Idea to App

Floot vs Bolt.new: Which AI App Builder Fits Your Idea? (2026)

A side-by-side comparison of Floot and Bolt.new for turning an idea into a working app: how each builds, what’s included, payments, phone apps, pricing, and when each is the better choice.

Floot ·

Key Takeaways

  • Both build real apps from a description. Each includes a database, user sign-in, hosting and custom domains on paid plans. The differences are in how you work and what’s set up for you.
  • Bolt keeps the code in view. Its projects can be downloaded as a zip and connected to GitHub. That suits people who want to read, edit or hand off the code.
  • Floot keeps the whole product in one place. Postgres, sign-in with email, Google or Microsoft, email, scheduled jobs, push, payments via Floot Payments and native app submission are part of each project.
  • Payments and phone apps differ most. Bolt’s docs describe Stripe with your own secret key and phone apps via Expo with your own Expo, Apple and Google accounts. Floot handles checkout through Floot Payments and builds and submits iOS and Android apps itself.
  • Same entry price, different meters. Both Pro plans are $25 a month. Bolt meters building in tokens (from 10 million a month on Pro); Floot in daily building actions (1,000 a day on Pro) with hosting metered by usage.

Quick-Start Prioritization Framework

If you…PickWhy
Can’t code and want accounts, data, email and payments without wiring servicesFlootThose parts are built into every project
Want to read, edit and download the code as you buildBolt.newCode is in view; download as zip; GitHub integration
Think out loud in ChatGPT or Claude and want to build thereFlootWorks inside ChatGPT, Claude, Claude Code, Codex and Cursor via MCP
Already use Supabase or NetlifyBolt.newDocumented integrations for both
Want iPhone and Android apps built and submitted for youFlootFloot builds and submits native apps; you need only Apple and Google developer accounts
Have a team that needs centralized billing and admin controlsBolt.newTeams plan at $30 per member a month

Floot and Bolt.new both turn a plain-English description into a working app, and both are free to start with a $25 paid plan. Under that similarity they are built for slightly different people. Bolt.new is a browser-based builder that keeps the generated code in front of you and connects to tools developers already use. Floot is built so a non-coder can describe, run and grow a full app, with sign-in, data, email, payments and phone apps included, and it works inside ChatGPT, Claude and Cursor as well as its own editor. This comparison is published by Floot, so we’ve stuck to what each product’s own pricing pages and documentation say, and we spell out when Bolt is the better pick.

What each product is

Both are AI app builders: you describe what you want, the AI writes the app, and you see it running. Here is how each describes itself and works, based on their own pages.

Bolt.new

Bolt is a browser-based tool for building websites and apps, including marketing sites, online stores, dashboards and internal tools, according to its help center. You chat with it and the project’s code updates alongside a preview. Bolt Cloud adds a built-in database, authentication with email and Google sign-in, file storage, server functions, sending email, hosting and domains. It also offers Plan Mode for planning before building, GitHub integration and version history, and integrations with Supabase, Netlify, Stripe and Expo.

Floot

Floot builds full-stack web apps from plain-English descriptions: a React frontend, serverless backend endpoints and a Postgres database for each app. You can build inside ChatGPT, Claude, Claude Code, Codex or Cursor through Floot’s MCP server, or in Floot’s own editor, with a live preview of every change. Plan mode writes a build plan before building, and a design canvas lets you compare page ideas side by side. Each app includes its own sign-up and login (email, Google, Microsoft) with roles, file storage, sending and receiving email, web and phone push, scheduled jobs and realtime.

Head-to-head comparison

What each product documents on its pricing page and help docs as of November 2026.

FlootBolt.new
Where you buildChatGPT, Claude, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor (via MCP) or Floot’s editorBolt’s browser editor
Code visibilityFloot manages the code; you work in descriptions and previewCode shown as you build; download as zip; GitHub
DatabasePostgres per app; download on every planBolt Database (unlimited on Free); claim into Supabase on Pro or Teams
User sign-inEmail, Google, Microsoft, with rolesEmail and Google; optional anonymous sign-in
EmailSend and receiveSend emails (documented)
Scheduled jobs, push, realtimeIncludedCheck Bolt docs for your use case
PaymentsFloot Payments: checkout and subscriptions via StripeStripe integration using your own Stripe secret key
Native phone appsBuilt and submitted to App Store and Google Play by FlootVia Expo; needs Node.js, Git, an Expo account and store developer accounts
HostingFree publishing; hosting metered by usageHosting included, up to 333k web requests on Free and 1M on Pro
Custom domainsPaid plans; Pro includes one free domainPro and above
Branding on free sitesFloot badge on Free; removed on Pro and PowerBolt branding on Free; removed on Pro
Planning before buildingPlan modePlan Mode

The core difference

Both can produce the same kind of app. The difference is how much of the product around the code you manage yourself.

Bolt: a code-first builder with optional cloud services

Bolt shows you the code it writes and lets you take it with you: download as a zip, run locally with npm, or sync to GitHub. Services can be Bolt’s own (Bolt Cloud) or ones you bring, such as Supabase for the database or Netlify for publishing. That flexibility is valuable if you or a collaborator can code, or if you want an exit route to your own infrastructure. It also means some features, like payments and phone apps, involve setting up accounts and keys with other services.

Floot: a complete product platform for non-coders

Floot treats the app and everything it runs on as one project. The database, sign-in, email, scheduled jobs, payments, push and native app submission are part of the platform, so you describe what you want (“email trainers three days before their trial ends”) rather than choosing and connecting a service. That suits someone who wants to spend their time on users and the product. The tradeoff is that you work through Floot’s platform and hosting rather than managing your own stack.

Payments, compared

If your idea involves charging users, this is where the two differ most in practice.

Bolt

Bolt’s Stripe documentation says you create a Stripe account, copy a secret key from Stripe’s developer section (using test keys during development) and choose products to import. Bolt then generates server-side code for checkout sessions, webhook handling and subscription management, including trials, prorations and multiple tiers. It requires Bolt Database or Supabase, user authentication and edge functions.

Floot

Floot Payments handles checkout and subscriptions via Stripe as part of the project, so you describe the plans and the rules (“trainers pay $19 a month after a 14-day trial”) and test them in the preview.

Phone apps, compared

Many ideas start on the web and later need an App Store or Google Play listing. The two products document different paths.

Bolt

Bolt uses Expo when you ask for a mobile app. Its Expo guide lists prerequisites: a computer with Node.js and Git, an Expo account, and Apple and Google Play developer accounts for store releases. You build with Expo Application Services (EAS), send iOS builds to TestFlight and submit through App Store Connect, and use Google Play Console’s testing tracks for Android. Testing with Expo’s development tools is free.

Floot

Floot builds native iOS and Android apps from the same project and submits them for you, without a Mac. You need Apple’s developer account ($99 a year) and Google’s ($25 one-time). Floot’s Free plan includes 2 mobile builds a month, Pro 12 and Power unlimited, and Google Play publishing needs a paid Floot plan.

Pricing, compared

Both start free and have a $25 Pro plan. They measure usage differently, so compare what a month of your building would need.

PlanFlootBolt.new
Free$0: 100 building actions a day, $3 one-time hosting allowance, 2 mobile builds a month$0: 1M tokens a month (300k daily limit), hosting up to 333k web requests, Bolt branding
Pro$25/month: 1,000 actions a day, $10 hosting a month, 5,000 AI credits, custom domains plus one free domain, 12 mobile builds$25/month: from 10M tokens a month with rollover, no daily limit, hosting up to 1M web requests, custom domains
Higher tierPower $100/month: 5,000 actions a day, $25 hosting, 15,000 AI credits, unlimited mobile buildsTeams $30 per member a month; Enterprise custom
Annual billingListed as two months freeListed as saving up to 28%

Reading the meters

Bolt’s tokens measure the AI’s work; bigger projects and longer conversations use more. Floot’s building actions are counted per day, and hosting is metered by usage beyond each plan’s included amount, so a busy published app costs more to run than a quiet one. On either product, a small first version often fits the free plan; check the meters after a few days of building rather than guessing.

When to pick Bolt.new

Bolt is the better choice in several common situations.

  • You can code, are learning to, or have a developer who will take over: seeing and downloading the code matters to you.
  • You want the project in GitHub from day one.
  • You already use Supabase or Netlify and want to keep your data or hosting there.
  • You’re building mostly websites, landing pages or front-end-heavy projects where Bolt’s token allowance goes a long way.
  • You need a team plan with centralized billing, admin controls and user provisioning.
  • You’re comfortable creating Stripe keys and Expo builds yourself.

When to pick Floot

Floot fits better when the goal is a running product and you don’t want to manage the pieces.

  • You don’t code and want sign-in, data, email, scheduled jobs and payments without connecting services.
  • You already think through ideas in ChatGPT, Claude or Cursor and want to build there.
  • You’ll want iPhone and Android apps and would rather not set up Expo and EAS yourself.
  • You need Microsoft sign-in or user roles alongside email and Google.
  • You want a design canvas to compare page ideas before committing.
  • You want free publishing on every plan and built-in visitor analytics for your published app.

Try both on your own idea

The fairest test is your own main flow. Spend an hour on each with the same prompt.

  • Write a one-paragraph spec: the user, the main task, the data, and one rule about who can see what.
  • Paste it into Bolt.new and into Floot (via the Claude connector directory, the ChatGPT app directory, the Cursor Marketplace, or Floot’s editor).
  • Sign up as two different users in each and try to see the other user’s data.
  • Ask each for one email (a reminder or notification) and check it arrives.
  • Note how many tokens or actions the hour used, and which result needed fewer fixes.

Common mistakes when choosing

These lead people to pick the wrong builder or abandon a good one.

  • Comparing landing pages instead of a full flow with sign-in and saved data.
  • Assuming payments or phone apps work the same way in both; read each one’s docs.
  • Comparing headline prices without looking at what tokens or actions a week of building uses.
  • Choosing a code-first tool when you’ll never open the code, or a managed platform when you need full control of the stack.
  • Not testing who can see whose data before sharing with real users.
  • Switching tools at the first frustrating bug instead of asking the AI to explain and fix it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Floot better than Bolt.new?

It depends on what you need. Floot suits non-coders who want sign-in, data, email, payments and phone apps included and want to build inside ChatGPT, Claude or Cursor. Bolt.new suits people who want the code in view, GitHub and downloads, or integrations with Supabase and Netlify.

How much do Floot and Bolt.new cost?

Both are free to start and have a $25-a-month Pro plan. Floot Power is $100 a month; Bolt Teams is $30 per member a month. Bolt meters building in tokens; Floot in daily building actions, with hosting metered by usage.

Can Bolt.new build mobile apps?

Yes. Bolt’s docs describe building mobile apps with Expo, with Node.js, Git, an Expo account and Apple and Google developer accounts needed for store releases. Floot builds and submits native iOS and Android apps from the same project.

Can I download my code from Bolt.new or Floot?

Bolt documents downloading a project as a zip from its desktop version and connecting to GitHub. Floot offers database download on every plan; check Floot’s current plans for code export.

Do I need my own Stripe account?

With Bolt, yes: its Stripe integration uses your Stripe secret key. With Floot, Floot Payments handles checkout and subscriptions via Stripe as part of the project.

Which is easier for a complete beginner?

Both start from a description. Beginners who don’t want to deal with code or service keys usually find Floot simpler because more is included. Beginners who want to learn how the code works may prefer Bolt.new.

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