Leap vs Lovable (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Leap if

• Fits if you want a backend in your own AWS or Google Cloud account
• Works for engineers starting a new SaaS or integration project

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you stay free: 15 credits a month and 5 a day
• Pricey if you need more: 100 credits are $30 and extra credits cost more and expire after 2 months
• Watch out: the docs describe it as suited to new projects, not existing ones
• Watch out: custom domains and no daily limit need a paid plan

Pick Lovable if

• Fits if you're a founder turning an idea into a working web app
• Works for teams building internal tools from one shared pool of credits

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want an iPhone or Android app in the stores, as Lovable publishes to a web URL only
• Tight if you're staying free, at 5 build credits a day and 30 a month, with no custom domain, no code editing and the badge on
• Pricey if you need SSO or role-based access, since Business costs twice as much as Pro for the same credits
• Watch out: a Build mode message costs a variable amount, so you can't tell in advance how far 100 credits go

Leap

• The Free plan gives 15 credits a month and a daily cap of 5, so it covers a few requests only.
• Credits are spent per request and bigger requests use more; extra credits cost more than plan credits and expire after 2 months.
• Custom domains and no daily limit need a paid Pro package.
• The docs describe it as best for new projects, and the price page could not be read as rendered text, so figures come from the docs.

Lovable

• Usage is metered in credits, and a Build mode message costs a variable amount depending on the task.
• Free workspaces get 30 build credits a month at most and cannot use custom domains, edit code or remove the Lovable badge.
• SSO, role-based access and internal publishing start on Business, which costs twice as much as Pro for the same credits.
• Lovable builds web apps: publishing deploys to a web URL, not to the App Store or Google Play.

Leap

Backend systems

Generates services, APIs, databases, queues and other infrastructure, aimed at backend-heavy apps such as SaaS products and integration hubs.

Deploys to your cloud

Apps run in your own AWS or Google Cloud account rather than on proprietary hosting.

Built on Encore.ts

Generated code uses the open-source Encore.ts framework, with typed service calls and built-in tracing and metrics.

GitHub and diffs

Every app has GitHub integration and version control, and changes are shown as diffs to review before deploying.

Preview environments

Test changes in a preview environment, then deploy to production and keep iterating with the AI or your own IDE.

Lovable

Prompt-to-app building

Describe an app in chat and Lovable generates working code. Plan mode costs 1 credit per message, while Build mode charges by the complexity of the task.

Lovable Cloud backend

A built-in backend covers database, storage, compute and realtime usage for deployed apps, paid from the same credits. Every plan includes a monthly grant of 20 Cloud credits.

Git sync and code ownership

Each project is a codebase that can sync with GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket on every plan. Editing and downloading code inside Lovable starts on Pro.

Publishing and custom domains

Apps publish to a lovable.app address: 5 domains on Free, unlimited from Pro. Custom domains and removing the Lovable badge need a paid plan.

Connectors and MCP servers

A connector catalog links apps and chats to services such as Slack, HubSpot and Notion, and custom MCP servers can be added for extra context while building.

Shared workspaces

Unlimited members build from one shared credit pool on every plan. Owners can set per-member monthly credit limits on paid plans.

Leap

• Free$0

  15 credits a month, up to 5 a day. About 3 to 5 AI requests a day within the limit.

• Pro 100$30

  per month for 100 credits

  No daily limit, custom domains and early access. Larger Pro packages run up to 2,500 credits at $750 a month.

• Pro 500$150

  per month for 500 credits

  Same features as Pro 100 at $0.30 per credit. Pro 1000 is $300 a month.

• Team$500

  per month in shared credits

  For organizations: shared workspace, real-time collaboration, group billing and priority support. Steps up to $2,500.

Lovable

• Free$0

  5 daily build credits (30 a month at most), 20 Cloud credits a month, workspace-private projects, unlimited collaborators and 5 lovable.app domains.

• ProFrom $25

  per month, billed monthly; $250 billed annually

  100 credits a month at the entry tier, with tiers up to 10,000. Adds credit rollovers, top-ups, custom domains, code editing and badge removal.

• BusinessFrom $50

  per month, billed monthly; $500 billed annually

  100 credits a month at the entry tier. Adds SSO, role-based access, internal publish, personal projects, a security center and the Lovable API.

• EnterpriseCustom

  A platform fee plus volume-based credit pricing, with SCIM, audit logs, publishing controls, scheduled security scans and a named CSM.

Leap

No public discounts listed.

Lovable

• Annual discount

  Two months free with yearly billing

  The pricing page's Yearly toggle is labeled 2 months free. Pro with 100 credits is $250 a year instead of $25 a month, and Business is $500 instead of $50 a month.

• Education

  50% off Pro for students and teachers

  Verified students and teachers pay $12.50 a month for the Pro plan with 100 credits, billed monthly, for up to 12 months. Each person can use the discount once.