Pick Lovable if
- You want the most polished first version, fast
- You'd rather not choose a database or auth provider
- You make many small, quick changes
Pick Bolt if
- You work in long sessions on one project
- You want to see and edit the code as the agent works
- You want two-way GitHub sync with a local editor
Short answer: for a founder who wants something polished in front of users this week, Lovable; for a builder who iterates for hours and wants the code in GitHub both ways, Bolt. Both list at $25 a month for Pro, and both get harder to leave once their built-in database holds real data, so the most important decision is the one you make before the first prompt: whose database. Everything below comes from the two vendors' published pricing and docs, checked November 1, 2026, and from our Lovable and Bolt reviews.
Side by side
| Feature | Lovable | Bolt |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App builder | App builder |
| Cheapest paid plan | $25/mo (Pro, 100 credits) | $25/mo (Pro, 10M tokens) |
| Free tier | 5 build credits a day, capped at 30 a month; publishing to invited people only (10 per project) | 1M tokens a month, 300K daily limit, hosting with Bolt branding |
| Billed in | Credits per message (0.5 to 1.7+ in Lovable's own examples) | Tokens (bigger projects use more per message) |
| Builds | Web apps; apps created since May 13, 2026 use TanStack Start, older ones React + Vite | Web apps in a full in-browser dev environment; mobile apps through Expo |
| Backend | Lovable Cloud: managed Supabase underneath (database, auth, storage, edge functions), or connect your own Supabase | Bolt Database created automatically when a project needs one; Supabase selectable at project start on Pro and Teams |
| Code export | GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket sync on every plan; .zip download on paid plans | Two-way GitHub sync: Bolt commits automatically and pulls outside edits every 30 seconds; import existing repos |
| Lock-in | Cloud can't be disconnected once on; no access to the underlying Supabase project; data moves by manual migration | Existing Bolt databases can't currently be migrated to Supabase; table rows export, full database export isn't documented |
| Rubric score | 3.7/5 | 3.3/5 |
Sources: Lovable docs: subscription plans, bolt.new/pricing, and the docs linked in each review. Prices checked Nov 1, 2026, USD before tax.
Scores
- SpeedEven
- DepthEven
- BackendLovable
- ExitEven
- PricingEven
- TeamLovable
Scores out of 5 on our published rubric. The reasons for each score are in the Lovable and Bolt reviews.
The two are close overall. Lovable's edge is the backend (Lovable Cloud does more out of the box) and team features (SSO, roles and a security center on Business at $50). They tie on speed, depth, exit and pricing predictability, for different reasons.
The differences that matter
Credits per message vs a token pool
Lovable charges per message, from 0.5 credits for a tiny change to 1.7 for a landing page in its own examples. Bolt charges for tokens, the text processed, so the same request costs more as the project grows. In practice:
- Many small edits favour Lovable: a style tweak is half a credit regardless of project size.
- Long sessions on one growing app favour Bolt's 10M-token pool with rollover, as long as the project stays focused.
- Both meter extras. Lovable's backend and AI usage beyond the monthly grants comes out of your build credits; Bolt's database limits sit in account settings.
The backend you start with
Lovable Cloud is managed Supabase underneath, with database, auth, storage and edge functions, but you don't get the Supabase dashboard or keys, and once on, it can't be switched off. Bolt Database is Bolt's own, created automatically, with auth and storage; Supabase is an option at project start on Pro and Teams. Neither lets you move later without effort, so if the app might become a real product, connect your own Supabase on day one with either tool.
GitHub
Lovable syncs to GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket on every plan, including Free. Bolt's sync is two-way: it commits automatically and pulls outside changes every 30 seconds, which makes working in Bolt and a local editor side by side realistic. Bolt keeps its own version if both sides change at once, and merges happen in GitHub, not in Bolt.
Publishing on the free plan
Lovable's Free plan publishes to invited people only (10 per project); Bolt's Free plan hosts publicly with Bolt branding. If you want to show a public prototype without paying, Bolt is the one that allows it.
Which to pick
| Situation | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| MVP to show investors or first users this week | Lovable | Most finished first version |
| Weekend of iterating on one app | Bolt | Token pool and rollover suit long sessions |
| Designer who wants to tweak code by hand | Bolt | Code is visible and editable as it changes |
| Team that needs SSO and roles | Lovable Business | SSO, roles and a security center at $50 |
| Free public prototype | Bolt Free | Lovable Free publishes to invitees only |
| Will become a real product with its own infra | Either, with your own Supabase from day one | Avoids the database migration later |
If the app keeps growing past what either can steer, the next step is a coding agent in a real repository; see Cursor vs Claude Code.
Questions people ask
Is Lovable or Bolt cheaper?
Both Pro plans list at $25 a month (checked November 1, 2026). Lovable gives 100 credits plus 5 a day, charged per message by complexity; Bolt gives 10M tokens with rollover, charged by how much text each message processes. Small projects with many quick edits tend to suit Lovable's per-message credits; long sessions on one project suit Bolt's token pool.
Which is better for non-developers?
Lovable, narrowly. Its first versions look more finished and Lovable Cloud sets up the backend with less to decide. Bolt is friendlier to people who want to watch and edit the code as it changes.
Which is easier to leave?
For code, both are good: Lovable syncs to Git on every plan and Bolt has two-way GitHub sync. For data, neither is easy. Lovable Cloud can't be disconnected and moves by manual migration; an existing Bolt Database can't be migrated to Supabase at all yet. Choosing your own Supabase at the start avoids the problem on both.