Vibe Coding Platform Comparison
Lovable, Bolt.new, Cursor, Windsurf, Replit, v0, Firebase Studio, and Tempo Labs — compared on security defaults, ease of use, pricing, deployment, database integration, and auth support.
Understanding the Landscape
Vibe coding platforms fall into three categories: hosted AI builders (Lovable, Bolt.new, Firebase Studio) that handle everything from generation to deployment, AI IDEs (Cursor, Windsurf) that augment your existing development workflow, and specialized tools (v0 for UI, Replit for cloud development, Tempo Labs for visual design).
Each type has tradeoffs. Hosted builders are faster but give you less control. AI IDEs give you full control but require more technical knowledge. The right choice depends on your experience, your project requirements, and how much you value security control versus convenience.
Hosted AI Builders
Lovable, Bolt.new, Firebase Studio. Prompt to deploy. Fast but less security control.
AI IDEs
Cursor, Windsurf. AI in your editor. Full control, higher learning curve.
Specialized Tools
v0, Replit, Tempo Labs. Focused capabilities for specific use cases.
Full Comparison Table
| Platform | Type | Security | Ease of Use | Deployment | Database | Auth | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovable | Hosted AI Builder | 5.5/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | $0 free / $20/mo Starter |
| Bolt.new | Hosted AI Builder | 5/10 | 9/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 6/10 | $0 free / $10/mo Basic |
| Cursor | AI IDE | 7/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 6/10 | $0 free / $20/mo Pro |
| Windsurf | AI IDE | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 6/10 | $0 free / $15/mo Pro |
| Replit | Cloud IDE + AI | 6/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 7/10 | $0 free / $25/mo Core |
| v0 | UI Generator | 5/10 | 9/10 | 4/10 | 3/10 | 3/10 | $0 free / $20/mo Pro |
| Firebase Studio | Hosted AI Builder | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | Free tier / Pay-as-you-go |
| Tempo Labs | Visual AI Builder | 4.5/10 | 8/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 4/10 | $0 free / $20/mo Pro |
Scores as of February 2026. Ease of use and security are often inversely correlated — platforms that abstract away complexity also abstract away security controls.
Platform Details
Lovable(Hosted AI Builder)$0 free / $20/mo Starter
Lovable generates full-stack apps from prompts with tight Supabase integration for database and auth. Deployment is handled automatically. Security defaults are mixed — auth scaffolding is decent but RLS policies and security headers are frequently missing from generated code.
Best for: Beginners who want a working app with Supabase integration fast
Bolt.new(Hosted AI Builder)$0 free / $10/mo Basic
Bolt.new provides fast app generation with support for multiple frameworks including React, Next.js, Vue, and Svelte. It is less opinionated than Lovable about your database choice. Security defaults are below average — API keys frequently appear in client code and security headers are absent.
Best for: Rapid prototyping with framework flexibility
Cursor(AI IDE)$0 free / $20/mo Pro
Cursor is a VS Code fork with deep AI integration. Because you manage your own project, you have complete control over environment variables, deployment, and security configuration. Higher learning curve than hosted platforms, but more flexibility and transparency.
Best for: Experienced developers who want AI assistance with full control
Windsurf(AI IDE)$0 free / $15/mo Pro
Windsurf offers a similar AI IDE experience to Cursor with its own approach to context awareness and code generation. Security depends on your own setup like any IDE tool. Slightly less mature than Cursor but improving rapidly, with a lower price point.
Best for: Developers who want Cursor-style AI with a different UX
Replit(Cloud IDE + AI)$0 free / $25/mo Core
Replit combines a cloud IDE with AI code generation and built-in hosting. The Secrets tab helps manage API keys, and Replit Auth provides quick authentication setup. Deployment is one-click. Security is middle-of-the-road — better secret management than hosted builders but generated code still requires review.
Best for: Learning and prototyping with built-in hosting
v0(UI Generator)$0 free / $20/mo Pro
v0 by Vercel excels at generating React and Next.js UI components from prompts. It is primarily a frontend tool — you need to add your own backend, database, and auth. This means security depends entirely on what you integrate. Excellent for UI, but not a full-stack solution.
Best for: Generating UI components and landing pages
Firebase Studio(Hosted AI Builder)Free tier / Pay-as-you-go
Firebase Studio leverages Google Cloud infrastructure with built-in Firebase Auth, Firestore, and Cloud Functions. It has the strongest auth defaults and database integration of any platform. The main risk is that generated code can leave Firestore in test mode. Google Cloud compliance is a bonus for regulated industries.
Best for: Apps in the Google/Firebase ecosystem with strong auth needs
Tempo Labs(Visual AI Builder)$0 free / $20/mo Pro
Tempo Labs takes a visual-first approach, generating code from design prompts. The UI output quality is high, but backend security features — database integration, auth scaffolding, and security headers — require more manual setup than alternatives. Best used for the frontend layer paired with a separate backend.
Best for: Design-focused apps where visual fidelity matters most
Our Recommendations
Best for Beginners
Lovable
Generates a complete app with database and auth from a single prompt. Minimal technical knowledge required.
Best for Security
Firebase Studio
Google Cloud infrastructure, built-in Firebase Auth, and the most mature Security Rules system.
Best for Full Control
Cursor
Full IDE with AI assistance. You own every configuration decision and can set up security exactly as needed.
Best for Prototyping
Bolt.new
Fastest from idea to running app with framework flexibility and low cost.
Best for Learning
Replit
Cloud IDE with built-in hosting, secrets management, and a large community of tutorials and templates.
Best for UI Design
v0
Highest quality UI component generation from prompts. Pairs with Vercel for deployment.
The Security Gap Every Platform Shares
Regardless of which platform you choose, every vibe-coded app needs security verification before launch. The highest security score in our comparison is 7.5 out of 10. No platform has solved the fundamental tension between speed and security.
Common issues across all platforms include exposed API keys in JavaScript bundles, missing or misconfigured database access controls, absent security headers (CSP, HSTS, Permissions-Policy), and overly permissive CORS configurations. These are application-level vulnerabilities that the platform cannot prevent because they are generated by the AI model, not the platform infrastructure.
VAS was built specifically to close this gap. It scans your deployed app by URL, detects which platform and framework you used, and checks for the vulnerability patterns that each AI code generator tends to produce. A $5 Starter Scan covers the essentials, a $10 Launch Scan includes deep analysis, and Pro at $29/month keeps you covered as you iterate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best vibe coding platform for beginners?
Lovable and Bolt.new are the most beginner-friendly options. Both let you describe what you want in plain language and generate a complete web application with a UI, database integration, and deployment. Lovable has a slight edge because it integrates directly with Supabase for database and auth, reducing the number of services you need to configure. Bolt.new is better if you want more flexibility in choosing your framework and tech stack.
Which vibe coding platform is best for security?
No platform produces fully secure code by default. Firebase Studio scores highest in our security comparison (7.5/10) due to Google Cloud infrastructure and built-in Firebase Auth. Cursor and Windsurf give you the most control over security because you manage your own environment. The most secure approach is to choose any platform that fits your workflow and then scan your deployed app with VAS before launch.
Is Lovable or Bolt.new better for building full-stack apps?
Both generate full-stack apps but take different approaches. Lovable has tighter Supabase integration, making it better for apps that need database and authentication out of the box. Bolt.new supports a wider range of frameworks and is more flexible about your stack choices. For a standard app with user accounts and data storage, Lovable is faster. For a more customized stack or a specific framework preference, Bolt.new gives you more options.
How much do vibe coding platforms cost?
Most offer free tiers with limits. Lovable starts at $20/month, Bolt.new at $10/month, Cursor at $20/month, Windsurf at $15/month, v0 at $20/month, and Replit at $25/month. Firebase Studio uses Google Cloud's pay-as-you-go model. Remember that the total cost of a vibe-coded app includes the platform, hosting, database, and ideally a security scan. A VAS Starter Scan costs $5, a Launch Scan costs $10, and Pro costs $29/month.
Should I use Cursor or a hosted platform like Lovable?
It depends on your technical experience. Cursor is an AI-powered IDE — you still manage your own project structure, choose your frameworks, set up deployment, and configure security. Lovable handles all of that for you. If you are comfortable with development tools and want maximum control, Cursor is the better choice. If you want to go from idea to deployed app with the least friction, Lovable or Bolt.new will get you there faster. Many developers use both: a hosted builder for prototyping and an AI IDE for production refinement.
Built Your App? Now Secure It.
Whichever platform you chose, scan your deployed app before users find vulnerabilities you missed. VAS detects your platform automatically and checks for the specific issues each one tends to produce.