--- title: "Bolt app won't deploy to Netlify" description: "Bolt deploys to Netlify fail on size limits, a missing build folder or build warnings. How to check the deploy log and fix settings so the site goes live." url: https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/bolt-app-wont-deploy-to-netlify --- [Home](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/) / [Problems](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems) / [Deploy and go live](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems#deploy-and-go-live) # Bolt app won't deploy to Netlify VC-15 · Bolt · Netlify · Updated October 2026 · By [Nathaniel Kelley](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/authors/nathaniel-kelley) Quick verdict Partly fixable yourself. Settings and build fixes, one to two hours. - **How serious**: Medium - **Fix it yourself?**: Partly, some steps need a developer - **Typical cost**: €99–$990 for a single fix ([prices](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/pricing)) - **Top rated for Bolt**: [Afterbuild Labs](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/companies/afterbuild-labs) · **10.0**/10 **What you see.** You clicked Publish in Bolt with Netlify as the host, and the deploy fails or never shows a working site. ## Why it happens Bolt builds your project inside the browser and hands the output folder to Netlify. Several things can break that handoff. Bolt's help lists a project over 100MB, usually media files, and the error **Could not find a build output directory to publish**, which means the build did not produce the `dist` or `build` folder Bolt expected. The **Hosting Provider** dropdown also only appears while the project is unpublished and your Netlify account is connected. On the Netlify side, the usual failures are warnings treated as errors because Netlify sets `CI=true`, a file name whose case differs from the import, and peer dependency conflicts during install. Netlify also cannot host your database or server code, so an app that relies on a backend inside Bolt will build but then fail at runtime. Netlify's own advice is to make sure the build works before blaming the host. ## Fix it yourself 1. In Bolt, click the gear icon, then **All project settings → Applications** and confirm Netlify is connected. Then under **Domains & Hosting** set **Hosting Provider** to Netlify. 2. Download the project and check its size. Remove unused images and video or move them to external storage. Bolt caps publishes at 100MB. 3. If the error names a missing build output directory, ask Bolt in chat to fix how the project builds, then click **Publish** again. 4. In Netlify, open the deploy log and find the first red line. For warnings failing the build, set the build command to `CI='' npm run build`. For peer dependency errors, add an `NPM_FLAGS` variable with `--legacy-peer-deps`. 5. Check the publish directory in **Project configuration → Build settings**. For Vite projects it is `dist`. 6. As a fallback, run the build, click **Download**, and drag the output folder onto Netlify's manual deploy page. ## When to get an engineer Hire when the build passes but the live site cannot reach its backend, when your app stores data or secrets that need a server, or when the log shows errors inside the code rather than the settings. Send the deploy log, the project download and your Netlify site name. A single fix is €99–$990 and takes about 2 days. Moving the backend to a proper host is a bigger job in the $300–$25,000 band. See [our Bolt guide](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/guides/bolt). ## Top-rated companies for Bolt apps Ranked by our score: published prices, scope of work, AI tools named, timing and a low-risk first step. [How we score](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/methodology#score). - 1 · [Afterbuild Labs](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/companies/afterbuild-labs) · **10.0**/10 · Best for: A check before launch · Free first step · from $49 - 2 · [Redlab](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/companies/redlab) · **10.0**/10 · Best for: A full rescue by one team that keeps building · Free first step · from $490 - 3 · [Vibe Code Rescue (Lev Arakelyan)](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/companies/vibe-code-rescue-lev-arakelyan) · **9.0**/10 · Best for: A one-off check and a cleanup · From $299 [All 48 Bolt companies, ranked](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/best/bolt-developers) ## Check these CODE-01 · High The code lives in a Git repository you own Connect GitHub or export the project. If the builder account is lost, the product should not be. OPS-04 · Medium Secrets live in the host's environment settings Keys belong in environment variables on the server, not in the repository or in front-end code. CODE-04 · Medium Dependencies are current and audited Run `npm audit`. Critical advisories in packages you ship should be fixed before launch. DATA-02 · Critical No secret keys reach the browser Open your live app, then DevTools, Sources, and search the loaded JavaScript for `sb_secret_`, `sk_live_`, `sk-proj-` and `sk-ant-`. Older Supabase keys are long tokens starting with `eyJ`: decode the middle part of each on your own machine, and if it contains `"role":"service_role"`, your secret key is public. A publishable or anon key in the browser is expected. ## Questions ### Should I host on Bolt or Netlify? Bolt's help says Netlify cannot host databases or traditional backends, so projects that need them should stay on Bolt hosting. A front end with a Supabase backend works on either. ### I forked the project and lost the Netlify link. Why? Bolt says forking or duplicating drops the Netlify connection. Reconnect it, which creates a new Netlify site, and repoint any custom domain. Sources: [Bolt: Netlify for hosting](https://support.bolt.new/integrations/netlify); [Bolt: Publishing issues](https://support.bolt.new/troubleshooting/publish-issues); [Netlify: Build troubleshooting tips](https://docs.netlify.com/build/configure-builds/troubleshooting-tips/); [Netlify: Vite on Netlify](https://docs.netlify.com/frameworks/vite). **Bolt guide** What Bolt builds, where it breaks and how to check it: [Bolt app rescue: moving a Bolt.new project to production](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/guides/bolt). **Same category** - [Lovable app not working: what breaks between preview and production](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/lovable-app-not-working) - [Base44 app not loading or stuck on Thinking: what it usually means](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/base44-app-not-loading) - [v0 app needs a backend and deployment: what to add before real users](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/v0-app-needs-a-backend) - [Claude Code or Cursor app works on localhost, breaks in production](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/claude-code-works-on-localhost-breaks-in-production) - [Lovable publish fails with a build error](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/lovable-publish-failed-build-error) - [Lovable custom domain stuck on Verifying or Setting up](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/lovable-custom-domain-stuck-verifying) [All deploy and go live problems](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems#deploy-and-go-live) **Run every check** The [production checklist](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/checklist) has all 24 checks with a verdict.