Bolt vs GitHub — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
GitHub starts at $4/mo. Bolt uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
How pricing works
These two tools don't price the same way, so the headline numbers below aren't directly comparable until you plug in your own volume.
- Bolt (Hybrid) — Bolt is hybrid: a fixed subscription plus metered usage on top. Your real bill moves with volume, not seat count.
- GitHub (Per Seat) — GitHub bills on a fixed plan from $4/mo, so the listed price is what you pay regardless of volume.
Per-minute, per-credit and per-token rates exclude any downstream model, speech or telephony costs unless the vendor states otherwise.
AI-native web development environment from StackBlitz. Prompt in natural language, generate full-stack apps that run in a browser-based WebContainer sandbox with instant preview. Token-metered pricing model — each AI generation consumes tokens from your monthly allocation. Pricing: Free (1M tokens/mo), Pro $25/mo (10M tokens, scales to $50 for 26M and $200 for 120M), Teams $30/user/mo. Annual billing saves up to 28%. Positioned as the fastest way to prototype full-stack apps entirely in the browser — no local setup, no separate hosting.
The dominant developer platform (source control + code review + CI/CD + package registry), owned by Microsoft ($7.5B acquisition, 2018). Positioned as the alternative to GitLab and Bitbucket for the vast majority of open-source and enterprise software teams. Distinctive for its Copilot AI product ($10-$39/user/mo) that became Microsoft's fastest-growing AI SKU. Priced free (unlimited public + private repos) up to $21/user/mo Enterprise. Real cost bloat: GitHub Actions minutes and Copilot seats scale with team activity.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Bolt monthly | Bolt annual | GitHub monthly | GitHub annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Pro / — | $25 | $18 | — | — |
| Mid tier | Pro (50) / — | $50 | $36 | — | — |
| Pro / power | Pro (200) / — | $200 | $144 | — | — |
| Teams | Teams / Team | $30 | $22 | $4 | $4 |
| Enterprise | — / Enterprise | — | — | $21 | $21 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Bolt is worth it if… developers and prototypers who want browser-native, full-stack AI app generation without ever leaving the tab. The WebContainer runtime differentiates it from Lovable and v0 — apps actually execute in the browser, not just render as previews.
GitHub is worth it if… GitHub is still the default Git host in 2026 for any team that wants industry-standard PR workflows, code review, CI/CD (Actions), and native Copilot AI. Free for public repos; Team is the entry paid tier, Enterprise for larger orgs.
Bottom line: Choose based on how you want to pay — Bolt is hybrid, GitHub is per seat.
Choose Bolt over GitHub if…
Choose Bolt if…
- You're fine with a base subscription plus metered usage on top (custom pricing).
- You match the profile Bolt is built for: developers and prototypers who want browser-native, full-stack AI app generation without ever leaving the tab.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose GitHub if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $4/mo).
- You match the profile GitHub is built for: still the default Git host in 2026 for any team that wants industry-standard PR workflows, code review, CI/CD (Actions), and native Copilot AI.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Bolt | GitHub | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | Custom | $4/mo |
| Enterprise available | No | Yes |
| Pricing model | Hybrid | Per Seat |
| Last verified | September 20, 2026 | September 14, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 20, 2026. Tracked daily.