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Web Development · head to head

Bolt.new vs MySQL

Bolt.new logo

Bolt.new

Web Development

Prompt, run, edit, and deploy full-stack web apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MySQL logo

MySQL

Web Development

The world's most popular open source database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bolt.new the free plan is capped at 300K tokens a day and 1M tokens a month; MySQL hot online backup is not in the free Community Server; MySQL Enterprise Backup is a paid Enterprise Edition component
  • They diverge on capability: Bolt.new covers Full-stack app generation, MySQL covers ACID compliance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bolt.new and MySQL actually diverge.

Attributes where Bolt.new and MySQL differ
AttributeBolt.newMySQL
PlatformsWebWindows, Macos, Linux, Unix
Founded20171995

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Web Development).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bolt.new

  • Full-stack app generation
  • Prompt-to-app creation
  • Real-time editing
  • Instant deployment
  • Screenshot to UI
  • Multi-framework support
  • Live preview
  • Code export

Only in MySQL

  • ACID compliance
  • SQL support
  • Multi-version concurrency control
  • Replication
  • Partitioning
  • Stored procedures
  • Triggers
  • Views

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bolt.new

  • Rapid prototypingnot MySQL
  • MVP developmentnot MySQL
  • UI mockup creationnot MySQL
  • Full-stack app generationnot MySQL
  • Proof of conceptnot MySQL

MySQL

  • Web application backendnot Bolt.new
  • E-commerce platformsnot Bolt.new
  • Content management systemsnot Bolt.new
  • Data warehousingnot Bolt.new
  • Business applicationsnot Bolt.new

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bolt.new

  • The free plan is capped at 300K tokens a day and 1M tokens a month
  • Pro starts at 10M tokens a month for $25, so heavy sessions are metered rather than unlimited
  • Team seats are billed at $30 per member per month and tokens are not pooled across the team
  • Unused tokens roll over for one additional month only, so they expire after two

MySQL

  • Hot online backup is not in the free Community Server; MySQL Enterprise Backup is a paid Enterprise Edition component
  • Transparent Data Encryption, data masking and de-identification are Enterprise Edition only
  • MySQL Enterprise Firewall, which guards against SQL injection, and MySQL Enterprise Audit are both paid components
  • External authentication against PAM or Windows Active Directory requires MySQL Enterprise Authentication
  • The thread pool ships as MySQL Enterprise Scalability rather than in the community build

Pricing, plan by plan

Bolt.new

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited generations
    • Basic templates
    • Public projects
  • Pro$20/month
    • Unlimited generations
    • Advanced AI models
    • Private projects

MySQL

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Open source license
    • Full SQL support
    • InnoDB storage engine
  • Standard Edition$2000/year
    • Commercial license
    • Oracle Premier Support
    • MySQL Enterprise backup
  • Enterprise Edition$5000/year
    • Advanced security
    • MySQL Enterprise Monitor
    • High Availability

Which should you pick?

Choose Bolt.new if

  • You need full-stack app generation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want prompt-to-app creation.
Bolt.new review

Choose MySQL if

  • You need acid compliance.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix.
  • You also want sql support.
MySQL review

Questions people ask

Is Bolt.new or MySQL better?
Neither clearly leads. Bolt.new starts at Free and MySQL at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bolt.new or MySQL?
Bolt.new starts at Free and MySQL at Free.
Does Bolt.new or MySQL run on more platforms?
Bolt.new runs on Web. MySQL runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix.
Can I use Bolt.new for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bolt.new best used for?
Bolt.new is most often used for rapid prototyping, mvp development, ui mockup creation, full-stack app generation. Of those, rapid prototyping and mvp development are not what MySQL is typically brought in for.
What can Bolt.new do that MySQL cannot?
Bolt.new covers Full-stack app generation, Prompt-to-app creation, Real-time editing, Instant deployment. MySQL covers ACID compliance, SQL support, Multi-version concurrency control, Replication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bolt.new: Can I use Bolt for free indefinitely?

Bolt invites users to 'Try it out and start building for free', indicating a free option is available. However, the page mentions two tiers (Standard and MaxPro) and includes a '/pricing' link, suggesting paid plans exist. Specific details about free tier limits and paid pricing are not on the main page.

Source
MySQL: Does MySQL cost money?

MySQL is primarily open-source and free to use. Commercial editions and support services are available but pricing is not published on the main website.

Source
Bolt.new: What are the differences between Standard and MaxPro tiers?

The page mentions both 'Standard' (described as 'Recommended for general development') and 'MaxPro' tiers in feature comparisons, but does not disclose specific differences, pricing, or what qualifies as 'general development' vs. other use cases.

Source
MySQL: How do I get MySQL pricing information?

For MySQL commercial editions and support pricing, customers can contact MySQL sales directly at +1-866-221-0634 or navigate to individual product pages.

Source
Bolt.new: Are there usage limits on the free tier?

The page does not specify what limits apply to the free tier. To obtain detailed information about free tier limits and paid plan features, you would need to visit the dedicated pricing page.

Source
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