Yes, Lovable is free to start. Lovable's free plan gives you a daily grant of 5 build credits, capped at 30 across a calendar month, plus monthly grants of 20 Cloud credits and 4 credits for AI features inside the apps you build.
Lovable is an AI app builder: you describe a website or web app in a chat and it writes the code for you. You don't need to add a card to try it. What you get on the free plan is a small, steady allowance rather than a big pot, and the way those credits refresh is the part that trips people up. Here's what the free plan includes, how far the credits stretch, and when it's worth moving up.
What Lovable's free plan includes
Lovable's documentation lists five separate grants on the free plan. Each one covers a different kind of usage:
- A daily chat allowance for messages in Chats, Chat mode, and Lovable in Slack and Telegram.
- 5 build credits a day, up to 30 in a calendar month, for building and editing your app.
- 20 Cloud credits a month for hosting and running what you publish.
- 4 AI credits a month for AI features you add to your own app, so you can test them before upgrading.
- 1 connector credit a month for connector usage.
Lovable also says workspaces support unlimited members on every plan, so you can invite a collaborator on the free plan. Everyone in the workspace draws from the same allowance, though, so two people building at once will use it up twice as fast.
Lovable Free vs Pro at a glance
| Grant | Free | Pro and Business |
|---|---|---|
| Daily chat allowance | Included | Included, larger than Free |
| Daily build credits | 5 a day, up to 30 in a calendar month | 5 a day |
| Monthly Cloud grant | 20 credits | 20 credits |
| Monthly AI grant | 4 credits | 4 credits |
| Monthly plan credits on top | No | Yes, added to a balance |
| When monthly grants reset | 1st of each calendar month, 00:00 UTC | Your plan's renewal cycle |
The difference that matters is the last two rows. Pro adds a balance of plan credits you can use on anything, while Free only ever has the grants.
How far 5 build credits go
Here's the detail that changes how you plan. Lovable doesn't use a flat amount per message. Its FAQ says Plan Mode uses 1 credit per message, while Default Mode varies with how complex the task is. Lovable gives these worked examples:
| Your prompt | What Lovable does | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Make the button gray | Updates the button styles | 0.50 |
| Remove the footer | Removes the footer component | 0.90 |
| Add authentication with sign up and login | Adds login pages and logic, updates routes | 1.20 |
| Build me a landing page, use images | Creates a landing page with 3 generated images and 5 sections | 1.70 |
So a day's free credits cover roughly one landing page build plus a couple of tweaks. That's plenty for a test project, and tight for anything with lots of back and forth. You can see what each message used by opening the menu on Lovable's reply.
The catch: free credits don't roll over
Lovable's FAQ is clear that included daily build credits expire at the end of each day and don't roll over. If you skip three days, you don't get 15 credits on day four. And on the free plan, the 30 credit monthly cap and the Cloud and AI grants all reset on the 1st of the calendar month at 00:00 UTC, not on the day you signed up.
That changes how you should work. Plan your edits, write clear prompts, and use a little each day rather than saving up for one big session. My Lovable prompts are written to get more done in fewer messages, which matters most on the free plan.
How to check what you've got left
- Open your workspace and look at the credit bar near your workspace name.
- Hold the pointer over the info icon next to Free usage included to see your daily build credits and monthly grants.
- Remember the credit bar shows credits left, not credits used, and it doesn't include the daily chat allowance.
- To check the chat allowance, hold the pointer over the Free badge on the Chat option in the mode picker.
Who owns what you build on the free plan?
You do. Lovable's FAQ says you own the code, apps, websites and other projects you build, the customer data stored in Lovable and any AI output you generate, subject to third-party rights in the underlying AI models. That's the same on every plan, so a prototype you start for free is yours to keep.
Lovable builds web apps, and for the free routes to a mobile one, our guide to building an app for free covers what each route costs to publish.
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When to move off the free plan
Upgrade when the daily limit is slowing a real project, or when you need a credit balance for a busy week. If you're comparing builders first, my roundup of free AI app builders shows which ones give you more room on their free tiers.
Lovable also runs a students page for people with a valid university email address, so check that before you choose a plan if you're studying.
Going back to Free later
If you do upgrade and change your mind, Lovable's docs explain the route: go to Workspace settings, then Plans and credit usage, select Manage on your plan card and choose Downgrade to free. Lovable says you can keep using your remaining credits until the end of your current period, and after that you only have the free grants.
My verdict: Lovable is free, and the free plan is good enough to build and publish a small site or prototype. Use your credits daily because they expire, write tight prompts, and only move to Pro when the daily cap is holding back a project you care about.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lovable completely free?
Lovable has a free plan with a daily grant of 5 build credits, capped at 30 across a calendar month, plus monthly grants of 20 Cloud credits and 4 AI credits. Pro and Business add a balance of plan credits on top.
Do Lovable's free credits roll over?
No. Lovable says included daily build credits expire at the end of each day and don't roll over.
When do Lovable's free credits reset?
Daily build credits refresh each day. On the free plan, the monthly Cloud and AI grants refresh on the 1st of each calendar month at 00:00 UTC.
How many credits does a Lovable message use?
It depends on the task. Plan Mode uses 1 credit per message, and Default Mode varies with complexity. Lovable's examples range from 0.50 credits for a button style change to 1.70 for a landing page with images.
Do I own what I build with Lovable for free?
Yes. Lovable says you own your code, apps, websites, customer data stored in Lovable and the AI output you generate, subject to third-party rights in the underlying AI models.
