Help Center

Getting Started

Go from zero to your first project in under 2 minutes.

Quick Start (5 Steps)

1. Create an account — Go to Sign Up. Enter your email and a password (min 8 characters), or click Sign up with Google or Sign up with GitHub.
2. Verify your email — Check your inbox for a verification link. Click it to activate your account. Can’t find it? Check spam, or click Resend Verification Email on the verification page.
3. Pick your tech stack — On first login, you’ll see a welcome overlay. Select the technologies you use (React, Node.js, PostgreSQL, etc.). This makes your AI-generated content smarter. You can skip this and set it later.
4. Create your first project — Click New Project in the sidebar (or the button on your dashboard). Give it a title and optional description, then click Create Project.
5. Watch AI build your execution plan — AI will generate a launch checklist, pitch document, technical spec, and style guide. You’ll see a progress indicator as each step completes (usually 15–30 seconds total).

What You Get

After creating a project, you’ll have:

• AI Launch Checklist — Phase-based tasks tailored to your project.
• AI Pitch Document — A shareable executive summary.
• AI Technical Spec — Architecture, data models, API routes, and deployment plan.
• AI Style Guide — Color palette, typography, and component styles.
• Notepad — Unlimited note tabs for brainstorming.

Common Mistakes

• Skipping email verification — You must verify your email before creating projects. Check your spam folder if you don’t see the email.
• Skipping the tech stack — The AI uses your tech preferences to suggest the right tools. You can always update them later via My Tech Stack in the sidebar.

Creating a Project

Drop in an idea and get a full execution system instantly.

Step-by-Step

1. Click New Project in the sidebar or dashboard.
2. Choose a mode:
   • AI Assisted (default) — AI generates a checklist, pitch, tech spec, and style guide.
   • Blank Project — Creates an empty project with just a title and emoji. No AI content.
3. Optionally pick an emoji (or leave it empty — AI will choose one for you in AI mode).
4. Enter a Project Title (required, max 100 characters). Example: SaaSBuilder.
5. Enter a Short Description (optional, max 2,000 characters). The more detail you give, the better the AI output.
6. Click Create Project.

What Happens Next

You’re redirected to the project detail page immediately. If you chose AI Assisted mode, you’ll see a progress banner:

• “AI is setting up your project...” with 4 steps: Tasks → Pitch → Tech Spec → Styleguide.
• Each step lights up as it completes. The full chain takes 15–30 seconds.
• You can browse the page while it generates — content appears as each step finishes.

Project Limits

Demo projects don’t count toward your limit.

Common Issues

• AI mode is disabled — You’ve used all 3 free AI generations. You can still create blank projects or upgrade.
• Project appears without any AI content — If AI generation fails, the project is saved with empty documents. You can regenerate individual sections later.

AI Generation

How AI creates your checklists, pitch docs, tech specs, and style guides.

How It Works

When you create an AI-assisted project, toomanyideas runs a 4-step generation pipeline:

1. Launch Checklist — Generates phase-specific baseline tasks (like “Buy domain,” “Set up Stripe,” “Post on Product Hunt”) plus 5–8 custom tasks based on your project description and tech stack.
2. Pitch Document — A 500–800 word executive summary covering problem, solution, audience, timing, and unique angle.
3. Technical Specification — Architecture recommendations, data models, API routes, stack selection (based on your tech preferences), MVP scope, and deployment plan.
4. Style Guide — Color palette with hex codes, typography recommendations, component styles, spacing rules, and tone of voice.

Stack-Aware AI

The AI uses your selected tech stack to make recommendations relevant to you. If you picked React, Node.js, and PostgreSQL, the tech spec will recommend those tools instead of generic suggestions.

Language Support

AI can generate content in 18 languages. When creating a project, select your preferred language and all AI output will be generated in that language. Technical terms (API, DNS, Stripe, etc.) may remain in English.

Regenerating Content

You can regenerate any individual section at any time:

1. Open your project.
2. Switch to the tab you want to regenerate (Tasks, Pitch, Tech Spec, or Styleguide).
3. Click the purple Regenerate button (marked with an AI icon).
4. Wait for the new content to appear.

AI Generation Limits

If Generation Gets Stuck

In rare cases, the AI generation may stall:

• The progress indicator stays on one step for more than 60 seconds.
• Fix: Refresh the page. The project is saved even if generation fails. Any completed sections will be there. You can regenerate the missing sections individually.

Managing Tasks

Your launch checklist — check off tasks, add your own, drag to reorder.

Task Overview

Each project has a Tasks tab with a checklist. Tasks come from two sources:

• AI-generated tasks — Created automatically based on your project’s phase (Idea, Building, etc.) and description.
• Manual tasks — Tasks you add yourself. Unlimited on all plans.

Completing Tasks

1. Click the checkbox next to any task to mark it done.
2. You’ll see a satisfying animation: checkbox bounce, glow, and a “Done!” micro-toast.
3. The progress bar updates instantly.
4. When all tasks are complete, you’ll see a “ALL TASKS SHIPPED” celebration banner.

Click a completed task’s checkbox again to uncheck it.

Adding Tasks

1. Scroll to the bottom of the task list.
2. Type your task in the “Add a task...” input field.
3. Click Add or press Enter.

Editing Tasks

• Edit title — Click on any task title to edit it inline. Changes save automatically.
• Add notes — Click the note area below a task (or the “Add a note...” placeholder) to add context. Changes save automatically.

Reordering Tasks

Drag tasks using the handle on the left side to reorder them. The new order is saved instantly.

Deleting Tasks

Click the delete button (trash icon) on a task to remove it. This action is immediate — no confirmation dialog.

Filtering Tasks

Use the filter tabs above the task list:

• All — Shows all tasks.
• To Do — Shows only incomplete tasks.
• Done — Shows only completed tasks.

You can also use the search bar to filter tasks by keyword.

Generating More Tasks

Click the purple Regenerate button on the Tasks tab to ask AI for more tasks. New tasks are appended to your existing list — nothing is deleted. Each regeneration costs 1 AI generation.

Project Phases & Status

Track where each project is in its lifecycle.

The 5 Phases

Changing a Project’s Phase

1. Open the project.
2. Click the status tabs at the top (Idea, Building, Releasing, Scaling, Paused).
3. The new phase is saved instantly.

You can move in any direction — phases are non-linear. Move a Scaling project back to Building if you need to pivot.

Filtering by Phase on the Dashboard

On the Ship Board, use the stage tabs (All, Idea, Building, Releasing, Scaling, Paused) to filter your projects by phase.

Pitch, Tech Spec & Styleguide

Your AI-generated project documents — edit, preview, and regenerate.

Pitch Document

A shareable executive summary covering:

• Problem statement
• Solution & unique angle
• Target audience
• Timing & market opportunity
• Revenue model (if applicable)

Use it for: Sharing with co-founders, posting on social media, pitching investors, or clarifying your own thinking.

Technical Specification

A practical build plan including:

• Recommended tech stack (based on your preferences)
• Architecture overview
• Data models
• API routes
• MVP scope
• Deployment guidance

Style Guide

A visual identity system including:

• Color palette with hex codes
• Typography recommendations
• Component styles
• Spacing & layout rules
• Tone of voice
• Iconography suggestions

Editing Documents

1. Open your project and switch to the Pitch, Tech Spec, or Styleguide tab.
2. Click Edit to switch from preview to edit mode.
3. Edit the content in Markdown format.
4. Click Preview to see the rendered version.
5. Changes save automatically.

Regenerating a Document

Click the purple Regenerate button on any document tab. This replaces the current content with a fresh AI-generated version. Each regeneration costs 1 AI generation.

Notepad & Notes

Brain dumps, links, scratch thinking — all in one place.

Two Types of Notes

Creating a Note

1. Go to the Notes tab (inside a project) or click Notepad in the sidebar (for global notes).
2. Click the + button to create a new tab.
3. Start typing. Your notes auto-save as you type.

Note Limits

Searching Notes

In the global notepad, use the search bar to find text across all your notes. Results show context snippets around each match.

Deleting Notes

Hover over a tab and click the delete (×) button. Notes are soft-deleted and cannot be recovered.

Tech Stack Preferences

Tell the AI what tools you use for smarter recommendations.

Why Set Your Tech Stack?

Your tech stack preferences are passed to every AI generation. If you select React, Node.js, and Supabase, the AI will recommend those in your tech specs, suggest compatible libraries, and generate relevant tasks.

Setting Your Tech Stack

1. Click My Tech Stack in the sidebar (or set it during onboarding).
2. Browse 200+ technologies across 16 categories (Frontend, Backend, Database, Hosting, AI & ML, Payments, and more).
3. Click on any technology to select or deselect it.
4. Use the search bar to find specific technologies.
5. Click Save Preferences.

Changing Your Tech Stack

You can update your tech stack anytime. Future AI generations will use your updated preferences. Previously generated content is not re-generated automatically.

Dashboard & Navigation

Your Ship Board — the central hub for all your projects.

Ship Board Overview

The dashboard (called “Ship Board”) shows all your active projects as cards. Each card displays:

• Project emoji and title
• Status phase pill (Idea, Building, etc.)
• Progress bar and completion percentage
• Task count (done/total)
• Description preview

Searching & Filtering

• Search — Type in the “Search projects...” bar to filter by title or description.
• Stage tabs — Click All, Idea, Building, Releasing, Scaling, or Paused to filter by phase.

Pagination

If you have many projects, they’re paginated. Use the Prev/Next buttons at the bottom.

Navigation Sidebar

The sidebar (always visible on desktop, drawer on mobile) contains:

• Dashboard — Your Ship Board.
• New Project — Create a project.
• Notepad — Global notes.
• My Tech Stack — Technology preferences.
• Billing — Plan management (shows “Free · Upgrade” badge if on free plan).
• Settings — Account settings (at the bottom).
• Theme toggle — Switch between light and dark mode.

Demo Projects

New users see pre-built demo projects to explore the product. They’re marked with a DEMO badge and auto-expire after ~2 days. They don’t count toward your project limit. You can dismiss them individually or click Clear all demos.

Account & Settings

Manage your password, connected accounts, theme, and data.

Accessing Settings

Click your avatar/initials at the bottom of the sidebar, or go to Settings.

Changing Your Password

1. Go to Settings.
2. Under Change Password, enter your current password, then your new password (min 8 characters), and confirm it.
3. Click Update Password.

Setting a Password (Social Login Users)

If you signed up with Google or GitHub and want to also log in with email/password:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Under Set Password, enter a new password (min 8 characters) and confirm it.
3. Click Set Password.

Connecting Social Accounts

You can connect Google and GitHub to your account for faster login:

1. Go to Settings → Connected Accounts.
2. Click Connect next to Google or GitHub.
3. Authorize the connection.

Disconnecting Social Accounts

Click Disconnect next to a connected account. You can’t disconnect your only login method — set a password first if you only have one social login connected.

Forgot Your Password?

1. Go to the Login page.
2. Click Forgot password?
3. Enter your email and click Send Reset Link.
4. Check your inbox for the reset email (valid for 1 hour).
5. Click the link and set a new password (min 8 characters).

Dark Mode

Toggle between light and dark mode using the sun/moon switch in the sidebar. Your preference is saved to your account.

Billing, Plans & Pricing

Simple pricing. Two plans. No surprises.

Plans

Upgrading to Builder

1. Click Billing in the sidebar (or click “Upgrade” when you hit a limit).
2. Choose Monthly ($12/mo) or Yearly ($96/yr — save 33%).
3. Optionally enter a coupon code and click Apply.
4. Choose your payment method: Card, PayPal, or Crypto.
5. Complete checkout.
6. You’ll see a confirmation page and receive an email.

Yearly Savings

The yearly plan is $96/year, which works out to $8/month — a 33% discount vs. monthly billing.

Coupon Codes

If you have a coupon code, enter it on the billing or upgrade page before checkout. The discount is applied immediately and you’ll see the updated price. Coupons can only be used once per account.

Canceling Your Subscription

1. Go to Billing in the sidebar.
2. Click Cancel Subscription.
3. Confirm in the modal.
4. You’re immediately downgraded to the Free plan.

After cancellation:

• Your projects and data are not deleted.
• If you have more than 3 projects, they remain but you can’t create new ones until you’re under the limit.
• AI generations revert to the free plan limit.

Refunds

Refunds are available on request. Email [email protected] with your account email and reason for the refund.

Transaction History

View your billing history on the Billing page. It shows all upgrades, cancellations, and coupon redemptions with dates and amounts.

Payment Methods

Pay with Card, PayPal, or Crypto.

Card (Stripe)

Credit/debit card payments are processed securely by Stripe. Available for both monthly and yearly plans. Your subscription renews automatically.

PayPal

Pay via PayPal for monthly or yearly subscriptions. You’ll be redirected to PayPal to authorize the payment. Auto-renews unless you cancel.

Crypto (Cryptomus)

• Crypto payments are yearly only.
• Your plan is active for 12 months from the payment date.
• No auto-renewal — your plan expires after 12 months and you’ll need to pay again.
• No cancellation needed for crypto — it simply expires.
• After payment, there may be a short wait for blockchain confirmation. You’ll see a “Payment Processing” page while it confirms.

Security & Privacy

Your data is yours. Here’s how we protect it.

Authentication

• Passwords are hashed with bcrypt (cost factor 10). We never store plaintext passwords.
• Sessions use secure, HTTP-only cookies with a 7-day expiry.
• OAuth (Google/GitHub) uses industry-standard OAuth 2.0.

Cookies

We use a single essential cookie (sid) to keep you logged in. No tracking cookies, no advertising cookies, no analytics cookies. Read our Cookie Policy.

Data Storage

• Your data is stored in a SQLite database.
• AI generation requests are sent to OpenRouter (which routes to the AI model). Your project titles and descriptions are sent to generate content. No user data is stored by the AI provider beyond the request.

Data You Can Control

• Export — Download all your data as a JSON file from Settings.
• Delete — Delete your entire account and all data from Settings.
• See Data Rights for full details.

What We Don’t Do

• We don’t sell your data.
• We don’t run ads.
• We don’t track you across the web.
• We don’t share your project data with third parties (except the AI provider for generation).

Read our full Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Data Export & Account Deletion

Download your data or delete your account permanently.

Exporting Your Data

1. Go to Settings.
2. Under My Data, click Export My Data.
3. A JSON file downloads containing your account info, all projects, tasks, and notes.

Deleting Your Account

1. Go to Settings.
2. Under My Data, click Delete My Account.
3. Confirm in the first modal (“Yes, delete my account”).
4. If you have a password: Enter your password to confirm.
   If you’re an OAuth-only user: Type DELETE to confirm.
5. Click Delete Forever.

What Happens After Deletion

• You’re immediately logged out.
• Your projects, tasks, notes, and documents are scheduled for permanent deletion.
• Your email can’t be used to create a new account (to prevent abuse). Contact [email protected] if you need assistance.
• You’ll receive a farewell email confirming deletion.

Troubleshooting

Common problems and how to fix them.

Before You Contact Support

If none of the above fixes your issue, please gather this info before reaching out:

1. Your account email.
2. What page you were on (copy the URL).
3. What you were trying to do.
4. The exact error message you saw (screenshot helps).
5. Your browser and device (e.g., Chrome on Mac, Safari on iPhone).

Then contact support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions.

Basics

Account

Using the Product

Limits & Plans

Privacy & Security

Troubleshooting

Glossary

Definitions of terms used throughout toomanyideas.

Ship Board

The main dashboard showing all your projects. Also called “Dashboard.”

AI Generation

The process of the AI creating content for your project — tasks, pitch, tech spec, or styleguide. Each generation counts toward your plan limit.

Phase / Status

A project’s current stage: Idea, Building, Releasing, Scaling, or Paused.

Pitch

An AI-generated executive summary/pitch document for a project. Covers problem, solution, audience, and unique angle.

Tech Spec

An AI-generated technical specification with architecture, data models, API routes, and deployment plan.

Styleguide

An AI-generated visual identity guide with colors (hex codes), typography, and component styles.

Launch Checklist

A list of actionable tasks for shipping a project. Includes phase-specific baseline tasks plus custom AI-generated tasks.

Tech Stack

Your selected technologies (React, Node.js, PostgreSQL, etc.) used to make AI output relevant to your tools.

Builder Plan

The paid plan ($12/mo or $96/yr). Removes all limits: unlimited projects, AI generations, and notes.

Demo Project

Pre-built sample projects auto-created for new users to explore. Marked with a DEMO badge, expire after ~2 days, don’t count toward limits.

Notepad

Free-form note tabs. Can be per-project (inside a project’s Notes tab) or app-wide (the global Notepad in the sidebar).

Blank Project

A project created without AI content — just a title, emoji, and empty documents. Doesn’t use an AI generation.

Regenerate

Re-run AI to create fresh content for a specific section (tasks, pitch, tech spec, or styleguide). Overwrites existing content.

Contact Support

Still stuck? We’re here to help.

If you can’t find the answer in this guide, reach out to us:

What to Include in Your Message

1. Your account email address.
2. The page URL where the issue happened.
3. What you were trying to do (step by step).
4. The exact error message, if any (a screenshot is ideal).
5. Your browser and operating system.

This helps us resolve your issue faster.