Starter kit
Good for one app
You want a solid starting project and you are okay adding more pieces yourself later.
Simple explanation
KMP Starter Kit vs Platform
A Kotlin Multiplatform starter kit helps you start one app faster. A platform helps you avoid redoing the same setup when more apps, more features, or more developers get involved.
Want the technical details? Read the docs.
Platform
Good for a team or many apps
You want more setup, tooling, and team rules already done for you.
Baselines
Choose the right starting point
Baselines Free covers the starting point. Baselines Pro includes more out of the box, but moving from Free to Pro is a manual transition.
Practical difference
What is the difference in plain English?It comes down to how much work is already done for you.
Best for
Starter kit
One app, a proof of concept, or a small team starting from scratch.
Platform
Several apps, client work, or a team that wants everyone working the same way.
What is ready on day one
Starter kit
A clean project structure and the basics you need to start building.
Platform
The starting structure plus more of the tooling, rules, and add-ons teams usually end up needing.
What you still do yourself
Starter kit
More of the setup and team conventions still need to be added by you.
Platform
Less setup work is left for your team because more is already prepared.
When it feels worth it
Starter kit
When you want the lowest-risk way to get moving.
Platform
When saving team time matters more than keeping the upfront cost as low as possible.
Where Baselines fits
How Baselines maps to thisFree is the simpler start. Pro includes more from day one. The move between them is manual.
Baselines Free
Starter kit layer
Choose this if you want to inspect the foundation first and keep the cost low. If you later decide you need Pro, expect a manual move rather than a one-click upgrade.
- Good for one app, an MVP, or learning how Baselines is structured
- Includes a solid KMP base, project structure, and docs
- If you later move to Pro, you will either start fresh from Pro or migrate your code manually
Baselines Pro
Platform layer
Choose this if you already know a simple starting project is not enough and you want more of the hard parts handled for you.
- Adds premium pieces like analytics, encryption, feature tweaks, and stronger data tooling
- Better for teams, studios, or anyone launching apps repeatedly
- Comes with support and ongoing updates so the setup does not get stale
You can evaluate Free first, but there is no automatic upgrade path to Pro. If you switch later, plan for a fresh Pro project or a manual code migration.
Final cut
Still unsure?
Start with Free if you want to inspect the code first. Go straight to Pro if you already know you want the fuller setup and want to avoid a manual transition later.
Next step
One direct option, one lower-risk option.