The idea of cloning a website used to sound like a task reserved for advanced developers and web engineers. But not anymore. With AI rapidly evolving, tools like Lovable.dev now allow anyone—from freelancers to agencies—to replicate website designs, layouts, and even certain functionalities in minutes.
In this detailed guide, we’ll break down how to clone an entire website using AI, make live edits to specific elements, recreate interactive components like popups, and even compare original and cloned versions side by side—all powered by Lovable.dev.
What Is Lovable.dev?
Before jumping into the walkthrough, let’s quickly define what Lovable.dev is.
Lovable.dev is an AI-powered web cloning and generation tool that lets you replicate any public webpage simply by pasting a link or uploading a screenshot. Once cloned, you can edit specific sections, restructure content, and even add dynamic features—all through conversational AI commands.
The best part? You don’t need to know how to code.
Step 1: Getting Started with Lovable.dev
To begin cloning websites using Lovable:
- Visit Lovable.dev
- Choose a pricing plan (you can start with the free plan, which includes:
- 5 daily credits (up to 30/month)
- Public projects
- Up to 20 collaborators
- Click Get Started and sign in with your preferred credentials.
💡 Pro Tip: While the free tier is great for experimentation, upgrading to Pro or Business unlocks private projects, custom domains, credit rollovers, and AI feature scaling. Here’s a quick snapshot of the pricing model:
| Plan | Price | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 5 daily credits, public projects, 20 collaborators |
| Pro | $25/month | Private projects, 100 monthly credits, custom domains |
| Business | $50/month | SSO, data privacy options, personal projects, design templates |
| Enterprise | Custom | Group-based control, onboarding, support, design system customization |
Step 2: Cloning a Website via URL
Let’s get to the fun part—cloning a live website. You can replicate nearly any site design using just a URL.
Here’s how:
- Open the Lovable editor.
- In the prompt area, type:
Can you please clone this website? [Paste the URL here] - Hit Enter, and let the AI process the page. This usually takes 1–3 minutes depending on the complexity of the design.
Once done, you’ll see a generated version of the site.
👉 You may notice minor layout issues like padding or alignment. But don’t worry—you can fix those in the next step.
Step 3: Viewing and Comparing the Cloned Site
The generated preview is a simplified visual, so to get a better feel of the result:
- Click on “Preview in New Tab”.
- Compare the AI-generated layout side-by-side with the original.
Example:
- Original had 2 buttons and vertical social icons?
- Cloned version might place social icons horizontally and slightly offset.
📝 Observation: The clone will usually maintain structure and colors. Minor edits (like shifting button positions or adjusting spacing) can be done using built-in tools or simple prompts.
Step 4: Editing Specific Elements with AI
This is where Lovable.dev shines. Unlike other tools that require regenerating everything from scratch, Lovable lets you modify specific components.
Let’s go step by step:
Modify icons
Click on the Edit button → Choose the component (like a row of icons) → Enter prompt:
Can you make these icons horizontal like the demo website?
The AI will immediately update that section—no full regeneration required.
Move elements
Want to move a button above a section?
Prompt:
Move this button above the three columns.
Lovable will shift the layout accordingly and re-render the page with the requested change.
Step 5: Starting Fresh When Cloning Another Site
Here’s a very important tip: If you’re switching to a new website clone, always start from scratch.
Why?
If you try cloning a second site in the same session, the AI may mix elements from the previous page into the new one. To avoid this:
- Exit the current session.
- Open a fresh tab.
- Paste the new website URL.
This ensures clean results every time.
Step 6: Cloning Using Image Upload (Optional Method)
If you don’t have a link or the URL doesn’t generate well, you can upload a screenshot of a webpage instead.
Steps:
- Take a full-page screenshot of the site.
- Click the + icon in Lovable’s editor.
- Upload the image.
- Prompt:
Clone this website based on the screenshot.
While the link method is faster and more accurate, the image method works surprisingly well for design-heavy sites.
Step 7: Refining Layouts and Sections
In cases where the AI doesn’t get sections exactly right (e.g., misplacing columns or images), you can guide it:
Prompt:
Rearrange the “Our Impact” section to place the numbers on the right and the call-to-action on the left, like the original design.
This immediately improves layout accuracy. The cloned page begins to resemble the original more closely with every interaction.
Step 8: Cloning Functional Elements (Popups, Filters, and More)
Cloning static design is cool—but what about functionality?
Good news: Lovable can replicate interactive modules like popups, cards, and filters.
Let’s say your original site has a popup modal that appears on image click. In the cloned version, clicking the image does nothing. Here’s how to fix it:
- Click Edit on the image.
- Use a prompt like:
Add a popup module with tool description and a “Get This Tool” button when this image is clicked.
Within seconds, the popup is functional.
You can now:
- Add pricing
- Show key features
- Embed affiliate links for monetization
Example prompt:
Insert my affiliate link here: [paste your URL]
Step 9: Creating a Full AI Tool Directory
As a real-world case study, one team created an AI tools directory using this approach.
Here’s what they achieved using Lovable:
- Filterable gallery of tools with price and category tags
- Popup modals on image click with app details
- Clean side-by-side UI
- Affiliate monetization links
By starting with a clone of an existing directory site and instructing the AI to add filtering and popups, they created a polished platform within hours.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Is Lovable.dev beginner friendly?
Absolutely. You don’t need coding knowledge. The interface is similar to a no-code editor combined with AI assistance.
Q2: Can it clone private or password-protected websites?
No. It only works with publicly accessible URLs or screenshots.
Q3: Can I use Lovable.dev for commercial projects?
Yes, depending on the pricing tier. Pro and above allow private projects and custom domains ideal for client work.
Q4: Does it replicate full JavaScript functionality?
It can mimic basic interactive features like popups or modals but not complex back-end logic or databases.
Q5: Can I export the cloned site?
Yes, Lovable.dev allows exporting the HTML/CSS for hosted deployment or editing in your preferred IDE.
Final Thoughts: Is AI-Based Website Cloning the Future?
Cloning websites with AI used to sound like science fiction—but it’s now a drag-and-drop reality. With Lovable.dev, not only can you replicate a site’s structure, but you can also tweak layouts, add functions, and even personalize interactive behaviors with simple language prompts.
The implications are enormous:
- Agencies can prototype client ideas faster
- Creators can build directory and landing pages without dev teams
- Developers can reverse-engineer layouts for learning or inspiration
As AI continues to improve, we’ll likely see deeper cloning abilities, better design mimicry, and possibly even back-end automation.
Official Website:
🔗 https://lovable.dev
Tags:
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Hashtags:
#AIWebDesign #LovableDev #WebsiteCloning #NoCodeTools #AIBasedDevelopment #WebBuilderAI #WebAutomation #CloningWithAI #StartupTools #AIDesignWorkflow
