Quick answer
Base44 - Base44 meters usage in credits; Bolt.new meters it in tokens, and publishes a bigger free allowance across the board. Bolt.new's free plan includes 300K tokens a day and 1M a month, a 10MB file upload limit, and up to 333K web requests with unlimited databases. Base44 gives 25 message credits and 100 integration credits a month, with no credit card needed and room for up to 5 apps.
How the free tiers compare
Base44's free plan is a flat monthly credit count: 25 message credits and 100 integration credits, no card required, up to 5 apps. Bolt.new's free plan runs on tokens instead: 300K a day, 1M a month, plus a 10MB file upload cap, up to 333K web requests, and unlimited databases, all under Bolt branding. Base44's Starter plan is $16 a month billed annually; Bolt.new's Pro plan is $25 a month, with up to 28% off for annual billing and unused tokens rolling over.
Base44 vs Bolt.new free tier, side by side
| Base44FTV 57 | Bolt.newFTV 56 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan usageDifferent units: Base44 meters in credits, Bolt.new in tokens. | 25 message credits/month, 100 integration credits/month | 300K tokens/day, 1M tokens/month |
| Apps / databases on the free plan | Up to 5 apps | Unlimited databases |
| File upload limit | Not published as a separate figure | 10MB |
| Free plan web requests | Not published as a separate figure | Up to 333K web requests |
| Credit card required | Not required | Not stated on the pricing page |
| First paid plan price | Starter - $16/month billed annually | Pro - $25/month |
After you outgrow the free tier
Base44's Starter plan is $16 a month when billed annually. Bolt.new's Pro plan is $25 a month and starts with 10M tokens, with unused tokens rolling over for up to two months of an active subscription; the page also advertises up to 28% off with yearly billing without stating the resulting annual rate.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Base44 | Bolt.new |
|---|---|---|
| First paid tier, billed monthlyBolt.new states its Pro price for monthly billing directly; Base44 states its Starter price for annual billing. | Not published for monthly billing; $16/month applies to annual billing | $25/month (Pro) |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Base44 when…
- You want a flat, predictable monthly credit count instead of a daily token ceiling.
- You want to sign up and build without entering a card.
- You want to run more than one project at a time: up to 5 apps on the free plan.
- You want built-in authentication, a database, and analytics without wiring up separate services.
Pick Bolt.new when…
- You want the bigger raw free allowance: 300K tokens a day and 1M a month.
- You need to upload larger project files, up to 10MB, on the free plan.
- You want a generous free request ceiling for a hosted site: up to 333K web requests.
- You want unlimited databases on the free plan rather than a fixed app count.
Bottom line
Bolt.new's free plan is the bigger allowance in raw terms, useful if you're iterating on a single project with heavier token or file needs. Base44's free plan is the more predictable one, with a flat monthly credit count, no card at sign-up, and room to keep 5 separate apps going.
Read the full listings: Base44 and Bolt.new. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.