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Try these free tools
Not sure which AI tool to use? Here is a simple breakdown of the most popular options for building websites and apps with AI.
A side-by-side look at what each tool does best.
| Tool | Best For | Price | Difficulty | Output Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | Full projects, complex logic | Free / $20/mo | Beginner | Code + explanations |
| Cursor | Editing existing projects | Free / $20/mo | Intermediate | Code in editor |
| Bolt.new | Full-stack apps fast | Free / $20/mo | Beginner | Complete apps |
| Lovable | Ideas to working apps | Free / $20/mo | Beginner | Full-stack apps |
| Codex by OpenAI | Async coding tasks | ChatGPT Pro | Intermediate | Code commits |
| v0 | UI components & design | Free / $20/mo | Beginner | React components |
| Replit | Learning & prototyping | Free / $25/mo | Beginner | Running apps |
| GitHub Copilot | Code autocomplete | Free / $10/mo | Intermediate | Code suggestions |
Everything you need to know about each tool.
By Anthropic
Tell Claude what you want to build in plain English and it writes the code for you. Great at understanding complex requests and explaining what it did.
Start here if you are brand new. Just describe what you want and Claude builds it.
AI Code Editor
A code editor with AI built right in. You can chat with it about your project and it edits your files directly. Best when you already have a project started.
Great as a second step after generating your initial project with Claude or Bolt.
AI Full-Stack Builder
Describe an entire app and Bolt builds it for you, including the frontend, backend, and database. You can preview it right in your browser.
Perfect for building a working prototype in minutes.
AI App Builder
Describe your app idea and Lovable builds a full-stack web app with frontend, backend, and database. Great for turning ideas into working products fast.
Perfect when you have an app idea and want a working prototype without writing code.
Cloud Coding Agent
OpenAI's cloud coding agent. Assign tasks and it writes, tests, and commits code in the background. Works through ChatGPT.
Great for offloading coding tasks you can review later.
AI UI Generator
Describe what a page or component should look like, and v0 generates beautiful, production-ready designs. Focused on visuals and user interface.
Use v0 when you know what you want a page to look like but need help making it real.
AI Browser IDE
Write, run, and deploy code without installing anything on your computer. Everything happens in your browser. The AI assistant helps you along the way.
No setup required. Just open your browser and start building.
By GitHub / OpenAI
Works inside VS Code or Cursor as an assistant that suggests code as you type. Think of it as autocomplete on steroids.
Best as an add-on to your editor, not as your main AI tool when starting out.
Answer these questions to find your best match.
Start with Claude, Bolt.new, or Lovable. Just describe what you want in plain English and they will build it for you. No setup needed.
"Build me a personal portfolio website with a hero section, about me, my projects, and a contact form. Use a modern dark theme with purple accents."
Use v0. It specializes in generating stunning visual components and page layouts.
"Create a pricing page with three tiers: Free, Pro, and Enterprise. Use cards with rounded corners, a gradient on the popular plan, and a toggle for monthly vs yearly billing."
Use Bolt.new, Lovable, or Replit. They can build entire applications with a database, user accounts, and more.
"Build a habit tracker app where users can add daily habits, mark them complete, and see a streak counter. Include user sign-up and a dashboard."
Use Cursor with GitHub Copilot. Open your project and ask the AI to make changes directly in your files.
"Look at my homepage and make it responsive for mobile. Add smooth scroll animations and improve the spacing between sections."
Instead of saying 'make a website', describe exactly what sections you want, what colors, and what style.
Build your project piece by piece. Start with the layout, then add features one at a time.
Many AI tools let you upload a screenshot of a design you like. This helps the AI understand your vision.
Use v0 for the design, Claude for the logic, and Cursor for fine-tuning. They work great together.
When a prompt works well, save it. You can reuse good prompts across different projects.
AI tools let you undo and try again. Experiment freely without worrying about breaking things.
