Bolt vs Cursor

Bolt (by StackBlitz) takes a text prompt and scaffolds a working full-stack web app — frontend, backend, and dependencies — running entirely inside the browser via StackBlitz's WebContainers technology, so there's nothing to install locally. You can iterate by chatting with the AI to add features, fix errors, or restyle the UI, with a live preview updating in real time, and deploy directly to Netlify from the same interface. The free tier includes a limited daily token allowance that's enough for small projects and experiments; anything beyond simple prototypes typically needs a paid plan. Generated code is a solid starting point but, like most AI app builders, often needs manual review and cleanup before it's production-ready, especially for backend logic and security.

Cursor is built on top of VS Code, so most keyboard shortcuts, extensions, and themes carry over — the learning curve is mainly about the AI features layered on. Tab handles intelligent multi-line completions, Cmd+K rewrites selected code inline, and Chat can answer questions about your whole project rather than just the open file. The free tier includes a limited number of fast premium-model requests per month; heavy daily use typically requires the $20/mo Pro plan, and very large codebases can slow down the context-indexing step. Recent updates added Cloud Agents for running longer tasks remotely, Origin for hosting and reviewing code changes, and improved Git support at scale.

• + Full-stack app generation from a prompt
• + Runs entirely in-browser, no setup
• + Live preview and one-click deploy
• + Good for rapid prototyping

• – Free tier token limits run out quickly
• – Generated code often needs manual cleanup
• – Less suited to large, complex codebases

• + Full codebase context
• + VS Code compatible
• + Excellent autocomplete
• + Inline edit mode

• – Expensive for heavy users
• – Slower on large codebases