Lovable vs Bolt.new (2026): Which AI App Builder Ships Faster?

Two AI app builders have pulled ahead of the pack in 2026: Lovable (formerly GPT Engineer) and Bolt.new (by StackBlitz). Both let you describe an app in plain English and watch working code appear in minutes. Both promise full-stack output, one-click deployment, and database integration. So which one actually deserves your time and money?. For a deeper look, see our roundup of AI website builders.

I spent weeks building projects on both platforms, burning through tokens and credits, hitting walls, and finding workarounds. This guide breaks down the real differences between Lovable and Bolt.new so you can skip the trial-and-error phase and pick the right tool from the start.

If you are exploring the broader landscape of AI-powered development tools, check out our roundup of the best AI code assistants available right now. You might also want to explore our picks for AI code assistants.

TL;DR — Lovable vs Bolt.new at a Glance

• Lovable is the better choice if you are a non-technical founder, designer, or beginner who wants polished UI output and a guided building experience. Its message-based pricing is predictable, and the native Supabase integration handles your backend without configuration headaches.
• Bolt.new is the better choice if you are a developer or technical founder who wants speed, direct code access, and framework flexibility. Its token-based pricing rewards efficient prompting, and the browser-based IDE gives you full control over the file tree and terminal.
• Price-wise, both start at $25/month for their Pro plans. But the billing models differ: Lovable charges per message (one credit per interaction), while Bolt.new charges per token (complex prompts cost more).

What Is Lovable?

Lovable is an AI-powered app builder that turns natural language prompts into full-stack React applications. It launched as GPT Engineer in 2023, rebranded to Lovable in early 2024, and has since grown to over 30,000 paying users with $75 million in annual recurring revenue.

The platform takes a design-first philosophy. When you describe what you want, Lovable generates a clean React + TypeScript frontend styled with Tailwind CSS and shadcn/ui components. It wires up Supabase for your database, authentication, and storage automatically. The whole experience feels like chatting with a product-minded engineer rather than pair-programming with a coding assistant. We also cover this in our roundup of AI for small business.

With the Lovable 2.0 update, the platform added a dedicated chat mode agent for project planning and multi-step reasoning, enhanced multiplayer collaboration for teams, security scanning, and Lovable Cloud for backend hosting with API routes and environment variables.

What Is Bolt.new?

Bolt.new is an AI-powered full-stack development environment built by StackBlitz. It runs entirely in the browser using WebContainers technology, which means it can execute a full Node.js server, install npm packages, and run backend code on the client side without any local setup.

The platform takes a developer-first approach. When you open a Bolt.new project, you see a file tree, code editor, terminal, and live preview — essentially a cloud IDE with an AI agent embedded in it. The Bolt V2 update introduced agentic capabilities where the AI plans, iterates, and fixes build errors autonomously before you even ask.

Bolt.new also ships with its own database system (Bolt Database), built-in hosting, custom domain support, and integrations with Supabase, Stripe, Figma, Twilio, and Notion. You can choose between multiple AI models including Claude and GPT-4 for code generation.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

User Interface and Experience

This is where the two tools diverge most sharply. Lovable buries the code behind a conversational interface. The chat panel and live preview dominate the screen. You can access and edit the underlying files, but the design choice clearly prioritizes the building conversation over raw code manipulation. For non-technical users, this feels welcoming rather than overwhelming.

Bolt.new, on the other hand, puts the code front and center. The file tree sits on the left, the editor in the middle, the terminal below, and the preview on the right. If you have spent any time in VS Code, the layout is immediately familiar. You can jump between visual editing (dragging to adjust spacing) and code editing seamlessly.

Speaking of VS Code, if you prefer working in a traditional editor, our guide on AI coding in VS Code covers the best options for that workflow. We also cover this topic in our guide to best AI for coding.

Code Quality and Tech Stack

Both platforms generate React-based code with Tailwind CSS, but the output has a distinctly different flavor.

Lovable generates opinionated, structured code. It consistently uses shadcn/ui components, follows a predictable project structure, and auto-configures backend connections. The result is clean, well-organized code that most React developers can pick up and maintain. The trade-off is less flexibility: you are working within Lovable’s architectural decisions whether you agree with them or not.

Bolt.new generates more flexible code. Because you have direct terminal access, you can install any npm package, choose your own component library, and restructure files as you go. The code tends to be cleaner when guided by experienced prompts, but it makes fewer opinionated decisions for you. Bolt.new also supports multiple frameworks beyond React, and its Expo integration opens the door to mobile development.

Speed and Iteration

Bolt.new is consistently faster for generating and updating code. Its “diffs” feature only rewrites the lines that changed, rather than regenerating entire files. This makes rapid iteration feel snappy, especially during the back-and-forth of tweaking a UI.

Lovable tends to rewrite larger sections of code with each interaction. This approach is sometimes more thorough — it catches issues that incremental changes might miss — but it does slow down the feedback loop. On complex projects, each message takes noticeably longer to process.

Database and Backend

Lovable has a deep, native integration with Supabase. When you ask for a feature that needs a database, Lovable creates the tables, sets up row-level security policies, configures authentication (email, Google, GitHub), and wires everything together. For straightforward CRUD applications, this works remarkably well out of the box. Lovable Cloud adds backend functions, API routes, and server logic, though it is a separate cost from the main subscription.

Bolt.new now offers its own Bolt Database system with built-in authentication, edge functions, secrets management, user management, and file storage. Databases are created automatically as your project needs them. You can also connect an existing Supabase database if you prefer. Bolt.new includes a security audit tab that checks for potential database issues and can fix them automatically.

Deployment and Hosting

Lovable offers one-click deployment to Lovable domains, with custom domain support on paid plans. The deployment process is simple and hands-off: click a button, your app goes live. Lovable Cloud handles the hosting infrastructure.

Bolt.new provides more deployment flexibility. You can publish to Bolt Cloud or Netlify, buy a domain directly within the platform, add custom DNS records, and set up a default deploy provider for team projects. The SEO Boosting feature pre-renders HTML pages for better search engine indexing, which is a nice touch for content-heavy apps.

Collaboration and Team Features

Lovable leads here with multiplayer workspaces, two-way GitHub sync, shared projects, and centralized billing for teams. The collaboration experience is designed for product teams where designers, founders, and developers all contribute to the same project.

Bolt.new has improved its team features with the Teams plan ($30/member/month), offering centralized billing, admin controls, and token allocation management. However, the collaboration experience still feels more individual-focused compared to Lovable’s multiplayer approach.

Integrations

Both platforms integrate with Supabase, GitHub, and Stripe. Beyond the basics:

• Lovable connects with Clerk (authentication), OpenAI and other LLMs via API keys or OpenRouter, Make.com for workflow automation (linking 1,000+ apps), and Figma for design imports.
• Bolt.new integrates with Twilio (SMS), Notion (CMS), Figma, private NPM registries, and supports multiple AI models (Claude Haiku 4.5, Sonnet 4.5, Opus 4.5, GPT-4) for code generation.

Mobile App Development

Bolt.new supports mobile development through Expo integration, letting you build cross-platform apps for iOS and Android from the same codebase. Lovable focuses exclusively on web applications with no native mobile support — a significant gap if mobile is part of your roadmap.

Pricing Comparison: Lovable vs Bolt.new in 2026

Lovable Pricing

Plan	Monthly Price	Credits / Tokens	Key Features
Free	$0	5 messages/day	Public projects, GitHub sync, one-click deploy
Pro	$25/mo ($21 annual)	100 credits/month + rollover	Private projects, custom domains
Business	$50/mo ($42 annual)	Increased credits	SSO, data training opt-out, design templates
Enterprise	Custom	Custom	Group access controls, custom integrations

Lovable uses a message-based model: each AI interaction costs one credit regardless of how long or complex the prompt is. Students can get up to 50% off the Pro plan.

Bolt.new Pricing

Plan	Monthly Price	Credits / Tokens	Key Features
Free	$0	1M tokens/month (300K daily cap)	Public & private projects, unlimited databases, Bolt branding
Pro	$25/mo	10M tokens/month + rollover	No daily cap, custom domains, SEO boosting, AI image editing
Pro 50	$50/mo	26M tokens/month	Same as Pro, more tokens
Pro 100	$100/mo	55M tokens/month	Same as Pro, more tokens
Pro 200	$200/mo	120M tokens/month	Same as Pro, more tokens
Teams	$30/member/mo	26M tokens/member	Centralized billing, admin controls, private NPM registries
Enterprise	Custom	Custom	SSO, audit logs, dedicated account manager

Bolt.new uses a token-based model: complex prompts and large codebases consume more tokens per interaction. Annual subscriptions get a 10% discount.

Which Pricing Model Is Better?

Lovable’s per-message pricing is more predictable. You know exactly how many interactions you get each month, regardless of complexity. This makes it easier to budget, especially for beginners who tend to send lots of short prompts.

Bolt.new’s token-based pricing can be more cost-effective for experienced users who write efficient, detailed prompts. One well-crafted prompt that generates a complete feature might cost the same number of tokens as three shorter, iterative prompts on Lovable would cost three credits. However, token usage can be unpredictable, and debugging sessions can burn through tokens quickly.

For most casual users building one or two projects a month, the cost will be similar at the $25 tier. Heavy builders should expect to spend $50–$100/month on either platform.

Pros and Cons

Lovable — Pros

• Beginner-friendly interface that keeps complexity out of sight until you need it
• Polished UI output with consistent shadcn/ui components and good default styling
• Deep Supabase integration that auto-configures databases, auth, and security policies
• Strong team collaboration with multiplayer workspaces and two-way GitHub sync
• Predictable pricing based on messages rather than tokens
• Lovable Cloud handles backend hosting, API routes, and environment variables
• Code export on higher tiers lets you take your code elsewhere if you outgrow the platform

Lovable — Cons

• No native mobile support — web applications only
• Slower iteration speed due to larger code rewrites per interaction
• Less framework flexibility — you are locked into React + Tailwind + shadcn/ui
• AI hallucinations can report bugs as fixed when they are not, wasting credits
• Lovable Cloud is a separate cost from the subscription for backend hosting
• Credit limits feel tight on the Pro plan for complex projects (100 messages goes fast)

Bolt.new — Pros

• Full browser-based IDE with file tree, terminal, and code editor for maximum control
• Faster code generation with diff-based updates that only change what is needed
• Framework flexibility with support for multiple stacks beyond React
• Mobile development through Expo integration for iOS and Android
• Multiple AI model choices including Claude and GPT-4 variants
• Built-in database with automatic creation, security audits, and one-click fixes
• SEO boosting with pre-rendered HTML for better search engine indexing
• Token rollover means unused tokens carry to the next month

Bolt.new — Cons

• Steeper learning curve — the IDE-like interface can overwhelm non-technical users
• Unpredictable token consumption makes budgeting difficult
• AI can overwrite or break existing code during complex iterations
• Debugging sessions burn through tokens fast, adding hidden costs
• Less opinionated output means you make more architectural decisions yourself
• Collaboration features trail behind Lovable for team-based projects

Who Should Use Lovable? (Use Case Recommendations)

Pick Lovable if you are:

• A non-technical founder validating a product idea and needs a working prototype fast
• A designer who wants to turn mockups into functional applications without learning to code
• A small team that needs multiplayer collaboration and shared workspaces
• Building a standard SaaS product with user authentication, a database, and Stripe payments
• New to AI-assisted development and want a guided, low-friction experience
• Focused purely on web applications (no mobile requirement)

Who Should Use Bolt.new? (Use Case Recommendations)

Pick Bolt.new if you are:

• A developer or technical founder who wants direct code access and terminal control
• Building a project that needs a non-React framework or custom stack
• Planning to build mobile apps using Expo alongside your web application
• Comfortable navigating an IDE and want to make your own architectural decisions
• Looking for multiple AI model options (switching between Claude and GPT-4 depending on the task)
• An experienced prompter who can write efficient, detailed prompts to maximize token value

For a deeper look at how AI coding tools compare in a traditional editor setup, see our comparison of Copilot vs Cursor vs Windsurf.

Lovable vs Bolt.new — Full Comparison Table

Feature	Lovable	Bolt.new
Founded	2023 (as GPT Engineer)	2024 (by StackBlitz)
Primary Approach	Design-first, conversational	Developer-first, IDE-based
Tech Stack	React, TypeScript, Tailwind, shadcn/ui	Multiple frameworks (React, Vue, etc.)
Free Plan	5 messages/day, public projects	1M tokens/month, 300K daily cap
Pro Plan Price	$25/month (100 credits)	$25/month (10M tokens)
Billing Model	Per message (predictable)	Per token (variable)
Annual Discount	~16% ($21/mo billed yearly)	10%
Database	Supabase (native integration)	Bolt Database + Supabase option
Authentication	Supabase Auth (email, Google, GitHub)	Bolt Database Auth + Supabase
Deployment	Lovable Cloud, one-click deploy	Bolt Cloud, Netlify, custom domains, buy domains in-app
GitHub Integration	Two-way sync	Basic export
Mobile Support	Web only	Expo integration (iOS + Android)
AI Models	Proprietary (not user-selectable)	Claude (Haiku/Sonnet/Opus), GPT-4
Code Editing	Available but secondary to chat	Full IDE with terminal access
Visual Editing	Yes	Yes (drag-to-adjust)
Team Collaboration	Multiplayer workspaces, shared projects	Teams plan with admin controls
Team Plan Price	$50/mo (Business)	$30/member/month
Figma Import	Yes	Yes
Stripe Integration	Yes	Yes
SEO Features	Basic	SEO Boosting with pre-rendered HTML
Analytics	Not built-in	Built-in web analytics
Code Export	Yes (higher tiers)	Yes (full access always)
Best For	Beginners, designers, product teams	Developers, technical founders

Can You Use Both Together?

Yes, and many builders do exactly that. A common workflow is to start in Lovable for the initial structure and design, then export the code to continue refining in Bolt.new or a dedicated editor like Cursor. Lovable’s GitHub sync makes this transition smooth: push your Lovable project to a repo, clone it into Bolt.new, and keep iterating with more direct code control.

This hybrid approach lets you benefit from Lovable’s polished initial output and Supabase auto-configuration while gaining Bolt.new’s speed and flexibility during the refinement phase. It costs more, obviously, but for serious projects the combination can save significant development time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lovable or Bolt.new better for beginners with no coding experience?

Lovable is the stronger choice for complete beginners. Its chat-based interface hides the technical complexity and guides you through the building process conversationally. You describe what you want, and Lovable handles the architecture, database setup, and deployment without requiring you to understand file structures or terminal commands. Bolt.new exposes these developer tools by default, which can feel overwhelming if you have never worked with a code editor before. We also cover this topic in our guide to Lovable vs Bolt.new vs v0.

Which platform produces better quality code for production apps?

Neither platform generates truly production-ready code straight out of the box. Both require iteration and manual refinement for anything beyond simple projects. That said, Lovable produces more consistently structured code thanks to its opinionated stack (React, TypeScript, shadcn/ui), while Bolt.new gives you more freedom to shape the architecture yourself. For production use, plan on exporting the code from either platform and having a developer review it before launch.

Can I build a mobile app with Lovable or Bolt.new?

Only Bolt.new supports mobile app development through its Expo integration, which lets you build cross-platform apps for iOS and Android. Lovable is limited to web applications. You can build responsive web apps on Lovable that work well on mobile browsers, but you cannot create native mobile apps or submit to the App Store or Google Play directly from the platform.

How do the free plans compare between Lovable and Bolt.new?

Bolt.new’s free plan is more generous. It offers 1 million tokens per month with a 300K daily cap, which is enough to build and test a simple project. Lovable’s free plan gives you only 5 messages per day (roughly 30 per month), which is barely enough to see what the platform can do. Both free plans support deployment, but Lovable limits you to public projects while Bolt.new allows both public and private projects on the free tier.

What happens to my app if I stop paying for Lovable or Bolt.new?

With Lovable, your deployed apps remain live on Lovable Cloud, but you lose the ability to edit or update them without an active subscription. You can export your code via GitHub sync before canceling, giving you a full copy to self-host elsewhere. With Bolt.new, published apps stay live on Bolt Cloud, and you retain access to your code. Both platforms recommend exporting your code to GitHub before canceling to ensure you have a complete backup. The code generated by both tools is standard React (or your chosen framework in Bolt.new’s case), so hosting it independently is straightforward.

Final Verdict: Lovable vs Bolt.new

After building multiple projects on both platforms, the choice comes down to who you are and what you are building.

Choose Lovable if you want the shortest path from idea to working prototype. The platform shines when you need a standard web application with user authentication, a database, and payment processing. Its guided experience, polished output, and team collaboration features make it ideal for non-technical founders, product teams, and anyone who values a clean building experience over raw control.

Choose Bolt.new if you want flexibility and direct access to the code. The platform is better suited for developers, technical founders, and anyone who wants to choose their own stack, build mobile apps, or switch between AI models. The faster iteration speed and IDE-style interface reward users who know what they are doing.

Both platforms have matured significantly through 2025 and into 2026. The gap between them is narrowing as Lovable adds more backend capabilities and Bolt.new improves its collaboration features. Either one can get you from zero to a working MVP in hours instead of weeks. The question is just which style of building feels right for you.