> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://archie.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Archie vs. Bolt: which AI app builder should you use?
> Archie vs. Bolt.new compared: planning, backend, environments, editing, pricing model, and when to choose each AI app builder.
**Archie and Bolt both build web apps from natural language, but they're built around different ideas.** Bolt is a fast, browser-based builder: it runs a full development environment right in your browser and generates code as you prompt. Archie is definition-first: it generates a structured plan of the whole app, lets you shape it, and then builds the frontend and a relational backend from that plan.
Last reviewed September 2026, based on Bolt's public documentation and pricing. Competitor products change often — if something here is out of date, tell us at [support@archie.com](mailto:support@archie.com).
## At a glance
| | Archie | Bolt |
| - | - | - |
| **Starting point** | A structured [plan](/docs/features/plan/overview) of the whole app | A prompt in chat |
| **Planning** | A lasting definition of the app that every build follows | Plan and Discussion modes for thinking through changes |
| **Where it runs** | Hosted platform with a built-in IDE | A full dev environment in the browser (WebContainers) |
| **Backend** | [Archie Core](/docs/features/backend/overview): PostgreSQL or MySQL, GraphQL and REST APIs, role-based access | Bolt Cloud: databases, auth, file storage, edge functions, hosting |
| **Environments** | Git-like [environments](/docs/features/backend/environments/overview) with branching, schema diff, merge, and backups | Deploy-focused; staging patterns are up to you |
| **Usage metering** | AI credits weighted by task complexity, cost shown before heavier tasks | Tokens; usage grows with project size |
| **Free plan** | 50 AI credits per month | 1M tokens per month, 300K daily limit |
| **Entry paid plan** | Pro from \$25/month for 200 AI credits | Pro from \$25/month for 10M tokens |
## How each one works
**Bolt**, from StackBlitz, runs a complete development environment — file system, terminal, package manager, and preview — inside your browser using WebContainers. You prompt, Bolt generates and runs the code, and you see the result almost immediately. Bolt Cloud adds built-in databases, authentication, file storage, edge functions, and hosting. Plan and Discussion modes let you work through a change before code is generated.
**Archie** starts with a [plan](/docs/features/plan/overview): overview, modules, user types, system services, and integrations, all editable. From the plan, **Generate Frontend** lays out every screen in a [UI architecture](/docs/features/frontend/generating) and builds a click-through prototype, and **Generate Backend** builds the schema and APIs on [Archie Core](/docs/features/backend/overview). **Generate Full-Stack** turns the prototype into a deployed app. See [How Archie works](/docs/introduction/getting-started/welcome#how-archie-works).
## Key differences
### Speed of the first draft vs. structure of the whole app
Bolt is built for speed: prompt to running preview in seconds, all in the browser. That makes it great for experiments, demos, and hackathons.
Archie trades a few minutes up front for structure. The plan defines who uses the app, what each user type can do, and how the modules fit together before code exists. Every screen gets a spec and an access level in the UI architecture. The build follows that definition, which is what keeps an app coherent as it grows. See [Why the plan comes first](/docs/introduction/getting-started/welcome#why-the-plan-comes-first).
### Backend depth
Both tools include a backend. Bolt Cloud covers databases, auth, storage, edge functions, and hosting.
Archie Core is built for production workloads: a relational database with a visual [data model](/docs/features/backend/data-model/overview), auto-generated [GraphQL](/docs/features/backend/graphql-api-explorer/overview) and [REST](/docs/features/backend/rest-api-explorer/overview) APIs with an [OpenAPI spec](/docs/features/backend/rest-api-explorer/openapi-specification), [role-based access](/docs/features/backend/app-services/role-based-access) with [row-level filters](/docs/features/backend/app-services/row-level-filters), [webhooks](/docs/features/backend/rest-api-explorer/webhooks), [queues and an event bus](/docs/features/backend/app-services/queues-and-event-bus/overview), [scheduled tasks](/docs/features/backend/scheduled-tasks/overview), and built-in integrations for [Stripe](/docs/features/backend/integrations/stripe), [SendGrid](/docs/features/backend/integrations/sendgrid), [Twilio](/docs/features/backend/integrations/twilio), [Slack](/docs/features/backend/integrations/slack), and [Shopify](/docs/features/backend/integrations/shopify).
### Environments and safe changes
Archie Core gives backends Git-like [environments](/docs/features/backend/environments/overview): branch development and staging copies, compare schemas with [diff](/docs/features/backend/environments/diff), [merge](/docs/features/backend/environments/merge) changes forward transactionally, and restore from automatic [backups](/docs/features/backend/environments/backups). Multiple environments are available on Professional and Enterprise backends.
### How usage is metered
Bolt meters usage in tokens. Because the AI reads your project on each message, token use tends to grow as the project gets larger. Archie uses [AI credits](/docs/introduction/getting-started/plans-and-credits#ai-credits) weighted by task complexity. Heavier tasks show their estimated cost before they run, and manual edits, deploying, and exporting code never use credits.
## When to choose Bolt
* You want the fastest possible path from prompt to running preview, entirely in the browser.
* You're building a demo, a hackathon project, or a quick JavaScript experiment.
* You like working directly in a full in-browser IDE with a terminal.
## When to choose Archie
* You want the whole app defined — users, roles, modules, data — before code is written.
* Your app has multiple user types with different permissions.
* You need a relational backend with GraphQL and REST APIs, row-level permissions, and environments you can branch and merge.
* You want usage costs you can see before heavier tasks run.
## FAQ
### Is Archie a Bolt alternative?
Yes. Both are AI app builders that generate full-stack web apps from natural language. Archie adds a plan-first workflow and a relational backend with Git-like environments; Bolt focuses on speed with an in-browser development environment.
### Does Bolt have a backend?
Yes. Bolt Cloud includes databases, authentication, file storage, edge functions, and hosting. Archie's backend, Archie Core, adds PostgreSQL or MySQL with auto-generated GraphQL and REST APIs, row-level permissions, webhooks, queues, scheduled tasks, and environments. See [Infrastructure and Archie Core](/docs/faq/infrastructure).
### Tokens vs. credits: which is more predictable?
It depends on how you work. Bolt's token use grows with project size because the AI reads more of the project on each message. Archie's credits are weighted by task complexity, and heavier tasks show their cost before they run. See [AI credits](/docs/introduction/getting-started/plans-and-credits#ai-credits).
### Can I export my code from Archie?
Yes. Paid plans include two-way GitHub sync, and your data lives in a standard PostgreSQL or MySQL database you can export. See [Security, compliance, and data](/docs/faq/security).
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