Lovable is an AI builder that turns chat into websites and web apps, and it suits non-coders happy to plan their work around credits. The catch, as of Oct 2026, is the free plan: 5 build credits a day, capped at 30 a month, so the daily credits stop after the first 6 days of each month.
Lovable is the app builder people ask me about when they want something live without writing code. I read Lovable's pricing page and its docs on plans and credits, and the whole experience is shaped by one thing: credits.
Lovable plans and credit allowances
| Plan | Who Lovable says it's for | Credits included | The limit that bites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Trying Lovable and building smaller projects | Daily chat allowance, 5 build credits a day capped at 30 a month, 20 Cloud credits and 4 AI credits a month | No rollovers, no top-ups, and the daily credits stop once you hit 30 |
| Pro | Fast-moving teams building together in real time | Larger daily chat allowance, 5 build credits a day, monthly credits from 100 a month, rollovers and top-ups | Monthly plan credits expire two months after they're issued |
| Business | Growing departments that need advanced controls and governance | As Pro, from 100 a month, with per-member limits and alerts | Same expiry and no refunds |
| Enterprise | Large organizations that need flexibility, scale and governance | Volume-based credits and bulk CSV import of member limits | Arranged with Lovable |
This table comes from Lovable's own plans page and pricing page, as of Oct 2026. Plan prices sit on cards I couldn't read in the page text, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy.
The credit rules that catch Lovable newcomers out
On Lovable, almost everything is paid for in credits: sending messages to build, hosting with Cloud, and running AI features inside your app. The value of a credit and how fast it's used "depend on your subscription plan and the feature used", so there's no flat number of edits a month.
The free plan's the tightest part. You get 5 build credits a day, capped at 30 a month. Lovable's docs spell out what that means: on Free, you receive daily build credits for the first 6 days of each month, which uses up the 30, and then none until a new month begins. Credits come back on the 1st at 00:00 UTC. So if you sign up mid-month and build hard for a week, you'll hit a wall that lasts until the month turns.
Lovable's pricing page gives example costs per prompt. "Make the button gray" used 0.50 credits. "Remove the footer" used 0.90. "Add authentication with sign up and login" used 1.20, and "Build me a landing page, use images" used 1.70. Small tweaks still cost something, which adds up when you're fiddling with a design. You can see each message's cost by hovering over the three dots in your message history.
Expiry and refunds are the last piece. Unused monthly plan credits expire two months after they're issued, annual plan credits expire one month after your annual period ends, top-up credits last twelve months, and daily build credits expire at the end of each day. Credits aren't refundable or redeemable for cash.
What you can build with Lovable
In its own words, Lovable is "an AI software engineer, which enables anyone to build for the web." You chat, it builds websites and web apps, with no technical knowledge needed. One balance covers building your app, chatting with Lovable, hosting it, running its built-in backend (Cloud) and powering AI features in what you've deployed. Pro and Business add per-member credit limits, usage alerts, rollovers, on-demand top-ups and auto top-up, which matter once more than one person is building.
If you're still picking a builder, my list of free AI website builders for beginners is a good place to start, and if you've already chosen Lovable, these Lovable prompts help you get more from each message.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Who Lovable suits and who'd be better off elsewhere
- Non-coders who want to describe a web app and shape it through chat.
- People willing to plan their work in credits and keep an eye on the balance.
- Teams who'll use per-member limits and alerts on Pro or Business.
- Anyone expecting a fixed number of edits each month.
- Anyone who'd want unused credits refunded; they aren't.
- Free users planning a long build; the daily credits run out after six days. If that's you, other app builders worth comparing are worth a look.
My verdict on Lovable
I'd use the free plan to test whether Lovable understands what you're building, and I'd do it at the start of a month so you get all 30 credits in one go. If it clicks, a paid plan makes sense, and I'd watch the per-message costs in your history for the first few weeks so the balance doesn't surprise you. I'd skip it if you want predictable edits for a fixed fee, or if expiring credits would bother you.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Lovable free?
Yes, there's a Free plan for trying Lovable and building smaller projects. It includes a daily chat allowance and 5 build credits a day, capped at 30 a month, as of Oct 2026.
How many credits does a Lovable prompt use?
It depends on the job. Lovable's own examples: 0.50 credits to make a button gray, 0.90 to remove a footer, 1.20 to add authentication and 1.70 for a landing page with images.
Do Lovable credits expire?
Yes. Monthly plan credits expire two months after they're issued, annual plan credits one month after your annual period ends, and top-up credits after twelve months.
Are Lovable credits refundable?
No. Lovable's pricing page says credits aren't refundable or redeemable for cash or any other value.
