Bolt.new
Windmill
| Feature | Bolt.new | Windmill |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $20/mo | Free / from $10/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | non-developers, prototypers, startups, mvp-builders | developers, devops-teams, internal-tools, data-pipelines |
| Founded | 2024 | 2022 |
| Full Stack Generation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Browser Runtime | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi Framework | ✓ | ✗ |
| Deployment | ✓ | ✗ |
| Npm Packages | ✓ | ✗ |
| File Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Preview | ✓ | ✗ |
| Workflow Editor | ✗ | ✓ |
| Script To Ui | ✗ | ✓ |
| Scheduling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Approval Flows | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi Language | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hostable | ✗ | ✓ |
| Audit Logs | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Bolt.new Pros
- Builds entire apps from a single prompt
- Runs code in browser (WebContainers)
- Supports multiple frameworks (React, Vue, Svelte)
- One-click deployment
✗ Bolt.new Cons
- Complex apps require heavy iteration
- Limited backend capabilities
- Can struggle with databases and auth
✓ Windmill Pros
- Open-source and self-hostable
- Supports Python, TypeScript, Go, Bash, SQL natively
- Auto-generates UI from script parameters
- Excellent scheduling and workflow orchestration
✗ Windmill Cons
- Smaller community than Zapier/n8n
- Self-hosting requires infrastructure knowledge
- Less polished documentation for beginners
The Verdict
Bolt.new is built for non developers and prototypers, with a focus on full-stack-generation and browser-runtime. Windmill targets developers and devops teams and leads with workflow-editor and script-to-ui.
On pricing, Windmill is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $10/mo compared to $20/mo for Bolt.new. That $10/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.