Bolt is cheaper, VibeDream makes games
VibeDream vs Bolt.new compares two builders that go from a chat to a published app. On price, Bolt wins: its free plan includes 1M AI tokens a month, Pro adds 10M a month with rollover for $18 a month billed yearly, and every plan lists hosting and databases. Pick VibeDream instead if you want to make games as well as apps, prefer to describe ideas by voice or screenshot, or want a flat cost to publish rather than a token meter.
Checked Oct 2026. Bolt facts come from bolt.new/pricing. VibeDream facts come from our pricing page and getting started guide.
A space shooter and a habit tracker
Try both with one prompt on the same day, for example: "A space shooter game where I dodge asteroids and collect stars for points." Then try a second one: "A habit tracker where I tick off each habit for today and see my streak." One game, one app.
On VibeDream, describe a game and it builds it with Phaser, ready to play on phones and computers. You can play it in the preview while the AI works, then ask for changes such as "make the player jump higher" or "add a level two". The habit tracker is built as a React + FastAPI app.
On Bolt, paste the same prompts and watch the token meter. Bigger projects use more tokens per request, because the model reads more of your code each time.
For each, note minutes to a working preview, follow-ups needed, and credits or tokens used. Then play the game on a phone for a minute. Touch controls and screen size are where browser games usually fall down, so test that on your own phone rather than trusting either company.
Why token cost grows with your project
Bolt counts AI tokens. The free plan has 1M a month with a 300K daily limit. Pro has 10M a month, no daily limit, and unused tokens roll over. Because the model reads more of your code on each request as the project grows, the same small change costs more tokens in week four than in week one. Rollover softens that for people who build in bursts.
VibeDream counts credits. Building uses credits from your plan, and putting your app online costs a flat 5 credits per update. Your balance shows in the app, and credit packs top it up. Neither model is cheaper in every case; it depends on how much you change and how often you publish.
Databases and the backend
Bolt's pricing lists unlimited databases on every plan, and on Pro expanded database capacity, a choice of database provider, and connectors and MCPs. File uploads are capped at 10MB on Free and 100MB on Pro.
VibeDream apps include a FastAPI backend written in Python as part of your project, and templates such as the Aesthetic Waitlist save signups without setup. File storage for uploads comes with your plan: 25GB on All Access Mini and 1TB on All Access. One-tap login and database work today, and one-tap payments are coming soon. Bolt still offers unlimited databases and a choice of provider on Pro.
Publishing and your own domain
Bolt includes website hosting on every plan. Pro adds your own domain, removes Bolt branding, and adds private sharing and SEO boosting for published sites.
VibeDream includes hosting and a vibedreams.ai address on both plans. Tap Put it online, pick a name, and it is usually live in 1 to 3 minutes with HTTPS. For your own domain, add the TXT and CNAME records shown and HTTPS turns on automatically, as the deployment guide explains.
For code, VibeDream's Code tab shows every file, and you can export a ZIP or sync to GitHub. Bolt's pricing page does not describe export, so check its help center for current options.
$18 against $49
VibeDream:
- All Access Mini: $49 a month or $297 a year, 60 credits, 3 active projects, 25GB storage.
- All Access: $97 a month or $497 a year, 150 credits, 5 active projects, 1TB storage.
- No free plan. Credit packs start at 50 credits for $30 and are valid for a year.
Bolt, billed yearly:
- Free: $0, 1M tokens a month, 300K a day, Bolt branding on sites.
- Pro: $18 a month billed yearly, $216 a year (the page shows $300 crossed out), 10M tokens with rollover.
- Teams: $27 per member a month billed yearly.
Bolt is cheaper at every step and has a free plan. VibeDream's $49 includes your own domain, storage and hosting, which Bolt also covers on Pro, so the price gap is real. Pay it only for what Bolt does not give you.
Templates and starting points
Bolt's site lists Bolt Templates, described as production-ready starting points such as dashboards, storefronts and portfolios, that you fork and make your own.
VibeDream's gallery has seven templates, each a finished page you change by chatting, from the Aesthetic Landing Page to the Blank Starter, a clean React and FastAPI project with front end and backend already connected. The donation, supporter and checkout templates show the layout today; taking payments on them waits for the payments module.
Building on the bus
VibeDream works on a phone. Use the Chat and Preview tabs at the top to switch between talking to the AI and trying your app, and record a voice note instead of typing. That makes it practical to fix a typo on your site or try a game idea away from a desk. If phone building matters to you, try Bolt on your phone too before deciding.
Sharing what you made
Bolt's Free plan lists public and private projects, and Pro adds private sharing. Published sites on Free carry Bolt branding until you upgrade.
On VibeDream, once you press Put it online your project has its own vibedreams.ai address that anyone can open, on a phone or a computer. That is especially handy for games: send the link and friends can play straight away, with nothing to install. When you change something, the live version stays as it was until you press Update it, so people never see a half-finished edit.
Where each one is the better buy
Bolt is the better buy for trying ideas on a free plan, for builders who work in bursts and want tokens to carry over, and for anyone who wants to pick the database provider. VibeDream is the better buy for games, for people who prompt by voice or screenshot, and for projects where you want the cost of each publish to stay flat. If you are stuck, the support page reaches a real person.
Getting started on VibeDream
Create an account, tap New Project and either describe your idea or choose Use Template from the template gallery. If something breaks, paste the error into the chat and the AI fixes it.