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It's a split decision.
Choose Bolt.new if you want a chat-based builder with bundled databases, hosting, authentication and a token allowance that scales on Pro. Choose Lovable if code download and editing, private projects, and web, desktop and mobile project management matter more. Both are hosted products with free tiers, but their usage meters differ: Bolt counts tokens and web requests, while Lovable uses build, Cloud, AI and connector credits. We would compare likely usage against each plan before choosing.
01Side by side
| Bolt.new | Lovable | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $25/month Pro; $30/user Teams; custom Enterprise | $25/month Pro; $50/month Business; custom Enterprise |
| Free tier | 300K tokens/day, 1M/month; 10MB uploads | 5 build credits/day, capped at 30/month |
| Integrations | Start from Figma, GitHub or a team template | Connect existing tools; payments in 200+ countries |
| Deployment model | Bolt Cloud includes hosting, databases and authentication | Managed hosting, SSL and backend infrastructure |
| Platforms | Web | Web, desktop and mobile |
| Limits and scaling | Pro starts at 10M tokens/month; up to 1M web requests | Pro starts at 100 credits/month; scales to 10,000 |
| Code portability | GitHub project input; export workflow not published | Pro supports code download and editing |
| Lock-in and data export | Bolt Cloud bundles hosting and databases; migration path not published | Lovable says code and data stay yours |
Bolt.new Choose Bolt.new if
- Choose Bolt.new if you want tokens instead of build credits.
- Choose Bolt.new if bundled databases and authentication suit your stack.
- Choose Bolt.new if your team needs private NPM registry support.
Lovable Choose Lovable if
- Choose Lovable if you need code download and editing on Pro.
- Choose Lovable if you manage projects across web, desktop and mobile.
- Choose Lovable if built-in payment handling across 200+ countries matters.
02Pricing at real usage
Bolt's Free plan costs $0 and includes 300K tokens per day, 1M per month, 10MB file uploads and up to 333k web requests. Pro is $25 monthly and starts at 10M tokens per month, with no daily token limit; unused tokens roll over. Teams is $30 per member monthly. The pricing page says annual billing saves up to 28%, without listing exact annual prices.
Lovable Free includes five build credits daily, capped at 30 monthly, plus Cloud, AI and connector credits. Pro is $25 monthly or $21 per month with annual billing; its starting allowance is 100 credits monthly, scalable to 10,000. Credit top-ups cost $15 per 50 on Pro and $30 per 50 on Business. Business is $50 monthly or $42 with annual billing. Compare expected credit or token use: these meters are not directly equivalent.
03API, SDKs and integration
Both products are prompt-driven app builders, not documented libraries in the product descriptions. Bolt says it routes tasks to different models and lets users start projects from Figma, GitHub or a team template. Bolt Cloud bundles hosting, databases, user management and authentication; its hosted sites can include analytics and custom domains. Lovable builds from plain-language prompts, then lets users refine and deploy the result. Its homepage describes connectors to an existing tech stack, payments, security scans and audit logs. It says payments cover local payments, currency conversion and tax compliance in more than 200 countries and territories.
The vendors do not publish API or SDK details, supported programming languages, CLI commands or developer documentation on the product pages described here. Teams choosing either tool should confirm available integration methods and deployment workflows with the vendor before depending on them in an existing codebase. Lovable Pro lists code download and editing; Bolt lists GitHub as a project starting point.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Neither vendor publishes an open-source licence or self-hosting option. Both describe hosted services: Bolt includes Bolt Cloud infrastructure, while Lovable handles hosting, SSL and backend infrastructure. Teams that require a self-managed runtime should ask each vendor whether it supports one before building a production dependency.
Lovable says code and data stay yours, and its Pro plan includes code download and editing. That gives teams a stated route to work with the generated code outside the builder, though the product pages do not spell out a full migration process or export formats. Bolt supports starting projects from GitHub, but its homepage does not describe an export workflow. Treat that as an integration point, not proof of a complete exit path. Before committing, verify how to retrieve source, data, assets and configuration, and what happens to hosted services after cancellation.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper for a small project?
Both offer a free plan, but their allowances measure different things. Bolt gives daily and monthly token limits, while Lovable caps daily build credits and also grants Cloud, AI and connector credits. Pro starts at $25 per month for either product on monthly billing. Estimate your likely usage before comparing.
Which is better for a team?
Bolt Teams costs $30 per member monthly and includes centralized billing, team-level access management and private NPM registry support. Lovable Business costs $50 monthly and lists per-member credit limits, role-based access and SAML SSO. The fit depends on whether shared billing and registry support or SSO and credit controls matter more.
Can we move a project out of either builder?
Lovable Pro lists code download and editing, and Lovable says code and data stay yours. Bolt lists GitHub as a way to start a project, but does not describe a full export workflow. Confirm how to retrieve source, data and configuration, and how hosted services are handled, before relying on either as an exit plan.
Which product includes hosting and payments?
Both include managed hosting. Bolt Cloud also lists databases and authentication, while Lovable describes hosting, SSL and backend infrastructure. Lovable specifically lists payment handling, including local payments, currency conversion and tax compliance in more than 200 countries and territories.