v0 vs Bolt: which AI app builder should you use?

Short answer: pick v0 if you want polished React and Next.js apps that live in your own GitHub repository and ship on Vercel, with pull requests, preview deployments and production controls built in. Pick Bolt if you want everything in one browser tab, including a built-in database, hosting and domains, plus a route to native iOS and Android apps through Expo. Both are free to start and both turn plain-language prompts into working full-stack projects.

Both are listed on Unloc. Unloc cards: v0 and Bolt.new.

Quick verdict

Plans, credits and limits change often, so check both live pricing pages before you decide. Everything below comes from each product's own site and documentation.

What v0 does

v0 is Vercel's AI agent for building real code, full-stack apps and agents. You describe an idea in your own language, upload a screenshot or mockup, or paste a Figma link, and v0 turns it into a working app you can preview, edit and publish. Its docs list landing pages, dashboards, ecommerce sites, internal tools, SaaS, AI-powered apps and data visualisations as common builds.

v0 leans hard on a modern React stack. It defaults to Next.js and works with React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS and shadcn/ui, and Vercel says Next.js gives the most reliable results. Previews run your full app in an isolated Vercel Sandbox, so server code, API routes, database connections and environment variables work before you ship.

It behaves like an agent, not just a code generator. v0 can search the web with source links, open the app it built in a browser to test flows and critique the design, fix errors automatically, and run terminal commands such as unit tests, with Ask, Auto and Full permission modes so you decide how much it does on its own. You can also connect MCP servers, including presets for tools like Linear, Notion, Sentry and Zapier.

Design mode lets you click any element in the live preview and adjust typography, colour and layout with visual controls or plain-language instructions, then apply the change to your source code. A full VS Code-style editor sits in the same window. For data teams, v0 can also connect to Snowflake to build data apps.

What Bolt does

Bolt is an AI-powered builder for websites, web apps and mobile apps, made by StackBlitz. You type an idea, click Build now and Bolt creates a working product. It runs on StackBlitz's WebContainers technology, which runs a full development environment inside your browser, so there is nothing to install and it works the same on any operating system.

You choose the agent that powers each project. Standard is fast and token-efficient for everyday work, while Max uses deeper reasoning for large codebases, refactors and open-ended tasks and needs a paid plan. You can also start from a Figma frame, a GitHub repository or a Lovable project. Plan Mode lets you talk an idea through with Bolt before it writes any code, and Bolt saves a version after every prompt, so you can roll back from Version History.

Bolt's biggest draw is Bolt Cloud. When your app needs a database, Bolt creates one for you, with tables, authentication, file storage, server functions, secrets and logs managed inside the project. Every project can publish to a free bolt.host subdomain, and paid plans add custom domains, private sites and removal of the Made in Bolt badge. You can also publish through Netlify.

Bolt goes further on mobile. Say mobile app in your first prompt and it sets up an Expo project, which you can test on your own phone with Expo Go and then publish to TestFlight, the App Store and Google Play. Bolt itself also works in any mobile browser, so you can start a project and chat with Bolt from your phone.

Code, Git and ownership

Both give you real code. v0 includes a full editor and can export code so you can work locally or deploy elsewhere. Its GitHub integration creates a private repository, works on a separate branch for each chat, commits every change automatically and publishes through a pull request, so required checks and reviews still apply and it never pushes straight to main. Vercel says it does not own the code generated from your prompts.

Bolt has a Code view where you can edit files and use a terminal, and its Select tool lets you make visual edits in the preview before saving them to code. Its GitHub integration can import or create repositories, sync commits automatically and create and switch branches, but you merge branches in GitHub rather than inside Bolt. Bolt says the code you create is yours to use for any legal purpose, including commercial projects. Bolt only supports JavaScript-based backends, so Python or PHP backends are out.

Free plans compared

v0's free plan includes free access to v0, deploys to Vercel, Design mode and GitHub sync, with a daily message limit. New users get a one-time free credit offer, and the pricing page shows the current signup offer.

Bolt's free plan lets you build and publish at no cost, with daily and monthly token allowances, public and private projects, unlimited databases and website hosting. Free sites carry a Made in Bolt badge, custom domains are not included, and free hosting has a hard monthly traffic cap: if you go over it, your site goes offline until usage resets.

Paid plans and credits

v0 runs on credits that work like a prepaid balance. Each message draws credits based on the tokens processed and the model you pick, and you can see model costs in the model selector. Paid plans include a monthly credit allowance, unused monthly credits roll over for a limited time, and you can buy more. ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers can also connect their ChatGPT plan to cover eligible AI responses, though a v0 credit balance is still needed.

Bolt runs on tokens, and most token use comes from Bolt reading and syncing your project files, so larger projects use more per message. Paid plans add a larger monthly allowance with rollover, custom domains, the newest AI models, connectors and MCPs, and Pro hosting with a pay-as-you-go option to keep busy sites online. Check the live v0 pricing page and Bolt pricing page for current tiers.

For teams and businesses

v0's team plans add shared projects, a shared credit pool, centralised billing on Vercel and team templates, and the Business tier opts you out of training by default. Enterprise adds SAML SSO, role-based access with Builder, Creator and Viewer roles, audit logs and priority access. v0 is covered by Vercel's SOC security attestation.

Bolt's Teams plan adds centralised billing, team-level access management, admin controls, single sign-on, organisation-wide sharing, private npm registries and design system knowledge, so Bolt can build with your own components. Enterprise adds audit logs, SOC, GDPR and ISO compliance, dedicated infrastructure and data governance. Bolt also supports real-time multiplayer editing and comments on previews.

Who should pick which

• Pick v0 if your team builds with Next.js and React and wants AI-generated changes to arrive as pull requests in GitHub.
• Pick v0 if you already host on Vercel, or want preview deployments, production controls and a sandboxed agent that tests its own work.
• Pick Bolt if you want database, hosting and domains handled in one place with no other accounts to set up.
• Pick Bolt if you need a native iOS or Android app, or want a full development environment in the browser with nothing to install.

Weighing other builders? See Lovable vs v0, Bolt vs Lovable and Lovable vs Replit.

FAQ

Is v0 free?

Yes. v0 has a free plan with a daily message limit, and new users get free credits. Paid plans add monthly credits, all models and team features. Check the live v0 pricing page for current plans.

Is Bolt free?

Yes. Bolt's free plan includes daily and monthly token allowances, unlimited databases and free hosting on a bolt.host address. Paid plans add more tokens, custom domains and removal of the Bolt badge. Check the live Bolt pricing page for current plans.

Can v0 or Bolt build mobile apps?

Bolt can build native iOS and Android apps with its Expo integration if you ask for a mobile app in your first prompt. v0 builds web apps that work on mobile, and its iOS app lets you build and iterate from your phone.

Do I need Vercel to use v0?

For the full experience, including previews, environment variables and deployments, v0 works with a Vercel project. Vercel says you can still export the code and deploy elsewhere.

Do I own the code?

Bolt says the code you create is yours to use for any legal purpose, including commercial projects. Vercel says it does not own the code v0 generates from your prompts, and you can sync it to your own GitHub repository.