Buildy vs Bolt.new
Buildy vs Bolt.new
Bolt.new, from StackBlitz, is an AI website-and-app builder with a full-stack development environment in the browser. It creates web projects and also supports Expo/React Native. Buildy is mobile-first: describe an app, get an Expo/React Native, Kotlin, or SwiftUI project, iterate in a hosted preview, and use a paid plan for source export and managed signed builds. Both tools can provide source code, so the decision is mainly about workflow and target.
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| Buildy | Bolt.new | |
|---|---|---|
| Code ownership | Yours, standard Expo project.zip export or GitHub sync, no proprietary runtime | Yours too.zip download + GitHub export (open-source edition: bolt.diy, MIT) |
| Native targets | Expo/React Native (default) + native Android (Kotlin/Compose) + native iOS (SwiftUI) | Web-first (React/Next.js/Vue); mobile via Expo/React Native only, added more recently |
| Free tier | Generate + hosted PWA preview on your phone, with a Home Screen shortcut; no card | 1M tokens/month (300K/day), no card; oriented around in-browser web preview |
| Export | Zip + GitHub sync (paid); plain Expo project that runs anywhere | Zip download + GitHub export |
| Pricing | Free / Pro €25 / Max €50, Paddle merchant of record, EU VAT included | Free / Pro $25 / Teams $30 per member / Enterprise custom (USD, token-metered) |
| App Store 2.5.2 | Hosted preview is separate from the release project, reducing one runtime-code risk; final review depends on the app | Generates standard Expo apps; self-contained if you build them yourself and avoid OTA feature-changes |
| Backend | Supabase integration (Pro) | Full-stack web backends; Supabase + Netlify integrations |
| Learning curve / store builds | Describe → hosted preview; paid plans add source export and managed signed builds (Pro: 3 Android + 1 iOS/mo) | In-browser IDE; mobile store builds require installing the EAS CLI and building on your own machine |
Where Buildy is the better pick
Native mobile is the product, not a bolt-on. Buildy targets Expo/React Native by default, plus true native Android (Kotlin/Compose) and native iOS (SwiftUI). Bolt.new has added Expo support, but it remains a web-first tool (React/Next.js/Vue) running in a browser sandbox.
Managed cloud store builds are included. Buildy Pro ships 3 Android + 1 iOS store build/month (Max: 15 Android + 5 iOS). Per Bolt's own Expo docs, Bolt does not run EAS for you, you download the code, install the EAS CLI, and run the build on your own machine.
The free tier supports phone testing. Generate a project, open the hosted PWA preview on your phone, and add it to the Home Screen, with no card. Native source export and signed builds are paid.
A separated preview architecture. Buildy's hosted preview is not packaged into the release project, which reduces one runtime-code pattern addressed by Guideline 2.5.2. Final review still depends on the submitted app.
EU-friendly billing. Paddle is the merchant of record, so EU VAT is handled for you and pricing is in euros (Pro €25 / Max €50).
Where Bolt.new may be the better pick
No tool wins everything. Here's where Bolt.new is genuinely the stronger choice.
If you actually want a web app or a full-stack web SaaS, Bolt.new is purpose-built for it: an instant in-browser IDE, mature React/Next.js/Vue support, and one-click web hosting. Buildy is mobile-first and is not the right tool for a pure web app.
Bolt also gives you your code.zip download plus GitHub export, and even has an open-source edition (bolt.diy, MIT). So 'you own your code' is not a reason to pick Buildy over Bolt specifically; it's true of both.
Bolt's Pro is nominally a touch cheaper ($25 vs €25), and its token rollover plus the broader StackBlitz framework/community ecosystem make it more battle-tested for general web development.
The verdict
Pick by target. Bolt.new is a strong choice for web apps and full-stack web products. Buildy offers a more direct mobile workflow: a hosted phone preview during iteration, owned mobile source and managed signed builds on paid plans. Its preview service stays outside the release project, which reduces one runtime-code pattern but does not guarantee store approval. Both tools can provide source code; the practical question is web-first or mobile-first.
Build your first app free →Bolt.new pricing and token amounts (Free 1M/mo + 300K/day, Pro $25, Teams $30/member, Enterprise custom) were read from bolt.new/pricing and its Expo integration docs in July 2026 and may change; check their site for current figures. The €25 vs $25 comparison depends on the EUR/USD rate at the time you read this. The App Store 2.5.2 point describes Buildy's architecture (preview kept off-device); it is not a claim that Bolt-generated apps fail review, a standard Expo app you build yourself is generally self-contained as long as it doesn't use over-the-air updates to change features. Mobile preview details in Bolt can vary; its docs describe testing via the Expo Go app (QR code) rather than a fully in-browser mobile runtime.