Lovable and Bolt are app builders: you describe the website or app you want, an AI builds it, and you refine it by chatting. You don't need to install anything. This comparison sticks to what each vendor documents, and avoids guessing at features we couldn't confirm.
The short version
| Lovable | Bolt | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Full-stack AI app builder in the browser | Chat-to-app builder in the browser |
| Free plan | Yes, with a small daily credit allowance | Yes, with a monthly token cap and a daily limit |
| Plan Mode | Yes (1 credit per message, per Lovable's FAQ) | Yes ("talk through your idea before it writes any code") |
| GitHub | Two-way sync (GitHub and GitLab) | Version history with GitHub support |
| Starting points | A plain-English description | A prompt, Figma, GitHub or a team template |
| Publishing | Publish to a live URL | Check bolt.new for current options |
Plans, credits and prices change often. Check Lovable's and Bolt's own pricing pages before you commit.
What they have in common
- Chat-driven. You type what you want; the tool writes the code.
- Plan before you build. Both have a Plan Mode for discussing an idea before anything is built. This is a cheap way to avoid wasting credits.
- Free to try. Both let you start without paying, though you'll use the allowance up faster than you expect once you start refining.
- Real code underneath. You aren't locked into a drag-and-drop canvas. The output is a normal web project.
Credits and tokens
Both meter usage, just differently. Lovable uses credits; Bolt uses tokens. In both cases, a longer, more complicated chat costs more, and vague prompts that lead to several rounds of rework cost the most. The cheapest habit in either tool is to write one clear, specific prompt instead of ten small corrections.
Taking your project with you
Lovable documents automatic two-way sync with GitHub and GitLab, and includes Git sync on its free plan. That means you can open the same code in an editor like Cursor or Claude Code later. Bolt also mentions version control and GitHub on its help site. If keeping your code portable matters to you, confirm the details for your plan before you build something big.
Who should pick what
- You want a backend, sign-in and database handled for you: Lovable describes itself as a full-stack platform, including backend, database and authentication.
- You already have a Figma design or a GitHub repo: Bolt's homepage lists Figma and GitHub as starting points.
- You can't decide: Run the same prompt in both. Ten minutes will tell you more than any table.
When to move beyond both
App builders are great for prototypes and small sites. When your project gets complicated, you'll likely want a coding tool like Claude Code or Cursor working on the same code via GitHub, which is why GitHub sync matters.
Our verdict
Treat this as a tie that you break with a test. Pick one real idea, build it in both on the free plans, and keep the one you enjoy using.