Chat-based AI software engineer that builds full-stack web apps and sites from prompts.
Bolt.new vs Cursor
Features, pricing, strengths and trade-offs — and which one fits your situation.
The verdict
Summary
Bolt.new is best for building and running full-stack JavaScript apps entirely in the browser, while Cursor is best for developers who want an AI-first code editor with tab completion and agents in one place. Only Bolt.new offers hosting / deploy included and backend / database. Only Cursor offers inline code completion. Bolt.new has a low learning curve, compared with medium for Cursor. Both Bolt.new and Cursor offer a free plan, so you can try each before paying.
Which should you choose?
Choose Bolt.new if…
- You need building and running full-stack JavaScript apps entirely in the browser
- Hosting / deploy included matters to you
- Backend / database matters to you
- You're one of: founders building mvps, developers prototyping quickly, designers converting figma files into apps
- You want something quicker to learn
Choose Cursor if…
- You need developers who want an AI-first code editor with tab completion and agents in one place
- Inline code completion matters to you
- You're one of: professional developers, startup engineering teams, vs code users wanting deeper ai features
- Familiar VS Code interface with extension support
At a glance
| Bolt.new | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Building and running full-stack JavaScript apps entirely in the browser | Developers who want an AI-first code editor with tab completion and agents in one place |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | From $25/mo | From $20/mo |
| Learning curve | Low | Medium |
| Platforms | Web | macOS, Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android |
| Ideal for | Founders building MVPs, Developers prototyping quickly, Designers converting Figma files into apps | Professional developers, Startup engineering teams, VS Code users wanting deeper AI features |
Feature comparison
| Bolt.new | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | AI app builder | IDE |
| Inline code completion | No | Yes |
| Multi-file agent | Yes | Yes |
| Builds full apps from prompts | Yes | Yes |
| Hosting / deploy included | Yes | No |
| Backend / database | Yes | No |
| GitHub integration | Yes | Yes |
| Choice of AI models | Yes | Yes |
| Export / own the code | Yes | Yes |
IncludedLimited / higher plansNot available— Not confirmed
Security & enterprise
| Bolt.new | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| Business / enterprise plan | Yes | Yes |
| SSO (SAML / OIDC) | Enterprise plan (SAML) | Teams & Enterprise |
| SCIM user provisioning | — | Enterprise plan |
| SOC 2 | Type II | Type II |
| ISO 27001 | — | Yes |
| HIPAA (BAA available) | — | — |
| GDPR DPA | Yes | Yes |
| Data residency options | — | — |
| No training on your data | Team & Enterprise (MSA/DPA) | Privacy Mode |
| Audit logs | — | Enterprise plan |
| Admin controls | Yes | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud, customer AWS/Azure | Cloud (desktop client) |
From each vendor's security documentation. "—" = not confirmed. What to ask vendors · Compare all tools
What each tool does
Bolt.new
Bolt.new, from StackBlitz, is a browser-based AI app builder that writes and runs full-stack JavaScript apps in an in-browser WebContainer environment. Bolt Cloud adds built-in databases, authentication, file storage, edge functions and hosting with custom domains. It is used by founders, designers and developers building prototypes and MVPs.
Key features- In-browser development environment running Node.js via WebContainers
- Bolt Cloud databases, auth, storage and edge functions
- Built-in hosting and custom domains
- GitHub repository connection
- Choice of Claude, GPT and Gemini models
- Figma import
Cursor
Cursor is an AI code editor built on a fork of VS Code, combining predictive tab completion with an agent that makes multi-file changes and runs commands. It supports models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google alongside its own Composer model, and adds cloud agents, a CLI, Bugbot pull request review and Slack and GitHub integrations. It is used by individual developers and engineering teams.
Key features- Tab completion that predicts multi-line edits
- Agent for multi-file changes with terminal access
- Cloud agents that run tasks in parallel
- Bugbot automated pull request review
- Choice of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Cursor's Composer models
- CLI, Slack integration and scheduled automations
Pricing
Bolt.new
Free plan (1M tokens/mo); Pro from $25/mo; Teams $30/member/mo
Cursor
Free Hobby plan; Pro $20/mo ($16/mo annual); Pro+ $60; Ultra $200
Prices last checked September 2026. Plans change often — confirm on each vendor's site.
Pros and cons
Bolt.new
Strengths- Full editor, terminal and preview in the browser with nothing to install
- Backend and hosting included through Bolt Cloud
- Model choice across major providers
- Has a free plan
- Token usage climbs quickly on larger projects
- Loses context and falls into error-fix loops after many iterations
- Rewrites whole files rather than targeted diffs, raising token costs
- Limited to JavaScript/TypeScript stacks that run in WebContainers
Not ideal for: Teams working on large existing codebases or non-JavaScript backends are better served by a local AI IDE or coding agent.
Cursor
Strengths- Familiar VS Code interface with extension support
- Combines fast completion and agent work in one editor
- Wide model choice
- Has a free plan
- Usage-based credits can be consumed within days when using frontier models
- Billing changes in 2025 caused confusion and unexpected charges
- Heavy agent use pushes effective cost well above the base plan
- Requires switching editors for users of JetBrains or other IDEs
Not ideal for: Developers committed to JetBrains IDEs or non-developers who want hosting and a database handled for them should look elsewhere.
Integrations
Bolt.new
Cursor
FAQ
What is the main difference between Bolt.new and Cursor?
Bolt.new is built for building and running full-stack JavaScript apps entirely in the browser; Cursor is built for developers who want an AI-first code editor with tab completion and agents in one place. Key differences: Bolt.new offers hosting / deploy included and backend / database; Cursor offers inline code completion.
Is Bolt.new or Cursor cheaper?
Bolt.new starts from $25/mo and Cursor starts from $20/mo (as of September 2026). On entry price, Cursor is cheaper — but compare what each plan includes, since limits differ. Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
Do Bolt.new and Cursor have free plans?
Both Bolt.new and Cursor offer a free plan, so you can try each before paying.
Which is easier to use, Bolt.new or Cursor?
Bolt.new is generally quicker to learn (Bolt.new: low, Cursor: medium learning curve).
What are good alternatives to Bolt.new and Cursor?
Other coding & apps tools worth comparing include Lovable, Base44 and v0.
