| Feature | Bolt.new | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing | Free tier (1M tokens/mo) — $25/mo Pro — $50/mo Team | Free tier — $20/mo Pro — $40/mo Business |
| Best For | Developers, indie hackers, rapid prototypers | Software developers |
| Key Feature | Full development environment in the browser with instant deploy and code visibility | Codebase-aware AI chat and multi-file editing with full project context |
| Affiliate Program | Yes | No |
Pricing Breakdown
Cursor starts at a lower price point ($20/mo vs $25/mo for Bolt.new). That $5/month difference adds up to $60/year — meaningful for solopreneurs but negligible for teams where productivity gains matter more than subscription costs.
Who Is Each Tool For?
Bolt.new is built for developers, indie hackers, rapid prototypers, while Cursor targets software developers. If you identify more with one audience, that tool will likely feel more intuitive out of the box.
Feature Comparison
Bolt.new's standout feature is full development environment in the browser with instant deploy and code visibility. Cursor differentiates with codebase-aware ai chat and multi-file editing with full project context. For coding workflows, the question is which capability removes your biggest bottleneck.
When to Choose Which
You're a developers on a tight budget
Winner: Cursor — Lower starting cost means faster payback on your investment
You need full development environment in the browser with instant dep
Winner: Bolt.new — Bolt.new was specifically designed around this capability
You need codebase-aware ai chat and multi-file editing with full proj
Winner: Cursor — Cursor was specifically designed around this capability
The Money Question
From an ROI perspective, a coding tool that saves you 5 hours/week is worth $1000/month at a $50/hr effective rate. Both Bolt.new and Cursor aim to deliver that time savings — the right choice depends on where your specific workflow loses the most time.
Bolt.new
Free tier (1M tokens/mo) — $25/mo Pro — $50/mo Team
AI-powered web development environment that builds, runs, and deploys full-stack apps directly in the browser.
Key Differentiator
Full development environment in the browser with instant deploy and code visibility
Cursor
Free tier — $20/mo Pro — $40/mo Business
AI-first code editor built on VS Code with built-in AI pair programming, code generation, and codebase understanding.
Key Differentiator
Codebase-aware AI chat and multi-file editing with full project context