Who this is for
Founders comparing prompt-to-app builders.
Side by side
| Compared on | Lovable | Bolt.new |
|---|---|---|
| What it is for | A working web app from chat, with hosting and a database. | A website or app from a prompt, published live in the browser. |
| Starting price (checked 2026-10-09) | $25/month Pro (100 credits), or $21/month billed annually. | $25/month (Pro). |
| Pricing model | Monthly credits; top-ups $15 per 50 credits on Pro. | Monthly tokens; unused tokens roll over. |
| Free plan | Yes. | Yes. |
| Where it breaks | Weak data access rules (CVE-2025-48757); building stops when credits run out. | Token cost per message grows with project size; reviewers report fix loops and slow support. |
| Setup | No-code. | No-code. |
| A custom build beats it when | You handle private or payment data and need someone accountable for security. | The project is large and long-running, and token cost per change keeps climbing. |
The verdict
Both turn a prompt into a live web app with a database, and both start at $25 a month. Lovable leans on its built-in Cloud and ships a security scan. Bolt adds a plan mode to talk through the idea first, and its docs say most token use comes from reading and syncing your project files, so each change costs more as the project grows. On Trustpilot, Bolt sat at 1.6 out of 5 from 204 reviews when checked, with complaints about token burn and bugs.
For a prototype to test an idea, either works; try both free plans on the same prompt. If the app is growing past a few screens, expect cost per change to rise on Bolt and plan for a code review of either before launch.
Read the full take on each
Sources
- docs.lovable.dev/introduction/subscription-plans
- docs.lovable.dev/features/security
- superblocks.com/blog/lovable-vulnerabilities
- bolt.new/pricing
- support.bolt.new/account-and-subscription/tokens
- trustpilot.com/review/bolt.new
- lovable.dev/guides/lovable-vs-bolt
Spotted something out of date? Email indra@kratuva.com.