Bolt.new builds a working web app from a prompt and lets you drop into the actual code, not just a chat window, with hosting and a database included. The free plan (1M tokens/month) is enough to try it properly; move to Pro ($25/month) once you're iterating daily and want your own domain.
Other good fits
A prototype that needs hosting and a database from the start, without wiring those up separately.
+ Pros
Read pros
Bolt.new generates a working web app from a written description, then lets you keep working in two ways: through the chat, or directly in the generated code (Code view). It bundles hosting, a database and authentication, so a prototype can go from prompt to a shareable URL without leaving the browser.
Pick it when…
You want to inspect or hand-edit the generated code yourself, not just review an AI's diff.
You want hosting and a database included, so the prototype is actually usable by someone else immediately.
The task is well-defined enough for the Standard agent; save the more expensive Max agent for genuinely complex, interconnected changes.
− Cons
Read cons
A good-looking preview can hide incomplete validation or a form that isn't actually saving anywhere; test each important behaviour before you trust it. Bolt bundles hosting and a database, but that doesn't guarantee a full code export or migration path for every project type, so check the export options for your plan before you depend on moving the project elsewhere.
Pick something else when…
You want the interface-generation step in isolation, without full app hosting attached.v0 focuses on that narrower job.
You'd rather not see code at all, even to edit it.Base44 leans further toward a fully managed, prompt-only workflow.
You want to work in a real repository and own the deployment yourself.Cursor puts you in a normal codebase from the start.
Avoid if
You need unlimited daily iteration on a tight budget; the free plan's 300K daily token limit runs out fast on a chatty session.
Workflow
Describe the user and the one thing they need to do → generate a first version → open Code view to check what was actually built → test with made-up data, including empty and invalid input → ask for one correction at a time and review each change → decide separately whether to publish, since generating and publishing are different steps.
Public/private projects, hosting, unlimited databases, Bolt branding on the site
Pro
$25/month
10M/month (unused tokens roll over up to 2 months)
No branding, custom domain, 100MB uploads, AI image editing
Teams
$30/month per member
Per-member allotment
Pro features plus shared billing, admin controls, private NPM registry
Enterprise
Custom
Custom
SSO, audit logs, dedicated support
Tokens are consumed by more than the words you type; re-syncing a growing project's files also counts, so cost per change can rise as a project gets larger. There's nothing to install; the running effort is reviewing generated changes and watching the token meter.
Restrictions
Free-plan sites carry Bolt branding and a daily token cap on top of the monthly one. Enterprise-level controls (SSO, audit logs) aren't available on the free or Pro plans. Confirm export and self-hosting options for your specific project before treating Bolt as a long-term home for something important.
First project
Documentation-based suggestion — not run here.
Read first project
Build a workshop planner: a session list, one session's detail page, and an interest form. Use invented session names, not real sign-ups.
Describe the three fields the form needs and the one action it must complete.
Generate a first version and open the preview.
Test empty fields, a long name and an invalid email address.
Ask for one fix at a time and re-check the behaviour, not just the look.
Confirm whether a submitted entry actually persists after a page reload before you call it done.
Done when a newcomer can submit a valid entry and get a sensible response, invalid input produces a clear error, and you know whether entries survive a reload.
Links & evidence
Documentation-based · not hands-on · Sep 23, 2026
Rests on Bolt.new's product page, its agent-choice documentation and its pricing page, read on 2026-09-23. No app was generated or deployed for this review.
Bolt.new pricing · Sep 23, 2026 — Free (1M tokens/month), Pro $25/month (10M tokens, rollover), Teams $30/member, Enterprise custom.
Bolt.new product overview · Sep 23, 2026 — Prompt-based generation with hosting, database and authentication bundled.
Bolt.new: choose an agent · Sep 23, 2026 — Standard vs Max agent, plan-dependent availability.
Bolt.new Code view · Sep 23, 2026 — Direct file editing alongside the generated preview.
Further review notes & alternatives
Alternatives and trade-offs
Base44 wins when you'd rather stay entirely in prompts and never touch code.
v0 wins when you want a generated interface to drop into an existing codebase, not a fully hosted app.
Cursor wins when the project should live in a normal Git repository you control end to end.
Build a web prototype through prompts, code editing and preview, with GitHub sync and integrated hosting.
StackBlitz · free-tier · cloud
prompt-to-app
website-hosting
databases
app-building
prototyping
visual-editing
View sourced imageInterface screenshot from Bolt's official agent guide. The editor, agent selector and project preview are visible; the publisher's original annotations are retained.
