**Bolt AI (Bolt.new) Review: My Experience with Vibe Coding Systems**

I've experimented with a variety of vibe coding systems over the past few months, and while some have been impressive and others less so, Bolt AI stands out as the best I've used so far. That said, it’s not without its quirks and challenges, which I’ll get into shortly.

**What Does Bolt AI Do?**

Bolt is an AI-powered platform that allows you to build applications using natural language commands. You simply tell it what you want to create, and it generates the code for you. My main use case has been building simple offline HTML apps and pages to help run my business more efficiently.

For example, I wanted to create a management system for my coaching clients. The system needed to let me add clients, schedule sessions, track earnings across different business categories, view my schedule, and keep notes on each client. This kind of tool helps me stay organized and on top of my numbers, which isn’t my strong suit.

**Comparing Bolt to Other Systems**

I tried building this management system using other platforms like Greta, Manus, and Perplexity, but none of them delivered the results I needed. One key lesson I learned is the importance of planning your project thoroughly before starting with any vibe coding system. If something goes wrong in the code, fixing it can be a real challenge, especially if you’re not a developer.

**Tips for Using Bolt Effectively**

My use case was relatively straightforward—a standalone HTML file—but it’s crucial to specify this upfront. If you don’t, Bolt might create a backend system or set up databases, which complicates things and requires more technical knowledge. I made this mistake initially and ended up burning through a lot of credits.

Bolt gives you 10 million credits, which sounds generous. The company buys credits in bulk and distributes them to users, so you don’t need to set up your own API key. However, you can use up those credits quickly. In my case, I went through all 10 million credits in just 24 hours while building two nearly finished apps.

To avoid wasting credits, I recommend building your app step by step. For instance, I started by creating a calendar section for coaching clients, then added a client information section, and continued to build out the features incrementally. This approach worked well and kept the AI focused on each task.

**Avoid Overloading the AI**

The biggest mistake you can make is trying to build everything at once. If you give the AI too many instructions in one go, it gets confused and may not deliver what you want. Breaking your project into manageable steps is the way to go.

**Is Bolt Worth It?**

If you can get Bolt as part of the AppSumo deal, I highly recommend it. The bundle is affordable and includes four apps—Reclaim, Bolt, and two others I haven’t explored yet. Keep in mind that the deal is for one year, and you’ll need to enter your credit card details and remember to cancel before the year is up to avoid being charged again.

For my needs, Bolt should allow me to create all the apps I want within the year. If you have any questions about my experience or want more details, feel free to reach out!