compare --vibe-coding · prices checked Nov 3, 2026
Bubble vs Lovable: which is better for vibe coding? (2026)
Both let non-coders build real apps with AI, but they produce different things. Bubble generates a visual app you keep editing in Bubble's editor, including native mobile apps, and you can't export code. Lovable generates code you can sync to GitHub and take elsewhere.
Choose Bubble if:
- You want to keep editing visually without reading code.
- You need native mobile apps from the same backend.
- You want version control, branches and several editors inside the builder.
Choose Lovable if:
- You want to own the code.
- You want a lower price to launch a web app.
- You may hire a developer to take over later.
Bubble vs Lovable: side by side
Every cell comes from the official pages listed under Sources.
| Bubble | Lovable | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | No-code builder with AI | AI app builder |
| Made by | Bubble Group, Inc. | Lovable (Stockholm, Sweden) |
| Best for | Non-coders | Non-coders |
| Free plan | Yes. Free forever for building: 500 AI credits/mo, 50K workload units/mo, development version only, on-device mobile testing. A paid plan is needed to go live (live site, custom domain, app-store builds). Generating a new app doesn't use credits. | Yes. 5 build credits per day capped at 30 per month, plus monthly grants of 20 Cloud credits and 4 AI credits; unlimited collaborators, 5 lovable.app domains, invite-only publishing (up to 10 people per project); no top-ups. |
| Paid from | $39/mo (web) | $25/mo |
| Pricing model | subscription + usage (workload units, AI credits) | credits |
| Builds | web app, mobile app | web app, website, code |
| Tech stack | Proprietary visual Bubble apps (not generated source code). Native mobile apps run on React Native. Web and mobile share one backend and database. | Apps created since May 13, 2026 use TanStack Start (server-rendered); older apps use React + Vite. Backend via built-in Lovable Cloud (managed PostgreSQL, auth, file storage), Supabase, or third-party APIs. Framework and database are not user-selectable. |
| Hosting & deploy | Bubble hosts everything. A paid plan unlocks the live version and custom domain, and paid mobile plans enable TestFlight/Google Play testing and publishing to the App Store and Google Play directly from Bubble, plus unlimited OTA updates. Usage is metered in workload units, with optional overages or workload tiers. | Built-in hosting; publish to a lovable.app URL on all plans (Free is invite-only publishing). Custom domains on paid plans; domains can be bought through Lovable. Hosting usage covered by included Cloud grants, then by credits. |
| Code ownership | No source-code export. Apps live on Bubble's platform and are edited in the visual editor. The Bubble MCP (beta) lets external agents such as Claude Code or Codex edit apps, but not deploy them. | User owns code and output per Lovable FAQ. Two-way Git sync with GitHub (all plans), GitLab or Bitbucket; ZIP 'Download codebase' on paid plans. Database exports separately. |
| AI models | Not named. Bubble says the Agent 'runs on the latest AI models'. | Lovable selects and updates the models behind Build, Plan and Chat modes automatically; users cannot pick the build model. Specific vendors not stated on the pages checked. |
| Indie makers here | 7 | 1 |
Key differences
- Output: Bubble apps live on Bubble; Lovable gives you source code.
- Mobile: Bubble publishes native iOS and Android apps; Lovable is web only.
- Price to go live: Bubble Starter is $39/mo (web); Lovable Pro is $25/mo.
- Usage billing: Bubble meters workload units as traffic grows; Lovable meters build credits.
Bubble vs Lovable pricing
From each official pricing page, Nov 3, 2026.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 500 AI credits/mo, 50K WU/mo, dev version only. |
| Starter | Web $39/mo monthly or $32/mo billed annually; Mobile $49/$42; Web+Mobile $69/$59 | 1,000 AI credits/mo, 175K WU/mo, live app, custom domain, basic version control. |
| Growth | Web $134/mo monthly or $119/mo billed annually; Mobile $199/$169; Web+Mobile $249/$209 | 2,000 AI credits/mo, 250K WU/mo, 2 editors, premium version control, 2FA. |
| Team | Web $399/mo monthly or $349/mo billed annually; Mobile $529/$449; Web+Mobile $649/$549 | 4,000 AI credits/mo, 500K WU/mo, 5 editors, 25 branches, sub apps. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited AI credits, custom WU, hosting location choice, SSO, SOC2 report. |
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 5 daily build credits (max 30/month), 20 Cloud credits/month, invite-only publishing. |
| Pro | $25/mo | 100 monthly credits plus 5 daily build credits (no monthly cap); credit rollover, on-demand top-ups, custom domains, remove Lovable badge. Yearly billing advertised as '2 months free'. Higher credit tiers exist (not itemised on page). |
| Business | $50/mo | 100 monthly credits; adds team workspace, SSO, role-based access, workspace-only publishing, security center. Yearly billing '2 months free'. |
| Enterprise | Custom (platform fee, volume-based) | SCIM, audit logs, EU inference, GitHub Enterprise, custom SLA. |
Bubble: limits to know
- Platform lock-in: no code export
- Usage-based workload-unit billing can add overage costs as traffic grows
- AI credits are per app and monthly allowances don't roll over; purchased credits expire after 6 months
- Going live requires a paid plan; mobile and web+mobile plans cost more
Lovable: limits to know
- Free plan capped at 30 build credits per month and invite-only publishing (pricing page, plans docs).
- Credit cost per message varies with task complexity, making spend less predictable (pricing FAQ examples: 0.5 to 1.7 credits).
- No native iOS/Android or React Native output; web apps only (docs FAQ).
- Framework and database are fixed by Lovable (docs FAQ).
What indie makers use
7 makers list Bubble, including Louis Pereira, Lee Hills and Ben Tossell. 1 maker list Lovable, including Prajwal Tomar. Counts come from the stack each maker lists on their IndieMakerList profile.
More comparisons
Bubble vs Lovable FAQ
Is Bubble better than Lovable?
Neither is better for everyone. Both let non-coders build real apps with AI, but they produce different things. Bubble generates a visual app you keep editing in Bubble's editor, including native mobile apps, and you can't export code. Lovable generates code you can sync to GitHub and take elsewhere. Choose Bubble if you want to keep editing visually without reading code. Choose Lovable if you want to own the code.
Which is cheaper, Bubble or Lovable?
Bubble paid use starts at $39/mo (web) and Lovable at $25/mo (official pricing pages, checked Nov 3, 2026). Bubble has free plan for building; Lovable has free plan.
Which is better for non-coders, Bubble or Lovable?
Bubble is aimed at non-coders: Suits non-technical founders and agencies who want a visual, hosted app they can keep editing without code, and don't need the source code. Lovable is aimed at non-coders: Suits founders, designers and non-technical teams building web apps and prototypes; developers can continue in their own editor via two-way Git sync.
Do indie makers use Bubble or Lovable?
On IndieMakerList, 7 makers list Bubble in their stack and 1 maker list Lovable. 7 makers list Bubble, including Louis Pereira, Lee Hills and Ben Tossell. 1 maker list Lovable, including Prajwal Tomar.
Sources
Official pages were read on Nov 3, 2026. Prices change often; check the vendor's page before you buy.
- Bubble pricing
- Bubble manual: pricing plans
- Bubble AI app builder
- Bubble blog: Introducing Agent 2 and the Bubble MCP (Oct 6, 2026)
- Bubble forum: AI Agent now available to everyone
- Lovable pricing
- Lovable docs: Plans and credits
- Lovable docs: FAQ
- Lovable docs: GitHub integration
- Lovable blog: Series C
- tech.eu: Lovable valuation doubles to $13.3B
What we couldn't confirm from an official source
- Mobile build-submission and live-version counts per plan were blank in the scraped pricing page
- AI models behind Bubble AI / Agent 2 are not named
- ARR: secondary reports cite $500M (June 2026) and >$600M (Sept 2026); Lovable's Series C post states no ARR figure.
- Exact annual-billing dollar prices and the price ladder for higher Pro/Business credit tiers were not shown in the fetched page text.
- Which LLM vendors power the builder is not officially stated on pages checked.