Cursor vs Lovable vs Bolt vs Replit vs v0 vs Windsurf vs Copilot vs GPT Engineer: Which AI Coding Tool Should You Use?

If you're building an app with AI, you've got more options than ever — Cursor, Lovable, Bolt, Replit, v0, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot, and GPT Engineer are all competing for your attention. They all promise to turn your ideas into working software. But they work very differently, and choosing the wrong one can cost you weeks.

Here's an honest comparison based on the apps we've audited and shipped for clients.

Cursor

What it is: An AI-powered code editor forked from VS Code. You write prompts in a chat panel and the AI edits your files directly.

Best for: Developers (or technical founders) who want AI to speed up their workflow while keeping full control over the code.

Strengths:

• Full control over every file and line of code
• Works with any framework, language, or stack
• Excellent at refactoring, debugging, and explaining existing code
• Your code lives on your machine — no vendor lock-in

Weaknesses:

• Requires development knowledge to use effectively
• You need to set up your own project, database, and deployment
• Generated code quality varies — TypeScript types are often loose, error handling is minimal
• No built-in preview or deployment

Typical issues we find in Cursor-built apps:

• Heavy use of any types and missing interfaces
• Inconsistent error handling across features
• Code duplication that should be abstracted
• No tests generated unless explicitly prompted

We've written a detailed breakdown of what a senior developer actually finds when reviewing Cursor code.

Verdict: The best choice if you can code and want AI as a powerful assistant rather than a replacement.

Lovable

What it is: A full-stack app generator. You describe your app in natural language and it builds it using React, Supabase, and Tailwind CSS.

Best for: Non-technical founders who want a working prototype as fast as possible.

Strengths:

• Zero-to-prototype in minutes, not days
• Built-in Supabase integration (auth, database, storage)
• Automatic deployment and preview URLs
• Good at generating clean, component-based React code

Weaknesses:

• Locked into the Supabase + React stack
• Row Level Security is frequently disabled or misconfigured
• Auth edge cases (session expiry, token refresh) are often unhandled
• Limited control over project structure

Typical issues we find in Lovable apps:

• RLS disabled on most or all tables (critical security issue)
• API keys exposed in client-side code
• No input validation on forms
• Missing error boundaries — blank screens when things fail

We've documented the 5 security mistakes we find in every Lovable app in detail.

Verdict: The fastest path to a prototype. Needs the most security work before production.

Bolt

What it is: A browser-based AI app builder by StackBlitz. You describe your app, it generates the code, and you see a live preview instantly.

Best for: Rapid prototyping and demos. No local setup required.

Strengths:

• Runs entirely in the browser — nothing to install
• Instant live preview as you iterate
• Good at generating visually polished UIs
• Easy to share prototypes via URL

Weaknesses:

• Generated code often lacks input validation
• Environment variables frequently end up in client-side code
• Database integration is less mature than Lovable's
• Moving from Bolt to a real hosting environment requires manual work

Typical issues we find in Bolt apps:

• No server-side validation — form data goes straight to the database
• Secrets in client-side bundles
• No authentication middleware on API routes
• No rate limiting or abuse protection

Verdict: Great for demos and validation. The code needs significant hardening for production.

Replit

What it is: An online IDE with an AI agent that can build and deploy apps. Everything runs in Replit's cloud environment.

Best for: People who want an all-in-one platform — code, host, deploy, all in the browser.

Strengths:

• Everything in one place — editor, hosting, deployment, database
• Replit Agent can scaffold entire apps from a description
• Built-in collaboration features
• Easy to share and demo

Weaknesses:

• Deployment is tightly coupled to Replit's infrastructure
• Moving to external hosting (Vercel, AWS, etc.) requires significant refactoring
• Generated code quality is inconsistent
• Less control over deployment configuration

Typical issues we find in Replit apps:

• Vendor lock-in to Replit's hosting
• No input validation on user-facing endpoints
• Minimal error handling — users see raw stack traces
• Database queries without indexes or pagination

Verdict: Convenient for building and hosting in one place, but moving off Replit later is painful.

v0

What it is: An AI-powered UI generator by Vercel. You describe a component or page and it generates production-quality React code using shadcn/ui and Tailwind.

Best for: Developers and designers who want beautiful UI components fast, without starting from scratch.

Strengths:

• Generates polished, accessible React components instantly
• Uses modern patterns (shadcn/ui, Tailwind, Radix)
• Easy to copy generated code into your existing project
• Great at responsive layouts and design system components

Weaknesses:

• Front-end only — no backend, database, or auth
• You need an existing project to drop the code into
• Complex multi-page apps require significant manual wiring
• Generated components may not match your existing codebase patterns

Typical issues we find in v0-built apps:

• No backend — business logic lives entirely in the client
• State management breaks down in complex user flows
• No input validation or error handling
• Components are disconnected — no shared data layer

Verdict: Excellent for generating UI quickly. You'll need to build (or hire someone to build) everything behind the interface.

Windsurf

What it is: An AI-powered IDE by Codeium (formerly Codeium Editor). Features "Flows" — multi-step AI actions that can edit across files, run commands, and reason about your codebase.

Best for: Developers who want a Cursor alternative with a different AI interaction model.

Strengths:

• Multi-file editing with contextual awareness
• Flows can handle complex multi-step refactors
• Built-in terminal and preview
• Growing rapidly with strong community

Weaknesses:

• Similar code quality issues to Cursor — loose types, minimal error handling
• AI suggestions sometimes lack security awareness
• Newer tool — ecosystem and documentation still maturing
• Flows can make sweeping changes that are hard to review

Typical issues we find in Windsurf-built apps:

• Inconsistent error handling across the codebase
• Auth edge cases missed (session expiry, token refresh)
• No rate limiting on public endpoints
• TypeScript types are loose with missing interfaces

Verdict: A strong Cursor competitor. Same calibre of output, same need for human review before production.

GitHub Copilot

What it is: AI pair programmer integrated into VS Code, JetBrains, and other editors. Suggests code completions and can generate functions from comments.

Best for: Developers who want AI assistance within their existing editor and workflow.

Strengths:

• Integrates into editors you already use
• Excellent at completing boilerplate and repetitive code
• Good at following patterns already in your codebase
• Copilot Chat can explain and refactor code

Weaknesses:

• Suggestions prioritise completing code, not securing it
• Can introduce vulnerabilities that look correct at first glance
• Doesn't understand your overall architecture — only the current file context
• Easy to accept suggestions without reviewing them

Typical issues we find in Copilot-assisted apps:

• Hardcoded secrets in auto-completed configuration
• SQL injection and XSS vulnerabilities in suggested code
• No input validation — Copilot trusts all incoming data
• Inconsistent patterns across files due to context-window limits

Verdict: The most widely used AI coding tool. Great for productivity, but every suggestion needs security review.

GPT Engineer

What it is: An AI app builder that generates full applications from natural language descriptions. Produces React apps with a visual preview.

Best for: Non-technical founders who want to go from idea to working prototype quickly.

Strengths:

• Full app generation from a text description
• Visual preview as you iterate on prompts
• Generates component-based React code
• Can handle multi-page apps with routing

Weaknesses:

• Generated code lacks input validation
• No authentication or authorisation by default
• Error handling is minimal
• Database integration requires manual setup

Typical issues we find in GPT Engineer apps:

• No server-side validation — all trust placed in client
• API keys exposed in client-side code
• No rate limiting or abuse protection
• Database schema missing indexes and constraints

Verdict: Another fast path to a prototype. Like Lovable and Bolt, the output needs significant hardening before production.

Which should you choose?

| Factor | Cursor | Lovable | Bolt | Replit | v0 | Windsurf | Copilot | GPT Engineer | |--------|--------|---------|------|--------|----|----------|---------|-------------| | Technical skill needed | High | Low | Low | Low | Medium | High | High | Low | | Speed to prototype | Medium | Fast | Fast | Fast | Fast | Medium | Medium | Fast | | Code quality | Good | Medium | Medium | Variable | Good | Good | Variable | Medium | | Vendor lock-in | None | Low | Low | High | None | None | None | Low | | Security out of the box | Medium | Low | Low | Low | Low | Medium | Low | Low | | Production-readiness | Medium | Low | Low | Low | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |

Choose Cursor or Windsurf if you can code and want maximum control with AI assistance.

Choose Lovable if you want the fastest path to a full-stack prototype with auth and a database.

Choose Bolt or GPT Engineer if you want to prototype quickly in the browser without local setup.

Choose v0 if you need beautiful UI components fast and have a backend already.

Choose GitHub Copilot if you want AI integrated into your existing editor workflow.

Choose Replit if you want everything in one platform and don't plan to migrate.

The common thread

Regardless of which tool you choose, the output needs human review before going to production. Every vibe coding tool prioritises speed over security, and that trade-off is reasonable for prototyping but dangerous for production. Our production readiness checklist will help you evaluate where your app stands.

Get a free audit of your AI-built app — we'll tell you exactly what needs fixing before launch, regardless of which tool you used.