Base44 vs Lovable vs Bolt: Which AI App Builder Fits Your Project?
By Michael Okeje. Prices and plan details checked on each vendor's official pricing page and documentation on November 4, 2026.
Short answer
Choose Base44 if you want the backend handled for you and you plan to keep the app on Base44: database, logins, integrations and hosting come built in, and plans start at $16 a month billed yearly. Choose Lovable if you want a polished web app plus a clean path to your own Git repository; Git sync is included even on the free plan and Pro starts at $25 a month. Choose Bolt if you want to see and edit the code in a browser IDE, build mobile apps through Expo, and pay in tokens; Pro starts at $25 a month.
All three turn a plain-English prompt into a working app. The difference is what happens after the first preview: how you pay for changes, where the backend lives, and how hard it is to leave.
The three tools at a glance
| Base44 | Lovable | Bolt | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who makes it | Base44, acquired by Wix in June 2025 and run as a separate product | Lovable | StackBlitz |
| Free plan | 25 message credits and 100 integration credits a month, up to 5 apps | 5 build credits a day, capped at 30 a month, plus 20 Cloud credits and 4 AI credits a month | 1M tokens a month, 300K daily limit, Bolt branding on sites |
| Entry paid plan | Starter: $16/mo billed yearly ($20 monthly) | Pro: $25/mo for 100 credits ($250/yr) | Pro: $25/mo, starts at 10M tokens |
| What you pay in | Two meters: message credits and integration credits | One credit balance for building, hosting and in-app AI | Tokens |
| Backend | Built in: database, auth, storage, functions, integrations, hosting | Built-in Cloud backend, or connect your own Supabase | Bolt Cloud: databases, hosting and domains in the project |
| Code in your own repo | GitHub integration from Builder ($40/mo yearly) up | Git sync to GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket on every plan | GitHub sync for version control |
| Edit code in the tool | Paid plans | Pro and up | Yes, in code view |
| Run fully off-platform | No. Base44 does not support self-hosting | Possible with work; backend migration is not one click | Code lives in GitHub; you can publish via Bolt hosting, Netlify or another host |
| Mobile apps | Not covered here | Not covered here | Yes, through the Expo integration |
Sources for every row are listed at the end of this page.
What each builder actually is
Base44: the backend comes attached
Base44 describes itself as a no-code AI platform that builds the whole thing from a description: frontend, backend, database, user authentication and payments. Every plan includes the integrated backend and database, authentication and user management, cloud storage, an analytics dashboard and multi-user editing. Wix bought Base44 in June 2025 for about $80 million in initial consideration and said it would keep operating as a distinct product.
The appeal is that a beginner never has to set up a separate database or auth service. The trade-off is in Base44's own developer documentation: exported code "still relies on Base44 to run", it uses the Base44 SDK for data, logins, functions and integrations, and "Base44 doesn't support self-hosting." In other words, Base44 is a strong place to build and run an app, but leaving means replacing the backend.
See our Base44 review and Base44 guide.
Lovable: a web app builder with a Git exit
Lovable calls itself an AI software engineer that lets anyone build websites and web apps by chatting. Its built-in Cloud backend supplies database, authentication, storage, edge functions and AI, and you can connect your own Supabase project instead. Git sync to GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket is listed on every plan, including Free, while editing and downloading code start on Pro.
Lovable meters everything in one credit balance. Its docs give illustrative Build mode costs: making a button gray used 0.50 credits, adding authentication 1.20, and a landing page with generated images 2.00. Plan mode costs 1 credit per message. Monthly plan credits roll over while your subscription is active and expire two months after issue on monthly billing.
For more, see our Lovable overview and Lovable pricing guide.
Bolt: a browser IDE with an AI agent
Bolt, from StackBlitz, builds websites, web apps and mobile apps from a prompt. Its help center says it builds full-stack apps across JavaScript frameworks, uses the Expo integration for mobile, and lets you choose which AI agent powers your builds. You can drop into code view and edit files yourself, import a Figma frame, a Google Stitch design, a GitHub repository, or a Lovable project.
Bolt Cloud puts databases, hosting and domains inside one project. Bolt bills in tokens: every prompt reads your project files, so larger projects use more tokens per change. Unused paid tokens stay in your balance for up to two months while your subscription is active.
Our Bolt.new review and Bolt pricing breakdown go deeper.
Pricing compared
All figures are in USD from the official pricing pages on November 4, 2026.
Base44
Base44 bills yearly at a 20% discount on the monthly price.
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly | Message credits / mo | Integration credits / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 25 | 100 |
| Starter | $16/mo | $20/mo | 100 | 2,000 |
| Builder | $40/mo | $50/mo | 250 | 10,000 |
| Pro | $80/mo | $100/mo | 500 | 20,000 |
| Elite | $160/mo | $200/mo | 1,200 | 50,000 |
Free allows up to 5 apps. Every paid plan allows unlimited apps, in-app code edits and a connected domain with a free domain for one year. GitHub integration and AI model selection start on Builder. Base44 says third-party services you connect, such as Stripe or OpenAI, bill you directly.
Lovable
| Plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing | Monthly credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 5 build credits a day, up to 30 a month |
| Pro | from $25 | from $250/yr ($21/mo) | from 100 |
| Business | from $50 | from $500/yr ($42/mo) | from 100 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Volume-based |
Pro and Business scale in credit tiers up to 10,000 credits a month. Pro and Business also get 5 daily build credits with no monthly cap, plus monthly grants of 20 Cloud credits and 4 AI credits. Lovable charges by credits, not seats, and every plan allows unlimited workspace members. Verified students and teachers get 50% off Pro with 100 credits, billed monthly, for up to 12 months.
Bolt
| Plan | Price | Tokens | Notable limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1M a month, 300K daily limit | Bolt branding, 10MB uploads, up to 333K web requests |
| Pro | $25/mo billed monthly | Starts at 10M a month, no daily limit | Custom domain, no branding, up to 1M web requests, rollover |
| Teams | $30 per member/mo | Per member allowance | Centralized billing, admin controls |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | SSO, audit logs, SLAs |
Bolt says yearly billing saves up to 28%. On Teams, tokens are not shared between members.
What the price tags hide
The three meters are not comparable one-to-one. A Base44 message credit, a Lovable credit and a Bolt token buy different amounts of work, and usage depends on the size of your project and the model used. The practical way to compare is to build the same small app on each free plan, then record how much allowance each change used. Our guide to managing vibe coding credits shows how to log this.
Two cost traps: on Base44, people using your finished app consume integration credits; on Lovable, hosting and in-app AI draw from your building balance once the monthly Cloud and AI grants run out.
Backend and code ownership: the decision that matters most
All three say you own your code. They differ on what that ownership lets you do.
- Base44 gives two-way GitHub sync from Builder up and ZIP export from Builder up. The ZIP is a standard React project built with Vite, but it excludes your data (export tables as CSV) and version history, and it still calls Base44 for data, logins, functions and integrations. If you need to run the app on your own servers later, plan for a backend rebuild.
- Lovable syncs code to your own repository on every plan, and lets you use your own Supabase project instead of the built-in Cloud. Its docs say moving from Cloud to your own Supabase is not a one-click operation, so treat export as a handoff to developers rather than a finished migration.
- Bolt keeps your code in GitHub with automatic sync if you connect it, and its help center says you can then publish through Bolt hosting, Netlify, or another service you choose.
If you already know the app must eventually live on your own infrastructure, Lovable or Bolt keeps that door wider open. If you want the platform to own operations and you are comfortable staying, Base44's all-in-one model removes the most setup.
Whichever you pick, run the checks in our guide to securing an AI-built website before real users sign in.
Who should choose which
Pick Base44 if you are:
- A non-technical founder or operator building an internal tool, client portal or simple SaaS where logins, records and permissions matter more than design polish.
- Happy for the app to run on Base44 long term.
- Looking for the lowest paid entry price of the three ($16 a month billed yearly).
Pick Lovable if you are:
- Building a customer-facing web app or marketing site where design quality matters.
- Likely to hand the code to a developer later, since Git sync works on every plan.
- Working in a team, because Lovable does not charge per seat.
Pick Bolt if you are:
- Comfortable reading or editing code and want a full IDE in the browser.
- Building a mobile app, since Bolt supports Expo.
- Prototyping often, where a large monthly token allowance and rollover suit bursty use.
How to test all three in an afternoon
This is a suggested evaluation, not a test we ran for this page. Give each free plan the same brief: a client signs in, submits a request and sees only their own requests, while an owner sees everything and changes statuses. Then create two client accounts and confirm neither can see the other's records, sign out and back in to confirm data persists, note how much allowance each step used, and try the code export. The builder that passes the permission check with the fewest corrections, on a budget you can sustain, is your answer. For prompt starting points, see our Lovable prompt library.
Verdict
There is no single winner. Base44 is the most complete all-in-one package and the cheapest paid entry, at the cost of the deepest platform dependence. Lovable is the safest default for a polished web app you may later move into your own repository. Bolt is the best fit for builders who want code-level control or a mobile app. Start on the free plan of the one that matches your exit plan, not the one with the flashiest demo.
Comparing more tools? See Lovable vs Base44 for a one-to-one breakdown, Lovable vs Bolt vs v0 vs Replit vs Cursor for the wider field, AI app builder pricing, and our best AI app builders list.
FAQ
Is Base44 cheaper than Lovable and Bolt?
At entry level, yes. Base44 Starter is $16 a month billed yearly or $20 monthly, while Lovable Pro and Bolt Pro both start at $25 a month billed monthly. Each meters usage differently, so the cheapest plan depends on how many changes your project needs.
Can I export my code from Base44, Lovable and Bolt?
Yes, with differences. Lovable offers Git sync on every plan and code download on Pro. Bolt syncs to GitHub. Base44 offers GitHub sync and ZIP export from the Builder plan, but its docs say exported code still relies on Base44 to run and self-hosting is not supported.
Which is best for non-coders?
Base44 and Lovable both target people with no coding background. Base44 hides more of the backend setup, while Lovable gives a clearer route to hand the code to a developer later. Bolt also works without code but offers the most to people who want to edit it.
Which one builds mobile apps?
Bolt documents mobile app building through its Expo integration. Check each vendor's current documentation if native mobile is a requirement.
Do Lovable and Bolt charge per seat?
Lovable does not; plans are priced by credits and allow unlimited workspace members. Bolt Teams costs $30 per member a month, and tokens are not shared between members.
Can I move a Lovable or Bolt project to Base44?
Base44's documentation describes migrating projects from Lovable and Bolt.new. Bolt can also import Lovable projects. Test with a copy before moving anything live.
Sources (checked November 4, 2026)
- Base44 pricing: https://base44.com/pricing
- Base44 developer tools (code export, self-hosting): https://docs.base44.com/documentation/building-your-app/developer-tools
- Base44 migration guide: https://docs.base44.com/Getting-Started/migrating-an-existing-app
- Wix press release on the Base44 acquisition, June 18, 2025: https://www.wix.com/press-room/home/post/wix-further-expands-into-vibe-coding-with-acquisition-of-base44-a-hyper-growth-startup-that-simplif
- Lovable pricing: https://lovable.dev/pricing
- Lovable subscription plans: https://docs.lovable.dev/introduction/subscription-plans
- Lovable credits and usage: https://docs.lovable.dev/introduction/plans-and-credits
- Lovable built-in backend: https://docs.lovable.dev/features/cloud
- Bolt pricing: https://bolt.new/pricing
- Bolt help center, intro: https://support.bolt.new/get-started/intro-bolt
- Bolt help center, GitHub: https://support.bolt.new/integrations/git