Bolt.new
Last updated: February 16, 2026
What is Bolt.new?
Bolt.new lets you describe a web application in plain English and builds it for you in the browser — frontend, backend, database, and deployment included. No terminal. No setup. You describe, it builds, you ship.
Who is it for?
- Best for: Non-technical entrepreneurs who need MVPs, landing pages, or internal tools fast
- Not for: Complex applications that need custom infrastructure or specific performance requirements
- Solo builder score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
What does it cost?
| Plan | Price | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Limited generations per day |
| Pro | $20/mo | Unlimited generations, deployment |
Free tier reality check: Enough to test it. You’ll need Pro to build anything real.
How we’d actually use it
Imagine you want to build a simple SaaS tool — a client intake form that saves to a database and sends you an email:
- Tell Bolt: “Build a client intake form with name, email, project description. Save submissions to a database and email me when someone submits.”
- Watch it build the full app in real time
- Click deploy
- Share the URL with clients
Time saved vs doing it manually: Days of development → 20 minutes
What’s good
- Literally zero setup — everything happens in the browser
- Deploys are one-click
- Great for rapid prototyping and MVPs
- Can iterate by describing changes in natural language
What’s not
- Generated code can be messy under the hood
- Limited control over architecture decisions
- Debugging is harder when you didn’t write the code
- Complex apps hit limitations fast
FAQ
Q: Can I use Bolt.new to build a real business? A: For simple tools and MVPs, yes. For complex SaaS products, you’ll eventually need to move to a proper codebase.
Q: Is Bolt.new better than Cursor? A: Different tools. Bolt is for people who don’t code and want a finished app. Cursor is for people who code and want to go faster.
Q: What’s the best alternative to Bolt.new? A: Lovable and Replit are the closest competitors. Lovable has better UI design output, Replit has more flexibility.