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Updated 4 September 2026 · Independent comparison

Bolt.new vs Cursor:
which should you use?

Bolt.new and Cursor, 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. Cursor is built for coding, data & technical work.

Pricing, simplified

Start free. Upgrade when you need more.

2 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 Cursor side by side, with the better fit for each row.
CategoryBolt.newCursorBetter 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.The editor most professional developers have converged on. Understands a whole codebase, not just the open file.Cursor
Fit for coding, data & technical workStrong fitBuilt for thisCursor
Free planYes. Free tier, 300K tokens a day and 1M a monthYes. Hobby plan, limited creditsTie
Cheapest way to pay$25 a month.$20 a month.Cursor
What the paid tiers cost
  • One person, from $25/month
  • Enterprise, priced on request
  • One person, 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.A SpaceX subsidiary since the June 2026 acquisition, which matters if vendor independence does.Tie
Who it is usually fordevelopers, people exploringdevelopersTie
What it asks of youExpects some technical comfort to get going.No setup — it works in a browser.Tie
Made byStackBlitz — San Francisco, US.Anysphere (Cursor) — San Francisco, US.Tie

Cursor is ahead on 3 of the 9 rows compared, 2 of them about how well it does the job itself. That is a clear lead rather than a tiebreaker.

Overall pick

Cursor

The editor most professional developers have converged on.

✓ The job is mainly coding, data & technical work ✓ The editor most professional developers have converged on. ✓ You want the cheaper paid plan, $20 against $25 ✓ You would rather not configure anything first
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 are among people exploring ✓ Free tier, 300K tokens a day and 1M a month ✓ It is aimed at developers, people exploring

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 3 rows that decided this page, with the source for each.
RowFavoursWeightWhere it came from
What it's built forCursorHow 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 workCursorHow 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
Cheapest way to payCursorEverything 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

Cursor. Read by hand off cursor.com on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. cursor.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
Cursor
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
Cursor
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
03

Writing, Communication & Language

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

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Cursor
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
04

Coding, Data & Technical Work

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

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

Business, Finance & Professional Work

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

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

Image & Design

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

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Cursor
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
07

Video

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

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Cursor
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
08

Audio, Voice & Music

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

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Cursor
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
09

Marketing & Content Creation

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

Bolt.new
Bad fit
Cursor
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
Cursor
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 are among people exploring
Free tier, 300K tokens a day and 1M a month
It is aimed at developers, people exploring
Pick Cursor if

The editor most professional developers have converged on.

by Anysphere (Cursor)
The job is mainly coding, data & technical work
The editor most professional developers have converged on.
You want the cheaper paid plan, $20 against $25
You would rather not configure anything first

Pricing, simplified

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

PricingSimple, up-to-date plan overview.
Bolt.newby StackBlitz
Cursorby Anysphere (Cursor)
Free version
Bolt.new
Yes — Free plan available300K tokens a day and 1M a month
Cursor
Yes — Free plan availableHobby plan, limited credits
Individual plans
Bolt.new
Pro From $25 / month$18 / month (annual)
Teams $30 / month$27 / month (annual)
Cursor
Pro $20 / month$16 / month (annual)
Pro+ $60 / month$48 / month (annual)
Ultra $200 / month$160 / month (annual)
Teams standard seat $40 / month
Teams premium seat $120 / month$96 / month (annual)
Business plans
Bolt.newNot sold to teams
CursorNot sold to teams
Enterprise
Bolt.new
Custom pricing
CursorNot published
View full details
Bolt.newView Bolt.new pricing
CursorView Cursor 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
Cursor
Cursor. It is built for coding, data & technical work; Bolt.new does it well without it being its focus; both have a free plan you can start on; Cursor is cheaper to start paying for, $20 against $25.
9 rows compared

Frequently asked questions

Is Bolt.new or Cursor better?

Cursor is ahead on 3 of the 9 rows compared, 2 of them about how well it does the job itself. That is a clear lead rather than a tiebreaker. Cursor is built for coding, data & technical work; Bolt.new does it well without it being its focus; both have a free plan you can start on; Cursor 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. Cursor: The editor most professional developers have converged on. Understands a whole codebase, not just the open file.

Is Bolt.new or Cursor cheaper?

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

Do Bolt.new and Cursor both have free plans?

Yes. Bolt.new: Free tier, 300K tokens a day and 1M a month. Cursor: Hobby plan, limited credits.

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. Cursor: A SpaceX subsidiary since the June 2026 acquisition, which matters if vendor independence does.

Read more

Bolt.new

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

Cursor

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.