# Loadout

> Loadout recommends the AI tools to use for the app you're building: one ranked pick for every job, scored on a published rubric and kept current.

Scores run 1-5 on five criteria (output quality counts double): output quality, speed to first result, price for a solo builder, freedom to leave, momentum. Scores last checked 2026-10-27. Machine-readable rankings: https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/rankings.json

## Top pick by job

- [AI coding agents](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/coding-agents): Claude Code (4.5/5), best for multi-file changes in a real codebase you own
- [AI app builders](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/app-builders): Lovable (4.2/5), best for non-developers shipping a real web app fast
- [Databases and backends](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/backend): Supabase (4.7/5), best for most apps: one service covers data, sign-in and files
- [Sign-in and accounts](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/auth): Clerk (4.2/5), best for polished sign-in screens in an afternoon
- [Email sending](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/email): Resend (4.7/5), best for app email plus a newsletter from one account
- [Payments](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/payments): Stripe (4.3/5), best for anything with money; the default unless tax handling scares you
- [Hosting and deploys](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/deploy): Vercel (4.7/5), best for shipping Next.js and React sites; push to GitHub and it's live
- [AI model APIs](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/llm-apis): Claude API (4.3/5), best for agents and features that need careful reasoning or long documents
- [Voice and speech](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/voice): ElevenLabs (4.3/5), best for natural voices, voice cloning and narration
- [Image and video generation](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/media): fal (4.5/5), best for adding image or video generation to your own app
- [Product analytics](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/best/analytics): PostHog (4.7/5), best for seeing exactly where users get stuck

## Loadouts

- [A SaaS app with subscriptions](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/loadout/saas-with-subscriptions): Build: Claude Code; Backend: Supabase; Sign-in: Clerk; Payments: Stripe; Email: Resend; Deploy: Vercel; Analytics: PostHog
- [A landing page with a waitlist](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/loadout/landing-page-with-waitlist): Build: v0; Email: Resend; Deploy: Vercel; Analytics: PostHog
- [An iOS app](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/loadout/ios-app): Build: Claude Code; Backend: Supabase; Email: Resend; Analytics: PostHog
- [An AI chatbot or assistant](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/loadout/ai-chatbot-app): Build: Cursor; AI model: Claude API; Backend: Convex; Sign-in: Clerk; Deploy: Vercel
- [An app with voice or voice cloning](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/loadout/voice-app): Build: Claude Code; Voice: ElevenLabs; AI model: OpenAI API; Backend: Supabase; Deploy: Vercel
- [An internal tool for my team](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/loadout/internal-tool): Build: Replit; Backend: Neon; Sign-in: Clerk
- [An AI image or video app](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/loadout/ai-image-video-app): Build: Claude Code; Image & video: fal; Backend: Supabase; Payments: Stripe; Deploy: Vercel
- [Selling a digital product](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/loadout/sell-digital-product): Build: Lovable; Payments: Polar; Email: Resend; Deploy: Vercel

## Optional

- [How we rank](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/how-we-rank)
- [Release radar](https://loadout.pipe3lend.com/radar)