fix guide
Hire a Lovable developer, or get a diagnosis first?
Harjot · · updated
Your Lovable app has a bug that prompting hasn't fixed. Hiring a developer is the next thing to consider, and sometimes it is the right call.
Short answer: hire a developer when you know what to build or change. Get a diagnosis first when you don't know what's broken. I run FixedLaunch, which sells the diagnosis, so I'll say where hiring wins.
1. Keep prompting while the error is new and small
If one more prompt fixes it, you're done. Stop when each prompt makes things worse or the error keeps changing. At that point someone needs to read your real logs and settings.
Check your symptom first in Lovable app not working: find the cause, then fix it. It's free and covers the common causes.
signs You've sent three or more fix prompts and the error is different each time.
2. Hire a developer when the job is known
A developer is the better pick for a new feature, a redesign, or moving the app off Lovable. They are also the better pick if you expect to keep changing the code for months.
A fix sprint from me covers one broken flow, such as signing in or saving a record. It doesn't replace an ongoing developer.
signs You can write the job in one sentence, and it starts with "add", "build" or "move".
3. Get a diagnosis when you can't name the problem
The $149 diagnosis gives you a video of the bug, what's broken in plain English, and a fix plan you or any developer can follow, with the steps to reproduce it. No code knowledge needed. It arrives within 48h of access.
You add me to your tools. No passwords, and I only look. One diagnosis covers one broken flow. Anything else I spot goes in the report as a note, free.
If I can't reproduce the problem and can't give you a clear next step, you get the full $149 back.
signs You know something is broken but not where, and you don't want to pay a developer to search for it.
4. Ask any developer these five things before you pay
Have you fixed an app from this builder before? Ask for one example.
Will you work in my real project, not a copy?
Can you give a written price for one named flow, and a test we agree on before you start?
What happens if you can't fix it? Is the deposit returned?
Do you need my passwords? Safer is member access to each tool that you can remove later.
5. What each route costs
My prices: the diagnosis is $149, paid upfront. A fix sprint is $750 total with the $149 counted: $301 to start and $300 when the agreed test passes. If the test can't be met within scope, the deposit comes back. No subscriptions.
Other developers set their own rates, so I won't quote an average. Ask for a fixed price on one flow and compare it with the $750.
If the diagnosis finds a fix that is small, you can follow the plan yourself or hand it to any developer.
6. Pick in 30 seconds
Know the job and want it built? Hire a developer.
Know it's broken but not why? Get the diagnosis.
Stuck on one error message? Search it. Most of the guides on this site start from an error text.
Decided to hire? How to hire someone to fix a Lovable, Bolt or v0 app covers what to write first, what to ask and how to give access without passwords.
To see what a diagnosis looks at, read the checks page.
Common questions
Should I hire a Lovable developer or get a diagnosis first?
Hire a developer when you can name the job, such as a new feature, a redesign or moving off Lovable. Get a diagnosis first when you know something is broken but not where, so you don't pay someone by the hour to search for it.
When should I stop prompting Lovable to fix a bug?
Stop when each prompt makes things worse or the error changes every time. Three or more fix prompts with a different error each time is a clear signal. At that point someone needs to read your real logs and settings.
What should I ask a developer before I pay them to fix my Lovable app?
Ask if they have fixed an app from this builder before, and for one example. Ask for a written price for one named flow and a test you agree first, what happens if they can't fix it, and whether they need passwords. They shouldn't.
Still stuck?
Not sure this is the cause? Paste your app's link into the free scan. It lists what a visitor's browser can see, like leaked keys and exposed files, worst first. The score is free; every fix as a prompt for your builder is $9, one-time.
Want a person to look inside? See the diagnosis