01Pick a tool built for websites
App builders such as Lovable and Bolt can make websites, but they are tuned for apps, with databases and logins. Code agents like Cursor give full control but leave design, hosting and deployment to you. For a marketing site, portfolio or landing page, a website builder gets you further with less effort. Can Lovable build websites? looks at that trade in detail.
| Tool type | Examples | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI website builder | Orlume, Framer AI, Wix AI | Designed marketing sites, fast | Code export and domain limits on free plans |
| AI app builder | Lovable, Bolt, v0 | Sites with app features | Generic layouts, credit burn |
| Code agent | Cursor, Claude Code | Full control in your own repo | You handle design, hosting and SEO |
02Write a prompt that sets the design
The biggest reason AI websites look alike is that most prompts only list sections. Give the AI the decisions a designer would make: who the visitor is, what they should feel, and what the one action on the page is.
- Audience: "for first-time homebuyers who are nervous about the process".
- Feel: "calm, editorial, lots of white space, one strong serif headline".
- Action: "the main goal is booking a free 15-minute call".
- References: "like the clarity of Stripe's homepage, warmer colors".
- Content: paste your real headline, services and prices; placeholder text produces placeholder design.
03Build it section by section
- 1Get the hero right firstHeadline, one sentence of support, one button. Everything else depends on it. How to design a hero section covers what converts.
- 2Add sections one at a timeAsk for one section per prompt and check it on mobile each time.
- 3Replace every placeholderReal copy, real photos, real prices. Stock filler is the fastest route to looking AI-made.
- 4Tighten the type and spacingAsk for fewer font sizes, more consistent spacing and one accent color.
- 5Save versions as you goMost builders keep history; use it rather than prompting your way back.
04Check what the AI won't mention
AI tools rarely flag problems that do not show up visually on a desktop preview. Run these checks before you share the link.
- Mobile: open it on a phone. Text size, tap targets, images that crop badly.
- Speed: run Google's PageSpeed Insights; large images are the usual culprit.
- SEO: every page needs its own title and description, and one main heading. Are AI-built websites good for SEO? has the list.
- Contrast: light gray text on white fails readability guidelines; the contrast checker tests it in seconds.
- Links and forms: click every button and submit every form once.
05Publish it on your own domain
Most builders publish to a subdomain for free and need a paid plan for a custom domain. Buy the domain from a registrar, point it at your host following the builder's instructions, and wait for DNS to update. Where to buy a domain and how to deploy a website cover the details. After launch, submit the site in Google Search Console so it gets crawled.
What people who tried it say
On Hacker News, vibe coding a marketing site or landing page is one of the few uses even skeptics endorse, because the stakes are low and the result is easy to judge. The recurring criticism is that the results tend to look the same.
- Ask HN: Have any successful startups been made by 'vibe coding'?Hacker News
Commenters who doubt vibe coding for full products still see it as valuable for mockups, landing pages and quick demos, while noting that front-end and UI quality is a weak spot.
Looking for more first-hand opinions? Search Reddit for “how to vibe code a website”. We link the live threads rather than summarizing them, so you read them in full.
Our take
vibe coding a website is the best possible first use of AI building, as long as you treat design as a decision you make rather than something the AI defaults to. The prompt is where your site stops looking like everyone else's.
Where this falls short
If your site needs e-commerce, bookings with payments or member logins, it is closer to an app, and the security considerations for vibe-coded apps apply. Builder plans and domain features change often; check current limits.
Orlume is built for exactly this: describe the site and a design pass decides layout, typography and hierarchy before any code is written, then it publishes a Next.js site in one click at name.orlume.site, with custom domains on paid plans.
Free to start · No card required · Live in one click
Sources
- 1.PageSpeed Insights · Google
- 2.Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide · Google Search Central
- 3.Understanding Success Criterion 1.4.3: Contrast (Minimum) · W3C
Researched and written by the Orlume team · Updated October 2026
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