The short answer: connect your project to GitHub in Project settings → Git → GitHub. That works on every Lovable plan, including free, and keeps a real repository up to date as you build. On a paid plan you can also click Download codebase for a one-time ZIP. Either way, your secrets and the data in your database are not included.
These steps are from Lovable's own docs, checked on October 27, 2026. GenVibe, mentioned at the end, is our product.
Option 1: sync to GitHub (every plan)
- Open the Git settings. In your Lovable project, open Project settings, then Git, then GitHub.
- Connect your GitHub account. Click Connect next to the GitHub connection you want to use. Lovable creates a new repository in that account.
- Let it sync. From now on, every change you make in Lovable is committed to the repository, and commits you push to the synced branch show up back in Lovable.
- Clone or download the repository. On GitHub, clone the repository or use Code → Download ZIP to get a copy on your computer.
Lovable also syncs with GitLab and Bitbucket Cloud. One limit to know: it always creates a new repository, so you can't attach a project to a repository you already have.
Option 2: download a ZIP (paid plans)
On Pro or Business, open Project settings → Git and use the Download codebase section, or open the Code editor and click Download codebase at the bottom of the file tree. You get the whole project in one file, without connecting GitHub. On the free plan, use option 1 and download the ZIP from GitHub.
What the export leaves out
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| All your app's source code | Secrets stored in Lovable |
| Database migration files (the structure) | The data in your database |
| The backend URL and publishable key in .env | Service-role keys |
| Package list and start commands | Credentials for connectors and Lovable AI |
So before you move the app, copy your secrets and export the data you need. If your project uses Lovable's built-in backend, a copy you run on your computer talks to the same backend as your live app, so use test accounts when you try things out.
How to run the exported code
Lovable apps are React with TypeScript, Tailwind CSS and shadcn/ui. Clone the repository, read the README and package.json for the install and start commands, add your secrets to a local environment file, and run it. Any host that serves a React app can host it.
Keep building it in another AI builder
If you're moving because of price or because you need a mobile app, GenVibe can pick up where Lovable stopped: push the project to GitHub, click Clone a Git Repo on GenVibe's home page, and keep prompting. Add your backend keys again after the import. GenVibe also builds React Native (Expo) mobile apps, which Lovable can't, starts free with 20 credits and no card, and costs from $12 a month for 100 credits ($9 for the first month).
Where it loses: Lovable's default design is more polished, and GenVibe's free plan is 20 credits once, not a daily allowance. Leaving for good? See how to cancel your Lovable subscription, or try GenVibe free →
Frequently asked questions
Can you export code from Lovable on the free plan?
Yes, through GitHub. Lovable’s docs say the GitHub integration is available on all plans, so a free project can sync its code to a repository you own. The one-click ZIP download, Download codebase, is only on paid plans.
How do I download my Lovable project as a ZIP?
On a paid plan, open Project settings, then Git, and use the Download codebase section, or open the Code editor and click Download codebase at the bottom of the file tree. On the free plan, connect GitHub and download the ZIP from GitHub instead.
What does the Lovable code export leave out?
Secrets stored in Lovable, the data in your database (only the migration files that define its structure are included), service-role keys, and the credentials for connectors and Lovable AI. You need to set those up again wherever you run the code.
Can I connect a Lovable project to a GitHub repository I already have?
No. Lovable’s Git sync always creates a new repository. You can disconnect and connect again, but that creates another new repository.
What kind of code does Lovable export?
A React app written in TypeScript, styled with Tailwind CSS and shadcn/ui components. If it uses Lovable’s built-in backend, the .env file holds the backend URL and publishable key, so a copy you run locally talks to the same backend as your live app.
Can I keep building my Lovable app in another AI builder?
Yes, if the builder can import a Git repository. In GenVibe, for example, you push the project to GitHub, use Clone a Git Repo on the home page and keep prompting; you add your backend keys again.
Sources: Lovable: GitHub integration and Lovable: Git sync, checked October 27, 2026. Lovable changes its settings pages from time to time; check its docs if a label looks different.