At the start of a project, Lovable can prove to be a valuable ally. With just a few prompts, you get a functional, clean service that's ready to use. The speed of execution allows you to test an idea, validate a market, and start with an already solid product.
But over time, this initial ease runs into certain limitations.
The trap of iterations and recurring costs
Every update, every new feature, requires going back through Lovable. While the first evolutions are smooth, the number of iterations quickly increases, and each feature addition translates into an increasingly expensive token bill.
In parallel, the default infrastructure based on Supabase begins to show its limitations. As traffic grows, costs skyrocket. Where a simple instance on a VPS or an optimized cloud configuration would have allowed more control, performance, and savings, the Supabase subscription becomes a constraint. To understand in detail the real cost of Supabase in production, check out our in-depth technical analysis.
Migration: audit, refactor, document
The first step to regain control is auditing the generated code. This involves analyzing what Lovable has produced, identifying essential parts, and spotting what's superfluous or redundant.
Then comes the refactor:
- removal of unnecessary code,
- clarification of dependencies,
- simplification of components,
- alignment with the technical team's best practices.
Finally, code documentation becomes essential. Not only to enable effective human maintenance, but also to preserve the possibility of using AI in the future on clear and stable foundations.
Reduce costs, regain control
This migration certainly represents a one-time cost (audit, refactor, documentation, setting up new infrastructure), but it then allows you to:
- drastically reduce recurring costs related to Lovable and Supabase,
- regain control of project maintainability,
- ensure evolutivity without depending on a closed platform.
In other words, you move from a rapid prototype to an industrializable product, where the team finally masters its code, infrastructure, and budget.
Conclusion
Lovable is an excellent starting point for quickly launching a service, but as the project grows, regaining control becomes a key step. By migrating to a clean, self-managed base, you gain autonomy, stability, and freedom for future evolutions.