Bolt.new Alternatives
That Build and Publish for You
Bolt.new builds the code and leaves the store build to your terminal. Fastshot builds the APK, AAB and IPA on its own machines and uploads to TestFlight, with nothing to install.
What is the best Bolt.new alternative for mobile apps?
Fastshot, if you do not want to run EAS in a terminal. Bolt.new makes Expo apps only when you say "mobile app" in the first prompt, then asks you to install Node.js, Git and the EAS CLI to build and submit. Fastshot builds the APK, AAB and IPA on its own machines and uploads iPhone builds to TestFlight. Newly and Rork also build and upload for you.
Last updated: November 4, 2026
Why People Leave Bolt.new for Mobile Apps
Bolt.new is quick for full-stack web prototypes in the browser. A project downloads as a zip, and Bolt hosts a published site on a bolt.host address. The friction starts when the target is the App Store or Google Play.
Mobile is decided on prompt one. Bolt's Expo guide tells you to put "mobile app" in your very first prompt, and warns that projects created for web "do not easily switch over to mobile". A web project you built last month cannot simply become an app.
Store builds happen in your terminal. To publish, you download the code, open it in an editor such as VS Code, install Node.js LTS and Git, install the EAS CLI, then run eas login, eas init and eas build. iOS uses eas build with the --auto-submit flag. On Android you download the APK or AAB and upload it in Play Console. None of it runs inside Bolt.
Tokens grow with the project. Bolt says most token use comes from reading and syncing your project files, so larger projects use more tokens per message. A growing app costs more on every prompt.
The database choice is early and sticky. Bolt states that there is currently no supported way to migrate an existing Bolt database to Supabase. If you want Supabase, you choose it when you start a new project.
Preview and publish are separate worlds. Expo Go previews through a QR code in Bolt. Publishing needs an Expo account, an Apple Developer account and a Google Play Developer account, all handled outside the builder.
Bolt.new Alternatives Compared: Who Does the Store Build?
The question that separates these tools is how much of the build and upload you run yourself. The rows show the app type, the build, the upload and what you need on your own computer.
| What matters | Fastshot | Replit | Newly | Rork | Anything | Cursor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you build | React Native and Expo apps, plus native Kotlin Android projects | Expo (React Native) apps and web apps | React Native and Expo apps | Swift iPhone, Kotlin Android and React web apps | Expo (React Native) apps and web apps | Any code you write |
| Who builds the app file | Fastshot: APK, AAB and IPA | Expo servers, started from the Launch wizard on iOS | Newly: APK, AAB and TestFlight builds | Rork, on its own machines | Anything | You |
| Store upload | iPhone builds go to TestFlight; Android builds go to the Google Play track you pick | iOS goes to App Store Connect; Android is uploaded by hand | TestFlight from the chat | Builds and uploads to the stores | Uploads to App Store Connect through TestFlight | None |
| Setup on your computer | None: build, preview and publish in the editor | None for the iOS launch flow | None | None: no Mac, Xcode or Android Studio | None for TestFlight | Everything: it is a local editor |
| Code export | Zip and GitHub | ZIP and GitHub | ZIP, CLI and GitHub | GitHub, two-way sync | ZIP download | It is already your code |
Which Bolt.new Alternative Fits Your Workflow?
Concrete best-for lines for people who found the Expo and EAS steps heavier than the building.
Fastshot: best for going from prompt to TestFlight with no command line
Open Publish, choose iOS or Android and queue a build. Fastshot makes the certificates, provisioning profile and App Store Connect app in your Apple account, uploads the build and shows a TestFlight button. Android builds hand you an APK and AAB.
Replit: best for developers who want a shell and a backend too
Expo apps next to a hosted server and database in one workspace. The iOS Launch wizard builds, signs and uploads. You manage the backend deployment and the Android upload.
Newly: best for cloud simulators and chat-driven TestFlight
Previews run on cloud simulators, and an organization owner or admin can send an iPhone build to TestFlight from the chat.
Rork: best for native Swift and Kotlin output
Builds and uploads on its own machines, so you need no Mac, Xcode or Android Studio. Pair it with your own Apple Developer ($99 a year) and Google Play ($25 one-time) accounts.
Anything: best for a short route to App Store review
Handles the build and App Store Connect upload after your Apple Developer account is active, and you finish the listing in App Store Connect. Code downloads as a ZIP.
Cursor: best for engineers who want the code on their own machine
An AI editor, not a builder with hosting or publishing. Choose it when you already use Xcode, Android Studio or Expo and want an agent inside your own setup.
How to Move a Bolt.new Project to Fastshot
Check which kind of Bolt project you have
A web project has a published bolt.host address or a custom domain. An Expo project previews in Expo Go through the Device Preview QR code. The next step depends on which one you built.
Web project: paste the published URL
Website to app reads the pages, navigation, content, colors, fonts and logo of your Bolt site. Paste the address into Fastshot and it builds the native iOS and Android app from them.
Expo project: screenshot the screens
Open the app in Expo Go, capture each screen and attach the images to your Fastshot prompt. Add a short list of what each screen does and who can see it.
Export your Bolt database rows
In Bolt's database settings, open Tables and export the row data you need. Describe the same tables in your first Fastshot prompt and tap the connect card in the chat, and the AI creates them.
Rebuild sign-in
Bolt's database handles email and Google sign-in. In Fastshot, ask for email, Google or Apple sign-in on Supabase, and ask existing users to log in on the new app.
Leave the terminal behind
You no longer need Node.js, Git, the EAS CLI or an Expo account for builds. Open Publish, queue the iOS build for TestFlight and the Android build for an APK and AAB.
Reuse your store identity
If a Bolt Expo app is already live on Google Play, enter its exact package name in Fastshot's Android tab and upload your existing signing key before you build, so Google Play accepts the update. Read the IPA generator guide for how the iPhone build works without a Mac.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Bolt.new for mobile apps?
Fastshot, if you want builds and uploads handled for you. Bolt.new creates Expo code, then expects you to run the EAS CLI. Fastshot builds the APK, AAB and IPA on its own machines and uploads iPhone builds to TestFlight.
Is Bolt.new trustworthy?
Bolt is made by StackBlitz, the company behind the WebContainers technology Bolt runs on. The practical cost is effort rather than trust: store builds run in your own terminal and token use grows with project size.
Can I use Bolt.new for free?
Bolt offers a free tier. If your goal is a phone app, Fastshot lets you start building free and preview on your phone in Expo Go before you build store files.
Is Bolt.new better than Replit for mobile apps?
They both use Expo. Replit's Launch wizard handles the iOS signing and upload, while Bolt.new leaves it to the EAS CLI. Neither runs the Android upload for you; Fastshot builds the AAB and can send builds to a Play track.
Do I need a terminal to publish a Bolt.new app?
Yes. Bolt documents installing Node.js, Git and the EAS CLI, logging in to Expo, and running eas build for each platform. With Fastshot you click Publish and queue a build in the editor.
Can I turn a Bolt.new web app into a mobile app?
Bolt says web projects do not easily switch to mobile. Paste the published address into Fastshot instead and it builds a native app from the site. See web vs native apps for what changes.
Why does Bolt.new use so many tokens?
Bolt explains that most usage is Bolt reading, understanding and syncing your project files, so larger projects use more tokens per message. Its own advice is to ask for one change at a time and to use Plan mode before a big build.
Which accounts do I need to publish outside Bolt.new?
An Apple Developer account at $99 a year and a Google Play account at $25 one-time. Bolt also asks for an Expo account. With Fastshot you only need the two store accounts.
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Skip the EAS CLI
Describe your app or paste your Bolt site, and let Fastshot build and upload it for you.