Transparent pricing. Your choice of AI. Real infrastructure you own. Build with Claude Code or Codex on your own persistent Linux environment.
The problem
Lovable, Bolt, Base44, and Atoms all use credit systems. Sounds harmless — until you actually try to build something.
Ask the AI to change a button color? Credits. Add a feature? Credits. Fix a typo? Credits. Your balance drains whether the AI gets it right or not.
The AI makes a mistake — and you pay to fix it. Every “try again” costs credits. The worse the AI performs, the more you spend.
You start at $20/month thinking that’s enough. Then you hit the limit mid-project. Upgrade to $50, then $100. There’s no ceiling.
Can’t install your own tools. Can’t SSH in. Can’t run scripts. Your code lives on their platform, making it painful to leave.
“I burned through $50 in credits in one afternoon just trying to get the AI to fix its own bugs. Every time it broke something, I had to pay again to fix it.”
Side by side
A straightforward comparison. No spin — just facts.
| Feature | host4.ai | Lovable / Bolt / Base44 |
|---|---|---|
| AI billing | ✓ Your choiceUse our credits ($15/mo) OR bring your own Claude/OpenAI key — pay directly, no markup | ✗ Credits onlyNo alternative — every prompt, edit, and fix drains credits at their markup |
| Try it free | ✓ YESSign up, build free, no card needed | ✗ PartialSeverely capped by credits |
| Pay for AI mistakes | ✓ NORun and fix unlimited with your key | ✗ YESEvery debug cycle burns credits |
| Predictable costs | ✓ YESYou always know what you pay | ✗ NOCosts spiral with usage |
| Real code access | ✓ YESReal Linux, root, edit everything | ✗ LimitedClosed box, no terminal |
| Data ownership | ✓ YESYour data, your environment | ✗ TheirsTheir servers, GDPR gray areas |
| Lock-in | ✓ NONETake everything, leave anytime | ✗ HighHard to migrate code out |
| Install any tool | ✓ YESCodex, Aider, any CLI tool | ✗ NOLimited to their platform only |
| Run 24/7 | ✓ YESPersistent, survives disconnect | ✗ PartialSessions tied to platform |
| Mobile access | ✓ YESBrowser terminal, works on phone | ✗ PartialLimited mobile support |
| AI Builder (no-code) | ✓ YESChat interface — just describe what you want, AI builds it and deploys instantly. No coding required. | ✓ YESSimilar chat interface, but locked to their credits only — no way to bring your own key or use CLI instead. |
| Choose your AI | ✓ YESClaude Code + Codex — your choice | ✗ NOLocked to their model |
| Bring your own key | ✓ YESControl AI billing directly | ✗ NOMust use their credit system |
| Entry price | ✓ From $5/moOr $99 lifetime — one payment, done | ✗ $16–25+/moClimbs fast with real usage |
Flexibility
Pick the workflow that fits you. Switch anytime.
Chat interface — describe what you want and watch it build. Start with 20 free credits. No API key needed, perfect for beginners.
Full CLI access. Bring your own Anthropic account and run Claude Code directly. Unlimited usage — you pay Anthropic, not us.
Prefer OpenAI? Bring your API key and run Codex CLI. Same persistent environment, same freedom. Your key, your cost control.
Pricing
No surprises. No credit anxiety. Know exactly what you pay.
Sign up in 10 seconds. No credit card. 20 free credits to start.
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