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Updated 4 September 2026 · Independent comparison

Bolt.new vs Claude Code:
which should you use?

Bolt.new and Claude Code, side by side. Find the one that fits what you need to do.

Find your best fit

The 30-second answer

Bolt.new describe an app and it builds and runs it in the browser, with the code editable and deployable from there. Claude Code is built for coding, data & technical work.

Pricing, simplified

Start free. Upgrade when you need more.

1 of 2 have a free plan 0 of 2 prices re-read automatically · how we know No paid placement

The 30-second comparison

If you only read one section, make it this one. Rows where both sides say the same thing are left out — the point is where they differ. Where each row came from is listed underneath.

Bolt.new and Claude Code side by side, with the better fit for each row.
CategoryBolt.newClaude CodeBetter fit
What it's built forDescribe an app and it builds and runs it in the browser, with the code editable and deployable from there.Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes.Claude Code
Fit for coding, data & technical workStrong fitBuilt for thisClaude Code
Free planYes. Free tier, 300K tokens a day and 1M a monthNo. Paid from the start.Bolt.new
Cheapest way to pay$25 a month.$20 a month.Claude Code
What the paid tiers cost
  • One person, from $25/month
  • Enterprise, priced on request
  • One person, from $20/month
  • Per seat, from $25/month
  • Enterprise, from $20/month
Tie
What to watch out forCredits burn quickly on iteration, and a generated app is a prototype until someone reads it. Pro is sold in token tiers from 10M a month up, so its price is the entry rate rather than the bill.Consumes usage quickly on long agentic runs. Assess it on your own codebase.Tie
Who it is usually fordevelopers, people exploringdevelopersTie
Made byStackBlitz — San Francisco, US.Anthropic — San Francisco, US.Tie

Claude Code is ahead on 3 of the 8 rows compared, 1 of them about how well it does the job itself, against 1 to Bolt.new. It is a single row of daylight, so read Bolt.new’s column before deciding.

Overall pick

Claude Code

Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes.

✓ The job is mainly coding, data & technical work ✓ Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes. ✓ You want the cheaper paid plan, $20 against $25 ✓ It is built for coding, data & technical work
Choose Bolt.new instead if…

Describe an app and it builds and runs it in the browser, with the code editable and deployable from there.

Bolt.new is the better answer when the job is what it was built for rather than what the pick above does broadly.

✓ Describe an app and it builds and runs it in the browser, with the code editable and deployable from there. ✓ You want to start without paying anything ✓ You are among people exploring ✓ Free tier, 300K tokens a day and 1M a month

How we know

Every row that separated these two, and where it came from. Nothing here is a hands-on test — if a line rests on a vendor’s own pricing page, it says so and links it.

The 4 rows that decided this page, with the source for each.
RowFavoursWeightWhere it came from
What it's built forClaude CodeHow well it does the jobFrom this site’s own catalogue record for each product — compiled by hand, not imported. How a product gets listed
Fit for coding, data & technical workClaude CodeHow well it does the jobBoth products are listed under coding, data & technical work in the catalogue, and this is the fit recorded against each listing. Everything listed under coding, data & technical work
Free planBolt.newHow well it does the jobFrom each vendor’s own pricing page. Dates and pages are listed below.
Cheapest way to payClaude CodeEverything elseFrom each vendor’s own pricing page. Dates and pages are listed below.

The prices

Bolt.new. Read by hand off bolt.new on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. bolt.new/pricing

Claude Code. Read by hand off anthropic.com on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. anthropic.com/pricing

The ratings

The category these two share. Coding, Data & Technical Work — both are listed there in the catalogue, and the fit recorded against each listing is a judgement made here, by hand.

The nine-category grid below. Derived from what each product is listed for, by one script, once per build — so the same pair always reads the same. It is a derivation, not a review.

What this is not

Neither product was run side by side to produce this page. Nobody was paid to appear on it and nothing here is ranked by commission.

To put the same question to both and read the answers yourself, run them side by side — that is a live test, and this is not.

Choose based on what you’re doing

All ten categories, including the ones where neither of these is the answer. These ratings are derived from what each product is listed for, not from running it — a rating here is a reading of the record, and the record is linked.

01

General-Purpose AI Assistants

Questions, brainstorming, explanations, everyday tasks, decision-making, general advice.

Bolt.new
Not a good fit
Claude Code
Not a good fit
Best choice: Neither
02

Search, Research & Academics

Web research, deep research, books, academic papers, citations, news, fact-checking.

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Claude Code
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
03

Writing, Communication & Language

Emails, reports, essays, editing, summarizing, translation, presentations.

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Claude Code
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
04

Coding, Data & Technical Work

Programming, debugging, data analysis, spreadsheets, math, engineering, technical research.

Bolt.new
Good fit
Claude Code
Built for this
Best choice: Claude Code
05

Business, Finance & Professional Work

Business strategy, investing, market research, legal, sales, HR, accounting, consulting.

Bolt.new
Not a good fit
Claude Code
Not a good fit
Best choice: Neither
06

Image & Design

Image generation, photo editing, logos, graphics, product design, advertising creatives.

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Claude Code
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
07

Video

Video generation and editing, clipping, subtitles, avatars, animation and motion capture.

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Claude Code
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
08

Audio, Voice & Music

Voice generation, transcription, music, dubbing, sound cleanup and podcast production.

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Claude Code
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
09

Marketing & Content Creation

Social media, SEO, advertising, copywriting, content ideas, scripts, brand development.

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Claude Code
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
10

Productivity, Automation & Personal Life

AI agents, workflows, scheduling, meetings, organization, shopping, travel, personal finance.

Bolt.new
Not a good fit
Claude Code
Not a good fit
Best choice: Neither
Pick Bolt.new if

Describe an app and it builds and runs it in the browser, with the code editable and deployable from there.

by StackBlitz
Describe an app and it builds and runs it in the browser, with the code editable and deployable from there.
You want to start without paying anything
You are among people exploring
Free tier, 300K tokens a day and 1M a month
Pick Claude Code if

Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes.

by Anthropic
The job is mainly coding, data & technical work
Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes.
You want the cheaper paid plan, $20 against $25
It is built for coding, data & technical work

Pricing, simplified

The plans people actually compare, read from each vendor’s own page.

PricingSimple, up-to-date plan overview.
Bolt.newby StackBlitz
Claude Codeby Anthropic
Free version
Bolt.new
Yes — Free plan available300K tokens a day and 1M a month
Claude Code
No — paid from the startPaid from the start
Individual plans
Bolt.new
Pro From $25 / month$18 / month (annual)
Teams $30 / month$27 / month (annual)
Claude Code
Pro $20 / month$17 / month (annual)
Max From $100 / month
Business plans
Bolt.newNot sold to teams
Claude Code
From $25 / user / monthFrom $20 / user / month (annual)Team standard seat, Team premium seat
Enterprise
Bolt.new
Custom pricing
Claude Code
From $20 / user / month
View full details
Bolt.newView Bolt.new pricing
Claude CodeView Claude Code pricing
Interactive

Tell us what you use AI for

Pick your main job and the verdict below changes to match. Every answer is on the page already, so this works as a reader, not a lookup.

The verdict for that job
Claude Code
Claude Code. It is built for coding, data & technical work; Bolt.new does it well without it being its focus; only Bolt.new has a free plan; Claude Code is cheaper to start paying for, $20 against $25.
8 rows compared

Frequently asked questions

Is Bolt.new or Claude Code better?

Claude Code is ahead on 3 of the 8 rows compared, 1 of them about how well it does the job itself, against 1 to Bolt.new. It is a single row of daylight, so read Bolt.new’s column before deciding. Claude Code is built for coding, data & technical work; Bolt.new does it well without it being its focus; only Bolt.new has a free plan; Claude Code is cheaper to start paying for, $20 against $25. Bolt.new: Describe an app and it builds and runs it in the browser, with the code editable and deployable from there. Claude Code: Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes.

Is Bolt.new or Claude Code cheaper?

Claude Code — paid plans start at $20 a month against $25 a month.

Do Bolt.new and Claude Code both have free plans?

Bolt.new does — Free tier, 300K tokens a day and 1M a month. Claude Code does not.

What should I watch out for?

Bolt.new: Credits burn quickly on iteration, and a generated app is a prototype until someone reads it. Pro is sold in token tiers from 10M a month up, so its price is the entry rate rather than the bill. Claude Code: Consumes usage quickly on long agentic runs. Assess it on your own codebase.

Read more

Bolt.new

What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.

Claude Code

What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.

Best AI for Coding

Programming, debugging, data analysis, spreadsheets, math, engineering, technical research.

How we compare AI tools
Every row is generated from the same record the rest of the site is built on, so this page cannot drift from what we say elsewhere. We separate winner, tie and depends rather than forcing each category into a ranking, and we drop rows where both sides say the same thing. A pick is only called an overall pick when it leads on rows about how well the tool does the job; a lead that rests on price or audience alone is labelled as one. Nothing here is a hands-on test — how we know lists the source and date behind every deciding row.