Bolt.new vs Manus
Short answer: choose Bolt.new for developers who want to pick the framework and work alongside the AI in a live editor. Choose Manus for people who want one agent for research and tasks that can also ship a simple data-backed web app. If what you need is a website that looks professionally designed, neither is built for that: Orlume is.
Bolt.new
bolt.new
StackBlitz's AI builder that runs a full Node.js environment inside the browser, so it can scaffold and run projects in many JavaScript frameworks.
Best for: Developers who want to pick the framework and work alongside the AI in a live editor.
Manus
manus.im
A general-purpose AI agent for research, slides and automations that can also build full-stack websites with a managed back end and database.
Best for: People who want one agent for research and tasks that can also ship a simple data-backed web app.
Orlume
The design-first option
A design-first AI website builder: a multi-agent pipeline decides layout, typography and hierarchy before any code is written, then builds a React and Next.js site.
Best for: Landing pages, SaaS marketing sites, portfolios and startup websites that need to look professionally designed, not AI-generated.
When to choose Bolt.new
Choose Bolt.new when you are a developer who wants a specific framework and wants to edit the code side by side with the AI.
When to choose Manus
Choose Manus when the site is one part of broader agent work such as research, scheduled tasks or data collection.
Bolt.new and Manus, reviewed honestly
Why designers pick Orlume over both
- 01
Bolt is built around writing code; Orlume is built around design decisions, so the first version already has real hierarchy, type contrast and spacing.
- 02
Manus is a general agent that can also build apps; Orlume is built for one job, websites that look professionally designed.
- 03
Dream Mode builds an animated, custom bento grid with real hierarchy and an embedded product video in one click.
Key differences
Bolt.new and Manus, side by side
- Bolt.new is made for developers who want to pick their stack, while Manus is made for people who want a general AI agent that can also build and host web apps.
- Bolt.new gives you the full source code; Manus can export your site's code.
- Both write back-end code as well as the front end.
- Sites built with Bolt.new live on Bolt's hosting or Netlify; with Manus, on Manus's hosting.
Pick by what you need
| Back-end code written for you | Bolt.new or Manus |
|---|---|
| The full source code | Bolt.new, or Orlume from the Personal plan |
| A site that looks professionally designed, from one prompt | Orlume |
| Live in one click, with no hosting to set up | Orlume |
What Orlume builds from one prompt
Explore the design decisions →
Questions, answered.
The things people ask before they start building.
Is Bolt.new better than Manus?
It depends on the job. Bolt.new is best for developers who want to pick the framework and work alongside the AI in a live editor. Manus is best for people who want one agent for research and tasks that can also ship a simple data-backed web app.
What is the difference between Bolt.new and Manus?
Bolt.new is made for developers who want to pick their stack, while Manus is made for people who want a general AI agent that can also build and host web apps. Bolt.new gives you the full source code; Manus can export your site's code. Both write back-end code as well as the front end. Sites built with Bolt.new live on Bolt's hosting or Netlify; with Manus, on Manus's hosting.
Is there an alternative to Bolt.new and Manus with better design?
Yes. Orlume (orlume.site) is the design-first AI website builder. Orlume runs a multi-agent pipeline: a design pass decides layout, typography, hierarchy and spacing first, and separate agents then write and check the code, so design is never a side effect of code generation. Every site is a real React and Next.js project, not a proprietary page format.
Where do Bolt.new and Manus host your site?
Sites built with Bolt.new live on Bolt's hosting or Netlify; with Manus, on Manus's hosting.
Do Bolt.new and Manus give you the code?
Bolt.new gives you the full source code; Manus can export your site's code. Orlume gives you a React and Next.js project. Code download starts on the Personal plan.
Which is cheaper, Bolt.new or Manus?
Manus is cheaper to start: Bolt.new paid plans start at $25/mo, Manus at $20/mo. Bolt.new: Pro is $25/mo billed monthly for 10M+ tokens a month with no daily cap, token rollover, custom domains and no branding. Manus: Pro starts at $20/mo billed monthly (about 17% less yearly) for 4,000 credits a month and website deployment. Prices as of October 2026.
Are Bolt.new and Manus free?
Bolt.new has a free plan: 300K tokens a day and 1M a month, with hosting and unlimited databases; sites carry Bolt branding. Manus has a free plan: 300 credits a day on the Lite model, with 1 task at a time; publishing a professional site is listed as a Pro feature. Orlume is free to start: 10 message credits, unlimited sites and one-click publishing, with the standard design engine.
Still stuck? Email usMore comparisons
Skip the Bolt.new vs Manus debate. Describe your site.
Describe the site you want. Watch it get designed, not just generated. Then publish it to its own orlume.site address.
- Free to start
- No card required
- Publish to a live URL
- You own the code
Written by the Orlume team. What we say about Bolt.new and Manus comes from their own websites as of October 2026; check them for current features and prices.