Comparisons · Tried it
Same prompt, two tools: Bolt.new vs Lovable
One plain prompt, two free plans. Both shipped a working app with zero follow-up prompts.
The task
Build a one-page “subscription cost tracker” web app: add a tool name and monthly price, see the list and a monthly total, delete items, and keep the data in the browser (localStorage). Same task, one prompt, no fixes.
- Result
- Both passed every check (add, total, delete, data kept after reload) with no follow-up prompt.
- Faster
- Lovable: about 2–3 minutes of build time (after a four-step onboarding). Bolt.new: about 5 minutes.
- Bottom line
- On a small app like this, either free plan gets you there. Lovable was quicker and added a yearly total we didn't ask for; Bolt.new ran its own build check and showed no reload glitch.
Results side by side
| Bolt.new | Lovable | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to working app | About 5 minutes | About 2–3 minutes (plus a four-step onboarding first) |
| Add items + total | Worked ($65.00 for $20 + $20 + $25) | Worked ($65.00, plus a $780/year line) |
| Delete | Worked (total dropped to $40.00) | Worked (total updated) |
| Data kept after reload | Yes, after a preview reload | Yes, after refresh and full reload. One full reload briefly showed an empty list before items loaded. |
| Follow-up prompts needed | None | None |
| What it built with | Wrote src/App.tsx and ran a build check | TanStack Start / React app. Said it hadn't tried the app in the preview itself. |
| Free-plan notes | Shows “1M tokens/month” plus daily limits; no visible usage counter. “Made in Bolt” badge in the preview. A survey popup mid-build offered free tokens. | Free plan has 5 daily credits; no credit counter was visible during the test. |
| Paid plans start at | Pro $18/mo billed annually (official) | Pro $25/mo or $250/yr (official) |
Times are approximate, from one run each. One small app is not a full review: bigger projects may behave differently.
Screenshots
Which should you pick?
Bolt.new
Cheaper paid entry ($18/mo billed annually) and a build check before it says it's done. Expect a “Made in Bolt” badge on the free plan.
Lovable
Fastest to a polished result in our test, with small extras unprompted. Free plan is capped at 5 daily credits.
For the full verdict with cited sources, see Lovable vs Bolt.new. Test notes: Bolt.new, Lovable. How we review.