v0 by Vercel vs Bolt.new
AI Builders
v0 by Vercel
AI UI Generation
Free tier / $20/mo Premium
★ 4.6/5
Bolt.new
Prompt to Full-Stack App
Free tier / $20/mo Pro / $50/mo Teams
★ 4.5/5
Our Verdict
v0 produces the cleanest, most production-ready UI code — ideal for React/Next.js developers who want components they can drop into existing projects. Bolt.new is the faster path to a complete, deployed full-stack application with framework flexibility. Use v0 for quality UI, Bolt for shipping full apps fast.
v0 vs Bolt.new — Full Comparison for 2026
v0 and Bolt.new are two of the most popular AI-powered builders, but they approach code generation from different angles. v0 started as the best way to generate React UI components and has expanded toward full-stack apps. Bolt.new was built from day one to generate, run, and deploy complete web applications in the browser. This guide breaks down exactly when to use each.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | v0 | Bolt.new |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Strength | UI components and page design | Full-stack app generation |
| Framework Support | React / Next.js only | React, Next.js, Vue, Svelte, Astro, and more |
| Component Library | shadcn/ui + Tailwind CSS | Framework-dependent (Tailwind common) |
| Runtime | Cloud generation, preview in browser | WebContainers — full Node.js in browser |
| Database Support | Basic (server actions, Prisma) | Supabase integration |
| Authentication | Manual setup via NextAuth or similar | Via Supabase or custom |
| Deployment | Vercel one-click | Netlify one-click |
| Image-to-Code | Excellent — pixel-accurate recreation | Limited |
| Code Quality | Exceptional — clean, idiomatic React | Good — functional, sometimes verbose |
| Code Export | Copy code or npx v0 add to local project | Download files or push to GitHub |
| File System | Shows generated code | Full file tree with editing |
| Terminal Access | No | Yes — WebContainers terminal |
| Real-time Preview | Fast cloud preview | Instant (runs locally in browser) |
| Iterative Editing | Chat-based prompts | Chat-based prompts |
| Complexity Ceiling | Growing — now handles multi-page apps | High — full-stack with backend logic |
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | v0 | Bolt.new |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 200 messages/mo | Limited tokens |
| Pro | $20/mo (5,000 messages) | $20/mo (10M tokens) |
| Team | $30/user/mo | $50/mo |
| Usage Model | Message-based | Token-based |
Bottom line on pricing: Both are $20/mo for individual use. v0's 5,000 messages stretch far for UI iteration. Bolt's 10M tokens are generous for full-app generation. For pure UI work, v0 gives more value per dollar; for full-stack apps, Bolt's tokens cover more ground.
Target Audience
Choose v0 if you are:
- A frontend developer in the React/Next.js ecosystem
- Someone who needs pixel-perfect, production-quality component code
- A developer adding AI-generated UI to an existing project (
npx v0 add) - A designer who wants to convert screenshots into working code
- Building a component library or design system
- Someone who values code quality over deployment speed
Choose Bolt.new if you are:
- A builder who wants a complete deployed app, not just UI components
- Someone who needs Vue, Svelte, Astro, or frameworks beyond React
- A non-developer who wants to go from idea to live app with zero setup
- A developer who wants to see and interact with the full file system
- Someone who needs backend logic, API routes, and database integration
- A hackathon participant who needs to ship a full app fast
Use Case Recommendations
| Use Case | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| React component generation | v0 | Best-in-class component code quality |
| Full-stack web application | Bolt.new | Generates frontend + backend + database |
| Screenshot/design to code | v0 | Image-to-code is far more accurate |
| Landing page | Tie | v0 for quality, Bolt for speed-to-deploy |
| Vue or Svelte project | Bolt.new | v0 is React/Next.js only |
| Adding UI to existing project | v0 | npx v0 add integrates seamlessly |
| SaaS MVP with auth | Bolt.new | Supabase integration for auth + database |
| Design system exploration | v0 | shadcn/ui output is reusable and consistent |
| Internal tool / admin panel | Bolt.new | Full CRUD app with database |
| Portfolio website | Tie | Both create polished results |
| Client prototype | Bolt.new | Deployed and shareable instantly |
| E-commerce storefront UI | v0 | Product pages, carts, checkout flows in clean React |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which generates better code? v0 generates cleaner, more idiomatic React code using shadcn/ui components. The code is immediately usable in a professional project. Bolt's code is functional and gets the job done, but may need cleanup for production use — especially in larger apps.
Can I use v0 to build and then deploy on Bolt? Not directly. v0 generates React/Next.js code that you can copy into any project. If you wanted to combine them, you'd generate components in v0, then build the full-stack wrapper in Bolt. In practice, most people pick one tool per project.
Which is better for absolute beginners? Bolt.new. It handles the entire app lifecycle (code, dependencies, preview, deploy) without requiring any developer knowledge. v0 is slightly more technical — its output is meant to be integrated into a development workflow.
Does v0 support full-stack apps now? Yes, v0 has expanded beyond UI components to generate server actions, API routes, and basic database integrations for Next.js. However, this is newer and less mature than Bolt's full-stack generation.
Which is faster? Bolt previews faster because it runs code in WebContainers directly in your browser. v0 generates in the cloud and shows a preview. For iterative UI work, both feel responsive. For full-app generation, Bolt gets you to a running app faster.
Can I use both together? Yes — a solid workflow is to design your UI components in v0 (getting the highest quality code), then use Bolt to scaffold the full application and integrate those components. Some developers also use v0 for initial design, export to GitHub, and continue in Cursor.
Which deploys better? v0 deploys to Vercel (one of the best hosting platforms for Next.js). Bolt deploys to Netlify (also excellent). Both offer free tiers. The deployment experience is comparable; choose based on which hosting platform you prefer.