How I Build MVPs Faster With Lovable.dev (Without a Designer)

Published on: 9th May 2025

How I Build MVPs Faster With Lovable.dev (Without a Designer)

As a solo founder and indie hacker, I used to follow a simple but time-consuming flow:

Come up with an idea → hire a designer → wait for Figma files → convert those designs into code (myself or with help from a frontend teammate).

But recently, things have changed a lot.

Ever since the launch of ChatGPT, Anthropic Claude, and Google Gemini, things are whole lot easier. These tools have helped me code faster and even convert images to code.

Top AI Tools in 2025 for Developers

At the time of writing this article, there are four major AI players that build a complete product for you with just a prompt:

  1. Lovable.dev
  2. Vercel v0
  3. Bolt.new
  4. Replit

Each of them has its own approach. But today, I’ll talk about the one I’ve personally used and loved: Lovable.dev.

How I Use Lovable.dev to Build MVPs

Now, when I come up with a product idea, I don’t start with Figma or hire a designer. I go straight to Lovable.

I write a prompt describing what I need, a landing page, a dashboard, a web app layout—and in minutes, it gives me a fully designed UI with production-ready code.

Yes, real code. Not just images or mockups. As a developer, I can play with the code Lovable generates. Then, I simply copy the parts I need, tweak them, and plug them into my Next.js project.

The result? I get to see my ideas in action fast. No meetings. No back-and-forths. No waiting.

I’ve done this for a couple of my recent side projects, and it saves me lots of hours.

Does Lovable.dev Replace a designer?

So… does that mean I don’t need a designer or may never??

Honestly? Yes. But not right away.

Let me explain.

I still need a designer even more than before, but just not for the MVP.

These tools have raised the bar. Everyone has access to them now. Even non-tech folks can build decent projects using them.

But here is the catch!

Why Design Agencies Still Matter (After MVP Stage)

These AI tools are great for MVPs. They help you move fast, test ideas, and launch quickly. That’s their strength.

But once people start using your product, you’ll start seeing the cracks.

If you ask a professional designer to review the UI Lovable generated, he/she will point out a lot of small but important issues:

  1. No clear brand identity
  2. Bad user experience on mobile
  3. Inconsistent padding and spacing
  4. Poor contrast or accessibility problems
  5. Color choices that don’t match your audience

These are the things where AI and non-designers lack, and real designers and design agencies are trained to do well.

When to Bring in a Design Subscription Agency

So here’s my flow now:

  1. Use tools like Lovable to build and launch fast.
  2. Test the idea. See if users care.
  3. If it gets traction—then bring in a freelance designer or a design agency to make it truly polished and professional.

AI Won’t Replace Designers, But It Changes When You Need One

AI and LLM tools like Lovable are changing the things we used to do. They don’t replace designers, they just change when you need one.

If you’re a developer, these tools help you launch fast.

If you’re a design agency, they’re not your enemy—they’re your signal to evolve, focus on what AI can’t do, and meet founders where they are.

We’re entering a new era of product building, and honestly, it’s exciting.