Each builder counts credits its own way. Here is what each one charges for, and how to spend less.
Builders charge for the work the AI does, not for a feature that works. None of the pages we checked promises a refund when a fix fails. Below: how six builders count, what each page says about failed fixes, and how to spend fewer.
What do Lovable credits pay for?
One shared balance. It covers building and chat, Cloud, the AI gateway and connectors. Specific grants are spent first.
Not every prompt costs one credit. In Plan mode, a message costs 1 credit plus any research Lovable runs while planning. In Build mode the cost varies with the work. Lovable shows the usage on each response, so you can see what a prompt cost.
If you stop a Build, you pay for the work already done. If you stop before Lovable has changed anything, you aren't charged.
The free plan gives 5 build credits a day, up to 30 a month. Daily build credits reset every day at 00:00 UTC and don't roll over. Once the 30 is used, they start again on the 1st of the next month. (Lovable's plans and credits pages, checked 20 Oct 2026.)
For plan prices and what a top-up costs, see What AI app builders cost.
Why do credits run out faster than the app improves?
Because you are billed for work done, not for a result.
The vendors' own pages (checked 20 Oct 2026) say this in three ways:
- A fix is another response.Context is read, the AI reasons, it writes. As far as we can tell from these pages, a fix costs like any other response. That is our reading; no page says it in those words.
- Planning can bill with no code change.Replit says so.
- More context costs more.Bolt.new and v0 both say that context and history raise the cost of each response.
The pages state the mechanics. Builders' reports, below, describe credits going on rework. We found no typical figure for how many credits an app takes, so we don't give one.
How does each builder count credits?
Differently. Here is what each vendor's page says.
| Tool | What is counted | Free, or doesn't use credits | Unused credits | Page, checked 20 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovable | What is countedBuilding and chat, Cloud, AI gateway, connectors | Free, or doesn't use creditsFree plan: 5 build credits a day, 30 a month. Stopping before any change | Unused creditsDaily credits reset 00:00 UTC, no rollover | Page, checked 20 Oct 2026Credits and usage |
| Bolt.new | What is countedTokens: context, files, reasoning, output | Free, or doesn't use creditsFree tokens (see below). Code View edits | Unused creditsPaid: reset at renewal, two-month rollover. Free: monthly | Page, checked 20 Oct 2026Bolt.new tokens |
| Replit | What is countedPaid Agent is effort-based, not a fixed charge per checkpoint. Planning can bill | Free, or doesn't use creditsFree Mode has its own allowance | Unused creditsSee Replit's page | Page, checked 20 Oct 2026AI billing |
| Base44 | What is countedMessage credits for planning, building, fixing. Integration credits are separate | Free, or doesn't use creditsManual visual edits are free | Unused creditsSee Base44's page | Page, checked 20 Oct 2026Credits |
| v0 | What is countedInput and output tokens, including context and history. The model changes the burn | Free, or doesn't use creditsAn eligible ChatGPT subscription may cover supported OpenAI responses | Unused creditsMonthly credits differ from purchased or shared credits | Page, checked 20 Oct 2026Pricing |
| Bubble | What is countedAI credits, shared by the app's collaborators. Agent edits and images use them | Free, or doesn't use creditsFree plan: 500 AI credits a month. Initial app generation, manual visual editing, Bubble MCP | Unused creditsPlan credits expire at month end | Page, checked 20 Oct 2026Agent 2, terms |
On Bubble: plan credits reset on the first of the month. Credits you buy expire six months after purchase. Hosting and server work run on a separate meter, called workload units. Our reading, not a Bubble statement: running out of AI credits doesn't stop a live app or manual editing.
Do failed fixes still cost credits?
We found no vendor that refunds a failed fix as a rule. We also found none that says a failed fix is always charged. Silence on a page is not a rule.
What each page does say (checked 20 Oct 2026):
- Lovable:stopping a Build charges the work already done. Stopping before any change costs nothing.
- Base44:only a failed-email exception is documented. It doesn't tell you what happens to a failed build.
- Bubble:credit purchases are described as final and non-refundable. The pages give no free retry for a failed fix. Failed mobile deployment builds don't count toward the build-submission quota; that is not about Agent edits.
- Replit:planning may bill without a code change. A user reports that support pointed to mode and complexity and offered to look into the case. That is one report, not a rule.
- Bolt.new:context, files, reasoning and output use tokens. The page names no failed-fix rule.
- v0:tokens by input and output. We found no failed-fix rule.
If a charge looks wrong, ask the vendor's support, with the request and the time. That is the only route any page describes.
This page covers what a failure costs, not how to fix it.
What do builders report?
Four builders describe credits going on fixes, rework or runs they didn't expect. Paraphrased:
A developer who builds apps for clients said a single day on Replit Agent ran up a high bill across several apps
(Replit forum, 5 Oct 2025; service-provider developer, not an own-app founder).
A technical user said a short Replit Agent run was billed, and that support pointed to mode and complexity
(r/replit, 16 Jul 2026; founder status unverified).
A sports-app builder said regressions kept using Base44 credits on things that already worked
(r/Base44, 3 Mar 2026; founder status unverified).
A commercial or team builder described regressions and rework on Lovable
(r/lovable, 4 Aug 2026; founder status unverified).
These are individual reports, not a count of how often this happens. We did not find a sample of people building their own app that is large enough to say.
How do you stop the burn?
Five habits, each tied to something the vendors' pages say (checked 20 Oct 2026).
- Check the usage after each prompt, not only the balance.Lovable shows usage on each response. Replit's reporting can lag, so check it after a few steps.
- Make small changes, one at a time.A big prompt is a big response.
- Edit by hand where the tool allows it.Bolt.new's Code View edits use no AI tokens. Base44's manual visual edits are free. Bubble's manual edits and initial app generation don't use AI credits.
- Stop and look before you repeat an expensive attempt.If the first fix failed, read what changed before you ask for a second. A stopped Lovable request costs only the work done.
- Keep the big plan in one place and send the tool one slice of it.Context and history raise the cost of each response (Bolt.new, v0).
Not sure how much of your app is left? The App Build Planner gives you the scope and the route.
How do Bolt.new tokens work?
Context and files, reasoning and output all use tokens (Bolt.new's support page, checked 20 Oct 2026).
Free accounts get 300K tokens a day and 1M a month. Paid allowances reset at renewal. The free allowance resets at the start of the month. On a paid plan with an active subscription, unused tokens roll over for a two-month window.
Edits you make by hand in Code View use no AI tokens.
For what a Bolt.new plan costs, see What AI app builders cost.
Coding agents count limits, not credits
Claude Code and Codex plans use five-hour or weekly windows, or both (checked 20 Oct 2026).
Cursor's current plans have a weekly pool for its own models, plus a prepaid balance for eligible third-party models. Exact allowances depend on your plan, and your account's dashboard governs. Check the vendor's own page:
When are credits no longer worth it?
When the credits go on repeats, not new features.
- The same part has been fixed more than once and keeps coming back.
- The app is close to done in your eyes, but it doesn't work.
Then a person can look at what you have and tell you what stays, what to fix and what to rebuild. You don't spend credits to find out. That's what a Free Build Audit is: the verdict comes first, and you can stop after it.
Questions.
How do Lovable credits work?
One shared balance covers building and chat, Cloud, the AI gateway and connectors, with specific grants spent first. Plan mode costs 1 credit plus any research. Build mode varies with the work. Lovable shows usage on each response. Stopping a Build charges the work done; stopping before any change is free (checked 20 Oct 2026).
How many credits does Lovable use per prompt?
There is no fixed number. It depends on the mode and the work. Plan mode is 1 credit plus any research Lovable runs. Build mode varies. So 100 credits is not 100 messages or 100 features. Lovable shows the usage on each response, so check it after each prompt (checked 20 Oct 2026).
Do failed fixes still cost credits?
None of the pages we checked promises a refund when a fix fails, and none says a failed fix is always charged. Each vendor differs, and silence on a page is not a rule. If a charge looks wrong, ask the vendor's support, with the request and the time.
Can I get Lovable credits for free?
Only through the allowances the free plan gives: 5 build credits a day, up to 30 a month, reset daily at 00:00 UTC (Lovable's pages, checked 20 Oct 2026). We cover nothing else. There are no tricks or workarounds on this page, and we don't suggest any.
Does Bolt.new have free tokens?
Yes. Bolt.new's free allowance is 300K tokens a day and 1M a month (support page, checked 20 Oct 2026), and the free allowance resets at the start of the month. Paid plans differ. For plan prices, see What AI app builders cost. We cover no other source of tokens.
Why is Replit Agent so expensive?
We can't say it is. We found no typical figure. Replit's page says paid Agent is effort-based, planning can bill without code changes, usage reports can lag, and runtime is separate (checked 20 Oct 2026). A builder on Replit's forum reported a high bill (5 Oct 2025, a developer working for clients). That is one report, not a typical cost.
Is Replit Agent free?
Replit has a Free Mode with its own allowance. Paid Agent is effort-based, not a fixed charge per checkpoint (Replit's billing page, checked 20 Oct 2026). We give no figures here. For plan prices, see What AI app builders cost.
Does a manual edit use credits?
Not always, and it depends on the tool. In Bolt.new, Code View edits use no tokens. In Base44, manual visual edits are free. In Bubble, manual visual editing uses no AI credits. For Lovable, Replit and v0, the pages we checked don't say, so check the vendor's page (checked 20 Oct 2026).
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