Bolt: Private Site Sharing
BoltBolt added a Private Site Sharing feature that allows developers to share a working prototype via a private link without exposing the underlying project files. Available on paid plans, the feature lets users share an invitation-only hosted version of their app for stakeholder review, user testing, or team feedback — all before making the project publicly published. The feature supports both link-based and email-based access control, with domain whitelisting available for Teams accounts.
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Share Before You Publish
Bolt's December 15–January 23 release introduced Private Site Sharing, giving developers a controlled way to share working prototypes with specific people without making the project publicly accessible or exposing its code.
Previously, sharing a Bolt project with someone outside the team meant publishing it publicly — which works for finished products but is poorly suited for in-progress work, client reviews, or stakeholder previews where the developer wants control over visibility.
The new Share button, located in the top-right of the Bolt interface, creates a hosted version of the project behind an access layer. Viewers who receive the invitation can open the app in their browser and interact with it. They cannot see the project's source code, file structure, or build history.
Access Control Options
Bolt built three methods for controlling who can view a shared site. The first is a private invitation link — a URL that can be copied and distributed to anyone the developer wants to invite. The second is email-based invitation, where specific email addresses are entered and recipients receive access individually. For Teams plan subscribers, a third option is available: whitelisting an entire company email domain, so anyone with a matching address can automatically access the shared site without individual invitations.
Shared site visibility can be revoked at any time through project settings. Developers must also manually click "Update" when changes are made to ensure viewers see the latest version of the app.
Why It Matters for the Development Workflow
Private sharing fills a gap between development and public launch. It's the correct tool for client sign-off sessions, early-stage user testing, investor demos, or internal QA — situations where the audience needs to see and interact with the actual running app, but the developer isn't ready for public exposure.
The feature is available on paid Bolt plans. On Teams plans, the domain whitelisting option makes it practical for organizations doing regular client reviews across multiple projects without managing individual invitations each time.