Which is better, Bolt.new or Windsurf?

Bolt.new suits users who value genuine in-browser node.js runtime (webcontainers) — zero local setup to start building, while Windsurf is preferred when strong agent mode matter most. Pick based on your primary workflow.

Is Bolt.new or Windsurf cheaper?

Bolt.new is freemium, Windsurf is freemium. Check each official site for current tiers.

Bolt.new vs Windsurf

A side-by-side look at Bolt.new and Windsurf — pricing, features and where each one wins. Both are reviewed independently on Curata AI.

	Bolt.new	Windsurf
Summary	AI-powered full-stack app builder that turns a prompt into a live website, app or mobile prototype in the browser.	AI IDE from Codeium focused on autonomous agent workflows.
Pricing	Freemium	Freemium
Category	Coding	Coding
Platforms	Web	macOS, Windows, Linux
Key features	In-Browser Node.js Runtime (WebContainers) Bolt Agent (auto model routing: Standard / Max) Full-Stack App, Website & Mobile Generation Bolt Cloud (databases, auth, hosting, SEO) Figma & GitHub Import One-Click Netlify Deployment Mobile Preview via Expo (iOS/Android, QR code) Design System-Aware Generation	Cascade Agent Codebase Awareness Free Tier VS Code Compatible
Pros	Genuine in-browser Node.js runtime (WebContainers) — zero local setup to start building Multi-framework flexibility: React, Next.js, Vue, Svelte, Astro, Angular and more Full, exportable code control rather than a black-box generator Bolt Cloud bundles databases, auth, hosting and SEO instead of requiring separate services Strong for fast, early-stage prototyping and sharing runnable demos Mobile app generation via Expo extends it past web-only building	Strong agent mode Generous free tier Fast improvements
Cons	Token consumption is the most common complaint — error-correction loops can burn through millions of tokens in a single session The free plan's daily token cap can run out before a complex first build even finishes Real-world cost on large or bug-prone projects can run well above the advertised plan price Less production-hardened out of the box than a more opinionated builder like Lovable	Smaller ecosystem than Cursor Agents still need review

Read the full Bolt.new review

Bolt.new (by StackBlitz) runs a full Node.js environment directly in the browser via WebContainers, and its Bolt Agent builds, tests and iterates on a website, web app or mobile prototype from a natural-language prompt. Bolt automatically routes each request to the best-fit model — a Standard tier for general development and a Pro-only Max tier for harder tasks — instead of locking you into one LLM, and claims 98% fewer errors thanks to automatic testing, refactoring and iteration. Generated projects can use React, Next.js, Vue, Svelte, Astro, Angular, SvelteKit, Remix and the wider npm ecosystem, with mobile builds via Expo (instant QR-code preview for iOS/Android). Bolt Cloud bundles the backend — unlimited databases, enterprise-grade auth and user management, SEO optimization and hosting with analytics — plus native integrations with Supabase, GitHub, Stripe and Figma import, and one-click deployment to Netlify. It's used by teams at Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, AWS, Meta, Shopify and others to go from idea to a running, deployable product without local setup.

Bolt.new review →Bolt.new alternatives →

Read the full Windsurf review

Windsurf (by Codeium) is a direct Cursor competitor that leans hard into agentic, long-running tasks. Its Cascade agent can plan and execute across many files with minimal hand-holding. Pricing is aggressive and there is a genuinely useful free tier. If Cursor feels too hands-on, Windsurf is worth trying.

Windsurf review →Windsurf alternatives →