Hamish vs Bolt

Bolt and Hamish both turn plain-language ideas into working web applications, fast. The honest difference is what each is built to optimise. Bolt is exceptional at getting from idea to a shareable prototype with zero setup. Hamish is built for the whole journey: planning what to build, controlling what you spend, and having people behind you when the app is live and carrying real users. This page sets out where each is strong so you can choose well.

At a glance

Scroll the table sideways on a narrow screen.

Where Bolt is strong

Credit where it is due. Bolt is one of the fastest routes anywhere from idea to a clickable, shareable prototype. The whole development environment runs in a browser tab with nothing to install, which makes it superb for demos, investor conversations and testing a concept the same afternoon you had it. If you are developer-adjacent and what you need this week is a prototype in front of people, Bolt is a strong choice and we would not tell you otherwise.

Where Hamish is different

You plan before you spend. A blank prompt box rewards people who already know exactly what to ask for. Hamish Compass starts with a conversation: it asks what you are building, for whom, and why, and turns the answers into a structured plan your build follows. Talking is free. You only pay when you commit to a plan or a build, and you can see the cost before you do. Free to talk, pay to build.

Images that fit the spot they fill. Hamish generates images slot-first: you pick the position in your app, and the image arrives at the right size and shape for it. Before anything is generated you review exactly what will be created, so tokens are never spent on a surprise. Then fine-tune in the built-in editor and assign the result straight into your app.

Support that stays. Every Hamish account, including free, gets Hamish Assist and a route to a human being. Not a community forum, not a documentation search: a support function staffed by people whose job is your app working. AI that builds. Support that stays.

From prototype to something people rely on. A prototype that lands well becomes a product, and a product needs running: uptime, backups, security, scaling. That work arrives quietly and does not stop. Hamish Production takes it on: your app on managed infrastructure, looked after by people, so you keep shipping instead of becoming an accidental operations team. Apps built elsewhere can be brought across too.

No lock-in, in practice. Export your complete project as a zip whenever you like. Your app, your code, your call.

How to choose

Choose Bolt if what you need is the fastest possible path to a shareable prototype.

Choose Hamish if you want guidance from idea to plan to build, visibility of every cost before you commit, and a platform that stays with you after launch, up to and including running the app for you.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hamish free to try?

Yes. Creating an account is free and talking to Hamish is always free. You receive a one-off grant of tokens to build with, and you only pay when you choose to build more.

Can I move an app from Bolt to Hamish?

Yes. Hamish Production replatforms apps built on other AI builders onto managed infrastructure, with humans looking after the running of it. Get in touch and we will look at your app together.

Do I own the code Hamish generates?

Yes. You can export your complete project as a zip at any time and take it anywhere.

What AI does Hamish use?

Hamish runs a multi-model stack: leading frontier models, routed so each task goes to the model that does it best, wrapped in our own tooling, safeguards and tuning. We call the whole thing Hamish LLM. The stack includes our own model, Hamish Code One, which is constantly improving. No single model is best at everything, and we would rather route well than pretend otherwise.

Does Hamish generate images?

Yes. Pick a position in your app and Hamish generates an image sized for it, with the prompt shown before any tokens are spent. You can also upload your own images, and fine-tune everything in the built-in editor.