Lovable and Base44 do the same trick. You describe the app you want in plain English, and a few minutes later you've got something working, with a database and logins already set up. If you've never written a line of code, it still feels a bit like magic.
Where they differ is what happens after the magic, and that's where this decision actually gets made. The big question isn't which one builds a nicer first draft. It's how much of your app you really own once it exists.
The quick version
| Lovable | Base44 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.0 |
| Starting paid price | $25/month | $20/month |
| Free plan | 5 credits a day | 25 credits a month |
| Take your app with you? | Yes, export all of it | Front end only, the backend stays |
| Publish to the app stores? | No, web apps only | Yes |
| Best for | Keeping control, fast first versions | An all-in-one setup with great support |
Both charge in credits, which is just what these tools use to meter your usage: every request, edit, and bug fix spends some. In both cases the real cost of a project tends to run higher than the plan price suggests, because fixing mistakes burns credits too.
Control: why we pick Lovable
With Lovable, you can export your project and take it with you at any time. The code it writes is reasonably clean, so you can hand it to a developer later without a full rewrite, or move it somewhere else if you ever outgrow Lovable. It's your app.
Base44 is a different story. You can export the front end (the part people see) to GitHub, which is a site developers use to store code, but the database, the login system, and the other behind-the-scenes pieces stay tied to Base44. If you ever want to leave, you're rebuilding the back half from scratch. You also have to use Base44's own sign-up and login page, and in most cases you can't fully restyle it or change its wording to match your brand.
For a first app, that difference matters more than almost any single feature. You don't know yet whether the idea will work, so you don't want to be locked in before you find out.
Lovable
Lovable turns plain-language prompts into working apps, setting up the app itself along with a professional backend, database, and login system from the first message.
Visit LovableThe Builder plan catch on Base44
Base44's own docs say you need the Builder plan or higher to use backend functions, which are small pieces of code that run behind the scenes, like charging a card or sending an email. The same goes for connectors, which link your app to other services. That's $50 a month ($40 if you pay annually), not the $20 headline price on the Starter plan. GitHub sync is also listed from the Builder plan up.
Every Base44 plan does include a basic built-in backend and database, so a simple app works fine on the cheaper plans. The wall comes when your app needs to do real work behind the scenes. If that's where you're headed, treat Builder as your real starting price.
Where Base44 is better
Fair's fair, Base44 does a few things better. It can package your finished app for the Apple App Store and Google Play, which Lovable can't do, since Lovable builds websites and web apps only. In our testing, the apps it produced looked better laid out, and support was fast and genuinely helpful. It also sets up logins and a database from the very start.
If you need a real mobile app in the stores, and you're happy staying on Base44 for the long run, it's a strong pick.
Base44
Base44 lets you build an app or website by describing what you want. It sets up the design, the login system, and the database for you, all in one place.
Visit Base44Where Lovable can bite you
Lovable isn't perfect. Costs climb fast, since every request, edit, and bug fix uses credits, and real projects often end up costing two to three times the plan price. It can also get stuck once a request gets complicated, and it sometimes misreads what you asked for.
On the plus side, on paid plans your unused credits stay valid for about another month, so a quiet month isn't wasted money.
What the plans cost
Lovable: the free plan gives you 5 credits a day (about 30 a month). Pro is $25 a month, with 100 monthly credits, unlimited team members, and custom domains. Business is $50 a month and adds team workspace and extra security controls.
Base44: the free plan gives you 25 credits a month. Starter is $20 a month (100 credits and a custom domain). Builder is $50 (250 credits, GitHub sync, more integrations, and backend functions). Pro is $100 (500 credits) and Elite is $200 (1,200 credits).
Our verdict
Pick Lovable. For most people building their first app, keeping control matters more than any one feature. You can start free, get something working fast, and take your app wherever it needs to go later.
Choose Base44 only if you specifically need to publish to the Apple App Store or Google Play, or you want the all-in-one setup with really good support and you're comfortable being tied to the platform. And if you go that route, expect to need the Builder plan the moment your app needs backend features.