The short answer
Lovable is a Stockholm-based AI platform for building and publishing full-stack web apps by chatting. You work in three modes, Chat, Plan and Build, and Lovable Cloud runs the app's database, storage, logins and functions, while the code syncs to GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket. The free plan gives 5 build credits a day, up to 30 a month. Since 9 September 2026, Free and Pro content can be used for model training unless you opt out.
| Made by | Lovable, Sweden |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, 5 build credits a day up to 30 a month, no code editing or custom domain |
| Models | Lovable does not name a builder model per plan; it uses Claude and Gemini models under its Google Cloud deal |
| Best at | Polished full-stack web apps, internal tools and client portals from a conversation |
| Shows sources | No, it is an app builder rather than a research tool |
| Team plans | Business with SSO and a DPA, Enterprise with SCIM and audit logs |
| Your data | Free and Pro content can train models unless you opt out. Business and Enterprise are excluded by default. |
What Lovable is in late 2026
Lovable is a Swedish company whose product does one thing: you describe a web app and it builds the whole thing, front end, backend, database, logins and integrations, all backed by code you can edit. Each project syncs to GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket, so the work does not stay locked inside Lovable. Lovable Cloud is the built-in backend: Lovable hosts your app and runs its database, storage, authentication, realtime features and functions with no outside setup.
You work with Lovable in three modes, and knowing which one to use is most of the skill. Chat mode is for discussing your app and asking questions. Plan mode writes a reviewable plan, saved to a file called .lovable/plan.md, and never changes your code. Build mode, which used to be called Agent mode, makes the changes. You can switch at any time and the conversation carries across all three. For visual changes, the preview toolbar has replaced the old Visual edits: point at an element and describe the change.
Lovable grew fast this year. On 3 June 2026 it signed an expanded multi-year deal with Google Cloud that, according to TechCrunch, gives it wider access to Anthropic's Claude and Google's Gemini models and puts its Lovable Agent in Google's Gemini Enterprise Agent Gallery, with a Wiz integration to find security problems in generated code. Lovable does not publish which model powers the builder on each plan.
Where Lovable is genuinely strong
Apps people will actually use
Lovable is at its best with apps that need both a good interface and real data: a client portal, an internal request tool, a simple marketplace or a booking app. Because Lovable Cloud handles logins and the database, a non-developer can get to a working, shareable version without learning how to set up a backend.
Thinking before building
Plan mode is the feature that most separates good Lovable projects from messy ones. You ask for a change, read the plan, select any part of it and comment on just that section, and only approve when it is right. Lovable's own guidance says to use Plan first for large or unfamiliar changes. Each Plan message costs one credit plus any research it does, which is cheap insurance against an expensive wrong build.
Working where you already are
Lovable has a desktop app and a mobile app, and you can reach it from Slack, Telegram, a ChatGPT app and the Lovable MCP server. Since 27 October 2026, the project setting once called Knowledge is called Instructions; it works the same way and is the place to put rules Lovable should always follow.
Controls for companies
October 2026 brought a run of admin features: Organizations for Enterprise customers to manage several workspaces with shared SSO (20 October), events and hooks that let Business and Enterprise admins allow or block actions (27 October), and email alerts to admins before credits run out (28 October).
Where it falls short
- The free plan is a trial. You get 5 build credits a day, capped at 30 a month, and you cannot edit or download code or use a custom domain. You can still publish an app publicly, with the Edit with Lovable badge, or limit it to up to 10 invited people. The Edit with Lovable badge stays.
- Credits expire. On monthly billing, plan credits expire two months after they are issued, and daily build credits expire at the end of the day. Build mode costs vary with how complex the request is.
- Web apps, not native apps. Lovable's documentation describes it as a builder for web applications and does not list native mobile apps. If you need one, look at Bolt with Expo or Replit.
- Training is on for Free and Pro. Since September 2026 your content can be used to train Lovable's models unless you switch it off. See below.
How to get much better results from Lovable
- Start in Chat mode. Describe the idea and ask Lovable what it needs to know. This costs less than a wrong first build and gives you a clearer brief.
- Use Plan mode for anything big. Read the plan, comment on the parts you disagree with and approve only when the screens, data and steps are right.
- Write Instructions once. Put your brand colours, tone, naming rules and "never do this" rules in Instructions so you do not repeat them in every prompt.
- Use the preview toolbar for small visual fixes. Pointing at an element is clearer than describing where it is.
- Connect Git early. A synced repository means you always have a copy and a developer can review the code later.
Our Lovable lessons walk through a first app, and the starter kits include briefs that work well as a first Chat mode message.
Privacy settings to check today
Lovable changed its policy on 9 September 2026. From that date, customer data on the Free and Pro plans may be used to train, develop and improve Lovable's AI models. To opt out, go to Account settings, then Preferences, then AI model training, and turn off Use my Lovable content for model training. Opting out is free, does not affect any AI features, and applies from that point on; it does not remove content already used. On Business and Enterprise, workspace data is excluded from training by default, and if all your workspaces are on those plans the toggle appears greyed out. If you build anything with client or employee data, switch training off on day one or use Business, which also includes a Data Processing Agreement.
Which Lovable plan suits whom
Free suits anyone who wants to see what Lovable can do with a small idea. Pro suits individuals and small teams who build regularly: monthly credits in tiers from 100 up to 10,000, rollovers and top-ups, code editing and download, custom domains, design systems and roles. Business is the plan for companies, with SSO, role-based access, a security centre, training exclusion by default, a DPA, password-protected preview links and the Lovable API. Enterprise adds SCIM, Organizations, audit logs, scheduled security scans and EU inference. Check Lovable's pricing page for current prices.
Lovable is not for you if you need a native mobile app or want to pick the exact AI model that writes your code. To compare, read Bolt vs Lovable and Lovable vs Replit, or try the comparison tool.
Prompts to copy
Brief in Chat mode
I want to build [app] for [who]. They need to [main job]. Do not build anything yet. Ask me the questions you need answered about users, data, permissions and design, then write a one-page brief I can approve.
You get: A clear brief before any credits go on building
Plan a big change
Plan how to add [feature] to this app. List the screens that change, any new database tables, who can see and edit the new data, and the steps in order. Flag anything that could break existing features.
You get: A plan you can comment on section by section
Client portal
Build a client portal for [business]. Clients sign in and see only their own [projects or documents], can upload files and leave comments. Staff see all clients and can change status. Use Lovable Cloud for logins, storage and the database. Keep the design calm and professional.
You get: A working portal with roles and file storage
Project Instructions
Write project Instructions for this app: our brand colours are [colours], the tone is [tone], we call customers [term], every form needs clear error messages, and you must never delete data without a confirmation step. Keep it under 150 words.
You get: Rules Lovable follows on every change
Security pass before launch
Before I share this app, review it for security. Check that users cannot see each other's data, that every page that needs a login has one, and that no secrets are in the front-end code. List problems by severity, then fix the serious ones.
You get: A safer app and a list of what changed
Explain the app to a developer
Write a short handover note for a developer joining this project: what the app does, the main pages, the database tables and what each stores, how logins work and the three parts most likely to need work next.
You get: A handover note that makes the code easier to pick up