Compare
Orbit vs Lovable
Both build a real app from a prompt, backend included. The difference shows up after the demo: where you can build from, how the bill behaves, and how much of it you can take with you.
Build the same idea free and judge for yourself.
Side by side
Four things that separate them
Checked against Lovable's own docs on 18 July 2026. Every Lovable claim links its source.
Where you build from
Orbit
Claude or any MCP agent, the CLI, the REST API, the browser, and a macOS app. The same app in every one.
Lovable
The browser.
How pricing works
Orbit
1 credit = 1 dollar, the same on every plan, and credits never expire.
Lovable
A credit is worth $0.25 to $0.60 depending on your plan, and credits expire one to two months after they are issued.
Lovable pricing docsThe backend
Orbit
A native Postgres database, provisioned with the app, plus built-in sign-in.
Your code, and leaving
Orbit
Your app runs on Orbit. You build and operate it on the platform and reach it through the REST API. There is no source-code download today.
Lovable
You own the generated code, sync it to GitHub, download a ZIP, and can self-host.
Lovable ownership docsFair is fair
When Lovable is the better pick
If owning the code matters most, Lovable is built for it: standard React you sync to GitHub, download, and host anywhere, with no lock-in by design. If you want to start on Orbit and keep that door open, that is the honest trade to weigh.
The short answer
Pick Lovable
if your priority is owning and exporting the code, or a GitHub-first way of working.
Pick Orbit
if your priority is building from anywhere and pricing that does not move.
Try both
building is free on each, so build the same small thing in both and see which one you keep opening.
Questions, answered
Does Lovable have a backend?
Yes. Lovable Cloud ships a database and auth on Supabase, so both tools give you a real backend, and the comparison is about everything around it.
Which one is cheaper?
It depends on use, and they price differently. Orbit is a flat dollar per credit that never expires; Lovable's credit value changes with your plan and its credits expire in one to two months.
Can I move my app off Orbit?
You reach your app and its data through the REST API, but there is no source-code download today. If exporting standard code is a hard requirement, Lovable is built for that and Orbit is not yet.
Can I just try both?
Yes, and it is the best way to decide. Building is free on each, so build the same idea in both and compare the part this page cannot: how each one feels.
Build the same thing in both
The comparison you can trust is the one you run yourself. Start free on Orbit and see how far the demo gets.
Build the same idea free and judge for yourself.