Bolt vs Base44 for beginners (2026): price, free plan and which to pick
Prices and facts checked on each tool's official site. Plans change often, so confirm before you pay.
Bolt.new and Base44 both build a working app from a plain-English description, in your browser, with hosting included. They differ in how they charge and how much of the machinery they show you.
Our pick
Pick Bolt if you want a generous free plan to experiment with (1M tokens a month), fast web prototypes, and to see the files as the AI writes them. Pick Base44 if you want login, database and analytics handled for you with the code out of sight, and you're happy on a small monthly credit count.
Bolt.new: referral link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it never changes our pick.Prices and plans
| Bolt.new | Base44 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 1M tokens a month (max 300K a day), hosting, unlimited databases, Bolt branding on sites | 25 message credits a month, up to 5 apps, login and database included |
| First paid plan | Pro $25/mo monthly, or $18/mo billed yearly: 10M tokens a month, your own domain, no branding | Starter $16/mo billed yearly: 100 message credits a month, connect a domain |
| Next step up | Larger Pro token tiers; Teams $27/member/mo billed yearly | Builder $40/mo (250 credits, GitHub sync), Pro $80/mo and Elite $160/mo billed yearly |
| How usage is counted | Tokens. Bigger projects use more tokens per message | Message credits, varying by action and AI model |
| Unused allowance | Rolls over on Pro | Monthly allowance |
Which fits your project
- Trying lots of ideas on a budget: Bolt's free plan goes further for experiments.
- An internal tool or customer portal with logins: Base44 bundles auth, database and user management on every plan.
- You want to learn how apps are built: Bolt, since you watch the code and preview together and can edit files yourself for free in Code view.
- Unsure how far credits go? Read AI app builder credits explained.
Before you share your Lovable or Bolt app
Four quick checks that catch the most common beginner problems:
- Page loads but can't reach its data after you deploy somewhere else? Vite apps (what Lovable and Bolt make) bake
VITE_settings in when the app is built, so add them to your host's environment settings and rebuild. - Using Supabase file storage? Open Storage and check each bucket. Files in a public bucket can be opened by anyone with the link: fine for logos, not for user uploads.
- Using a Supabase database? Make sure Row Level Security is turned on for every table that holds user data, so people can only see their own rows.
- Using an AI model or a payment service? Ask your builder: "Is any secret API key in code that runs in the browser?" Visitors can read anything the browser loads, so secret keys belong in a server function or your project's secrets settings.
FAQ
Is Bolt or Base44 cheaper?
For a first paid plan, Base44 Starter is $16/mo billed yearly (100 message credits) and Bolt Pro is $18/mo billed yearly or $25 monthly (10M tokens). Both have free plans: Bolt gives 1M tokens a month (max 300K a day), Base44 gives 25 message credits a month.
Can I export my code from Bolt and Base44?
Yes. Bolt shows every file as it builds, and Base44 offers two-way GitHub sync on its Builder plan and up.
Which is easier if I have never coded?
Base44 hides the code and includes login, database and analytics by default. Bolt is also beginner friendly, but it shows the files and preview side by side, which suits people who want to learn what's happening.
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