Migrate from Bolt.new to Fabricate
Full-stack apps without the credit anxiety
~20 minutes
- One meter instead of two -- Fabricate credits pay for the build, not for the traffic the live app serves
- Get the backend, database, and auth as source in your own repository instead of a rented Bolt Cloud service
- Keep the fast generation speed you love, with better full-stack output
- Export your code anytime -- full ownership guaranteed
Why Switch from Bolt.new?
One Meter, Not Two
Bolt spends tokens while you build and Bolt Cloud usage while the app runs, so a busy app keeps drawing down. Fabricate meters only the AI work that builds the app.
A Backend in Your Repository
Bolt Cloud is a real first-party backend, but it is a service you rent: it bills for what the live app does and does not travel with an export. Fabricate generates server routes in a Durable Object, the tables for its built-in SQLite database and auth as ordinary source you keep.
Better Production Output
Fabricate plans the application before writing code, resulting in better-organized, more maintainable applications.
Verified in a Real Browser
Before an app can be published it is opened in a real browser and the render is checked. An app that crashes, never mounts or renders a blank page is blocked from publishing, rather than going live broken.
Step-by-Step Migration
- 1
Document Your Bolt Projects
List your existing Bolt projects and what each one does. Note what Bolt Cloud is handling and any external services you have connected.
- Screenshot your current applications
- Write down your Bolt Cloud tables, auth setup and server functions
- Note any custom configurations
- 2
Sign Up for Fabricate
Create your account at fabricate.build. The free tier needs no card and includes a monthly credit allowance.
- No credit card needed
- Upgrade to Pro for more capacity, more apps online and your own domain -- see fabricate.build/pricing
- 3
Import or Rebuild Each Project
For a React project, download it from Bolt or push it to GitHub, then open Import a project and upload the .zip or paste the link; the first build uses credits and gets it running as it is. For another framework, describe the complete application, including the backend Bolt Cloud was hosting, and Fabricate generates it as source.
- A public repository imports by its link; a private one as a .zip
- Secret keys are left out and listed by name, for you to add
- A project that uses Supabase keeps using the same Supabase project
- 4
Iterate Within One Allowance
Refine your application with follow-up prompts, drawing on the same monthly credit allowance rather than a second runtime meter.
- Make as many changes as your credit allowance covers
- No separate charge for what the deployed app serves
- Queue multiple prompts during generation
- 5
Deploy and Connect Your Domain
Deploy to Cloudflare edge with one click. On Pro, connect your custom domain if you had one on Bolt.
- Global edge deployment
- Custom domain support
- SSL certificates included
Feature Mapping: Bolt.new vs Fabricate
| Feature | Bolt.new | Fabricate |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend Generation | Fast, good quality UI | Equal quality with integrated backend |
| Backend | Bolt Cloud server functions (managed) | Durable Object on Cloudflare Workers, in your source |
| Database | Bolt Database or your own Supabase | Durable Object SQLite, tables in your source |
| Authentication | Bolt Cloud auth (managed) | Built-in: PBKDF2 hashing, HttpOnly cookie sessions |
| Payments | Stripe via your own account | Stripe Checkout on Pro and Max, with one-click test account setup or your existing keys; live payments require account verification and a live key |
| Deployment | Bolt hosting or Netlify | Cloudflare Workers for Platforms, at the edge |
| Metering | Tokens to build, Bolt Cloud usage at runtime | Credits meter the build only |
| Error Correction Cost | Consumes credits | Included in plan |
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Importing a project that is not React
The import runs React projects and plain HTML sites. A Vue, Svelte, Angular or Astro project is refused, so rebuild it from its published address with Rebuild my site, or describe it.
Assuming Bolt Cloud comes across with the code
It does not. Bolt Cloud is a platform service, so a GitHub export gives you the front end and application logic, not the running backend. Include your backend, database, and auth requirements in the Fabricate prompt so they are generated as source.
Comparing credit-by-credit
Fabricate's credit system is different from Bolt's. A single Fabricate credit goes further because the generation pipeline is more efficient.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I import my Bolt.new project into Fabricate?
- Yes, if it is a React project or a plain HTML site. Download it from Bolt or push it to GitHub, then open Import a project and upload the .zip or paste the link. The check is free and creates nothing; "Import and run it" makes a new app whose first build uses credits to get the files running, without redesigning them. It is a one-time copy, so your Bolt project stays as it is. A project in another framework, such as Vue or Svelte, can be rebuilt from its published address instead.
- Will my apps look the same?
- Fabricate produces equally polished UIs. You can reference specific design elements from your Bolt projects in your prompts. The visual output quality is comparable.
- How much will I save compared to Bolt?
- That depends on your usage, and the honest answer is that the structure differs more than the price. Bolt meters tokens while you build and Bolt Cloud usage while the app runs, so a busy app keeps drawing down. Fabricate meters only the AI work that builds the app. Current Fabricate plans and credit allowances are on the pricing page at fabricate.build/pricing.
- Do I lose anything by switching?
- Yes, and it is worth naming. Bolt imports from Figma, keeps working in a GitHub repository, documents Expo through to app-store publishing, and lets you swap its database for Supabase or its hosting for Netlify. Fabricate imports a React project once, as a new app, and does none of the rest. What you gain is a backend that is source in your own repository rather than a service you rent, and one meter instead of two.
Ready to Make the Switch?
Start building with Fabricate today. Free tier available -- no credit card required.