Please, do not bid on this project if you are unhappy with these outlines.