Flow
Try before you buy
Think. Plan.
Flow.
Flow is a self-hosted productivity app for tasks, notes, and captures. Try the live demo free - no commitment. If you like it, we deploy it on your own cloud and it's yours to keep.
This is not a subscription service. Flow is a one-time purchase that runs on your own infrastructure.
FlowBoard
Move from triage to
delivery.
FlowBoard turns scattered tasks into a clear board with Triage, Executing, and Delivered, plus due dates, priorities, and checklists in one view.
How this works
01
Try it here, free
Sign up and use the full app right now. No credit card, no commitment. This hosted version is your sandbox to explore everything.
02
See if it fits
Poke around. Create tasks, write notes, capture ideas. Get a real feel for how Flow works before making any decision.
03
Buy it once
If you like it, get in touch. We customize it to your branding and set it up on your own Vercel and Convex. One-time fee.
04
Own it forever
It runs on your infrastructure. Your data stays with you. No monthly fees to us - only what your cloud provider charges, and both have free tiers.
Important: The demo at flowproductivity.space runs on our shared infrastructure. Don't store sensitive or confidential information here. Once you have your own deployment, it's completely private - we have zero access.
Recommended stack
Built on tools you own.
Flow runs on five well-known services, each on your own account. No vendor lock-in, no middleman. Every one has a free tier that covers typical personal use.
GitHub
Code
Your full source code lives here, with version history and the freedom to fork or change anything, anytime.
Vercel
Hosting
Hosts the app on a fast global network with automatic deploys. A free tier covers most personal use.
Convex
Database
Your real-time backend. Every task, note, and capture is stored here, on an account only you control.
Cloudinary
Media
Handles image and file uploads with quick delivery and a generous free tier for storage and bandwidth.
Resend
Email
Sends due-date reminder emails from your own verified domain. Reliable, with nothing extra to manage.
Have a different stack in mind?
We're open to it. Tell us what you use and we'll explore what works.
How it works
One workspace.
Three powerful parts.
01
Capture Inbox
Frictionless inbox
⌘ K / Ctrl K from anywhere to capture a thought. Promote it to a task or note when you're ready.
02
FlowBoard
Task management
Kanban across Triage, Executing, and Delivered. Priority flags, due dates, checklists, and email reminders.
03
FlowNote
Rich text notebooks
Full editor with notebooks, tags, and task linking. Share any note publicly in one click.
AI connector
No built-in AI.
Bring your own.
Flow doesn't ship with AI baked in. That means no AI tax in your subscription, no data sent to a model you didn't choose, and no feature you pay for but never use.
Instead, every account gets an MCP connector. Paste the URL into ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Perplexity, or any tool that supports MCP, and your AI can read and write your boards, tasks, notes, notebooks, and captures directly.
Read and write. Never delete. The connector gives your AI full creative access but zero destructive power. It can build task lists, draft notes, and reorganize your board. It can't wipe anything.
Confidential notes stay private. Notes you mark confidential are completely invisible to the connector. Your AI cannot see their titles, read their content, or modify them in any way.
Compatible tools
ChatGPT
GPT-4o, o1, o3 - add as a custom connector in Settings
Claude
claude.ai, Claude Code CLI, Claude Desktop - paste the MCP URL
Grok
xAI's model - supports custom MCP connectors
Perplexity
Connect via the Integrations settings
Cursor, Windsurf, Zed
Add the MCP server to your editor's config
Any MCP client
The connector speaks the open MCP standard - if it supports MCP, it works
The MCP URL and API secret are generated per account and live on your Settings page. Regenerate or revoke them at any time.
Privacy First
Work in public.
Keep sensitive notes private.
Not every note is meant for other eyes. Mark any note confidential to hide its body from lists, previews, and search - handy for working in public without exposing what you are writing to people nearby.
Confidential notes
Mark any note confidential with one click. The body disappears from note lists, the tag browser, and search results - replaced with a lock icon. The title stays visible so you can still find it.
Shoulder-sniff protection
Working in a cafe, open office, or airport? Confidential notes show only the title in the list - no one glancing over can read the body. Just be mindful: opening a note still shows the full content, so stay aware of who is nearby.
Invisible to AI tools
Confidential notes are completely blocked from the MCP connector. ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity - none of them can see, list, or modify a note you have marked confidential.
Your own admin
Run the whole thing
from one dashboard.
Every deployment comes with a built-in analytics dashboard. See your users, tasks, notes, and storage at a glance, invite people by email, assign roles, and remove access. It's your workspace to manage, not ours.
Invite by email
Add people by name and email. They get a link to set their own password and join.
Roles and permissions
Assign user or admin access, change roles anytime, and remove people who no longer need it. You stay in control.
Usage at a glance
Track total users, tasks, notes, and how much storage and media your deployment is using, all in real time.
Why Flow
Stop switching between disconnected tools.
Customized for you
Your data, your infrastructure
No per-seat pricing
Everything connected
We handle the setup
The Flow Journal
Clear thinking on notes,
productivity, and ownership.
The Flow Journal publishes practical guides, honest reviews, and comparisons for people who want simpler tools and more control over their digital work.
Guide7 min read
AI note-taking apps: what helps, what is a demo
21 August 2026
Comparison7 min read
Roam Research alternatives for people who liked the idea, not the outliner
20 August 2026
Comparison8 min read
Time blocking vs task lists: which one survives a real week
19 August 2026
Comparison8 min read
Plausible vs Google Analytics: what you gain and what you lose
18 August 2026
FAQ
Common questions.
Is this a subscription service?
No. Flow is a one-time purchase. You pay once, we set it up on your own cloud, and it's yours. The only ongoing costs are what Convex, Vercel, Cloudinary and resend charge you directly - all have generous free tiers.
Compare no-subscription note appsHow much does it cost?
US$500 for a one-time setup. That covers customizing your logo and branding, deploying Flow on your own domain, and configuring the full stack on your accounts ready to use. No subscription, no recurring fees from us. Anything beyond this baseline, such as additional features or deeper customization, is scoped and quoted separately, so you only ever pay for the work you ask for.
What does self-hosted actually mean?
It means Flow runs entirely on accounts that belong to you. You own the source code outright - it's yours to keep and change. The rest are services you sign up for in your own name: the app is hosted on your Vercel account, your data lives in your own Convex database, file uploads sit in your Cloudinary account, and reminder emails go out through your Resend account. We deploy everything onto those accounts, hand it over, and have no access to any of it afterwards. You pay those providers directly, and each has a free tier that covers typical personal use.
Learn how self-hosted note-taking worksCan I try it before committing?
Yes - that's exactly what this demo is for. Sign up, explore the full app, and only reach out when you're ready. There's no time limit on the demo.
Does Flow have AI features?
Not built in - intentionally. Flow does not ship with AI baked in, which means no AI tax, no data sent to a model you didn't choose, and no feature you pay for but never use. Instead, every account gets an MCP connector. Paste the URL into ChatGPT, Claude (including Claude Code), Grok, Perplexity, Cursor, or any tool that supports MCP, and your AI can read, create, and update your boards, tasks, notes, notebooks, and captures directly. It can never delete anything through the connector.
How to set up the MCP connectorIs my data safe on the demo?
The demo runs on our shared infrastructure and is meant to help you try Flow, get a feel for the product, and decide whether you want your own deployment. So please, no naked photos, no incriminating evidence, and nothing you would be sad to lose. We may reset or shut down the demo at any time, so treat anything you create here as temporary. For real use, Flow should be deployed on your own Vercel, Convex, Cloudinary, and Resend accounts, where the infrastructure is controlled by you.
Can I upload videos?
Not as direct file uploads - we do not store video files, because video eats up storage, bandwidth, and compute fast, and Flow is built to be a note-taking app, not a video host. But you can still put a video inside a note: the editor has an Embed HTML button, so you can paste the embed code from YouTube, Vimeo, or any other popular video platform and the player shows up right on the note canvas. For most cases, simply hosting the video where it belongs - YouTube, Vimeo, Dropbox, or Google Drive - and either embedding it or dropping in a link keeps your Flow lean and your costs low.
Can I insert voice notes?
No. Flow stores searchable text rather than audio files. If you prefer speaking, Wispr Flow can dictate clean text into Flow on desktop and mobile. This avoids keeping recordings that need extra storage and transcription processing. If you need true voice notes inside Flow, contact us about a custom deployment, but it will cost more to run.
Read the Wispr Flow reviewHow can I back up my data?
Go to Settings > Your data and choose your format: JSON (a zip file you can import back into any Flow deployment), Excel (.xlsx with one sheet per data type), or CSV (a zip of three spreadsheet files). If you want to retain your note formatting, export in JSON - Excel and CSV convert note content to plain text. Everything is included: notes, tasks, captures, notebooks, boards, and tags. Uploaded media files (images and attachments) are not exported.
Learn how to import notes into FlowI am not technical. Which export format should I use?
The simplest option is Excel or CSV. Open the downloaded file in any spreadsheet app - Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers - and your notes, tasks, and captures are right there in readable columns, no technical knowledge needed. If you want to retain your note formatting (headings, bold, lists, and so on), use JSON instead - it preserves everything and can be imported back into Flow. If you already have a JSON export and want to read it, drop the file into any AI chatbot and ask it to summarize your notes. One honest heads-up: we cannot migrate your content into Notion, Evernote, or any other app automatically, so do not expect a one-click move to a different platform.
How private are my notes in my own deployment?
In your own deployment, Flow runs on cloud accounts that belong to you: your Vercel project, your Convex database, your Cloudinary account for uploads, and your Resend account for email. We set it up and hand it over, but we do not retain access afterwards. The admin dashboard is for user management and usage overview; it is not designed for admins to browse private note content. Flow is not end-to-end encrypted by default, so anyone you give direct access to your database backend or Cloudinary media account could technically access your users' data. In normal use, though, your users' data stays inside infrastructure you own and control.
Understand encryption and note privacyWhat's included in the customization?
We set up your branding (logo, colors, domain), configure the full stack on your accounts, and hand it over ready to use. No code knowledge needed on your end.
What's the recommended tech stack?
GitHub, Vercel, Convex, Cloudinary, and Resend. If you have a different stack in mind, get in touch - we're open to it.
See the full SaaS tech stackThe stack seems heavy. Why so many tools?
Each one does a single job, and they are all industry-standard services that professional developers rely on every day. GitHub holds your code, Vercel runs the app, Convex is your database, Cloudinary stores your uploads, and Resend sends your emails. Because these are mature, well-funded platforms, they are highly secure and properly maintained, so your data sits on enterprise-grade infrastructure rather than something we cobbled together ourselves. The other reason we chose this exact line-up is cost: every one of them has a genuinely generous free tier. So beyond the one-time deployment fee you pay us, you can run Flow for free for typical personal use, and you only start paying the providers directly once your usage grows, for example if you add a lot of users or store a large amount of data. The only other cost you might incur is a domain, and only if you do not already have one you want to use. Domains are cheap and easy to buy, from as low as around $2 a year on platforms like Namecheap.
Why this stack, tool by toolWhy not Supabase, and can we switch to it?
Convex is our default because Flow is a TypeScript app built around live notes and task updates. Convex makes those reactive queries and transactional mutations simple, and its free tier does not have Supabase's documented inactivity pause. Supabase is a strong choice when standard Postgres, SQL, row level security, or broader database tooling matters more. We can migrate Flow to it, but that is a backend rewrite, not a settings switch.
Compare Convex and SupabaseCan I modify the code after buying?
Yes. You get the full source code. Change anything you want. It's yours. Just note that once you modify the code yourself, we're not responsible for any data loss or disruption to the app's functionality that results from those changes.
How long does setup take?
Depending on your requirements, most deployments take a minimum of 3 days once we have access to your accounts and agree on the branding.
What if something breaks after handover?
Get in touch. We're happy to help. Support terms depend on the arrangement we agree on upfront.
Does it work for solo users, not just teams?
Yes - Flow works just as well for one person as it does for a team. The Kanban, notes, and capture features are all designed for personal use too.
See the personal kanban methodCan I manage my own users?
Yes. Every deployment includes an admin dashboard. You invite people by name and email, they set their own password through a link, and you assign each one a user or admin role. You can change roles or remove access at any time. It's all yours to manage, with no involvement from us.
What can I see in the analytics dashboard?
At a glance: total users, tasks, notes, boards, and notebooks, plus how much database storage and media your deployment is using. It's a simple overview of activity across your workspace, alongside the user management tools.
Why can't I rename the columns or add more to the board?
That's by design. FlowBoard is built around three fixed columns - Triage, Executing, and Delivered - because we believe most boards drift into clutter once you can add endless lists. Three stages keep the focus on what's next, what's in motion, and what's finished, with nowhere for work to quietly pile up. It's an opinionated choice, but it's a core part of how Flow keeps you moving. If a custom column setup is essential for your workflow, get in touch and we can look at it for your own deployment.
Why Flow uses three columnsDo you have collaboration features right now?
Yes - you can share any note publicly with a link, and optionally allow anyone with that link to edit it directly, no Flow account required. Changes save automatically in real time. To enable it, open a note, click the share icon, turn on "Make this note public", then check "Allow public editing". A word of caution: the link is public. While it is a long, hard-to-guess URL, anyone who has it can edit your note. Avoid sharing notes with sensitive or important information through this feature, or turn public editing off once collaboration is done.
Compare note sharing and collaborationDo you have version history?
Yes. FlowNote saves up to 10 versions per note automatically - captured whenever you switch notes or every 10 minutes while actively editing. To browse and restore, open any note, click the three-dots menu in the top right, and select Version history. You can preview any saved version and restore it with one click. The current state is saved before restoring, so you can always get back to it. The 10-version cap keeps storage lean on the hosted demo. If you deploy Flow on your own infrastructure, you can increase that cap in the source code as part of the standard customization.
Why isn't there a mobile or desktop app?
Flow is a web app on purpose. It runs on any device with a browser and is built to be mobile friendly, so you get most of what a native app offers with nothing to install. A native app would mean separate iOS, Android, and desktop codebases, ongoing maintenance, and app store gatekeeping (Apple alone is 99 USD a year plus review, and the stores take 15 to 30 percent of sales). With broadband and 5G everywhere in 2026, the offline edge of native apps barely matters, so for a lightweight self-hosted tool it isn't worth the weight. To make it feel app-like, just add Flow to your home screen from the browser.
Read the cross-platform note app guideWhy can't I edit my quick captures?
Quick captures are deliberately raw. The point is to get the thought down fast without stopping to polish it. If a capture needs editing, that means it has grown into something worth keeping. Move it to FlowNote or FlowBoard and refine it there. The inbox is a holding place, not a workspace.
Ready to try Flow?
Start with the demo, then get your own deployment.
Use the hosted demo to see whether Flow fits your work. When you're ready, we can set it up on your own accounts and hand over the deployment.
The Flow newsletter
Notes on focus, in your inbox.
Occasional writing on productivity, product updates, and how to get things done with Flow. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.