Help & FAQ
Everything you need to know about using Idealist to turn your ideas into reality.
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Getting Started
What is Idealist?
Idealist is your idea development workspace—the missing link between note-taking apps (too loose) and project management tools (too structured). It helps you capture ideas quickly and develop them through a structured lifecycle from initial concept to shipped reality.
The Problem We Solve:
- • Note-taking apps lack structure for tracking progress
- • Project management tools feel too heavy for early-stage ideas
- • Ideas get lost in scattered notes, todos, and bookmarks
The Idealist Solution:
A focused workspace where each idea has everything it needs: Notes for research and thinking, Tasks for action items, Links for inspiration and resources, Media for visual assets, and an AI Coach for guidance and feedback.
Who is Idealist for?
Idealist is built for technical creatives—anyone who has ideas worth building:
- Developers tracking side projects and app ideas
- Designers developing portfolio pieces and design systems
- Musicians organizing song ideas and album concepts
- Writers developing stories, articles, and books
- Creators planning content, products, and launches
If you're someone who thinks "I should build that" multiple times a week, Idealist is for you.
How to Create Your First Idea
- Sign up for a free account at idealist.app
- Click the "New Idea" button (+ icon) in the sidebar
- Give your idea a title and brief description
- Choose a starting status (we recommend 🟣 Exploring)
- Add tags to categorize it (optional)
- Start adding notes, tasks, or links
That's it! Your idea now has a home where it can grow.
Understanding the Interface
Sidebar (Left)
- • List of all your ideas
- • Filter by status or tags
- • Quick metadata (task count, note count, status)
- • New idea button
Main Area (Right)
- • Selected idea detail view
- • Tabs for different content types
- • Dashboard overview
- • Activity timeline
Core Concepts
The Idea Lifecycle
Every idea moves through stages from concept to completion. Idealist uses 5 lifecycle stages:
Exploring
Initial concept development, research and inspiration gathering, figuring out if this is worth pursuing. Use this when you're not ready to commit, just exploring.
Planning
Thinking through the approach, breaking down into steps, defining scope and requirements. Use this when you've decided to do it, now planning execution.
Executing
Actively building, creating, working. Making steady progress and checking off tasks. Use this when you're in the flow, making it happen.
Shipped
Completed and launched, live in the world. Use this when it's finished and out there (or complete for personal projects).
Archived
Shelved ideas (maybe later), completed projects you're done with, or ideas you've abandoned. Use this when it's off your active radar.
💡 Pro tip:
Most ideas should spend time in Exploring before jumping to Planning. Don't skip the research phase!
The Difference Between Notes, Tasks, Links, and Media
Idealist gives you 4 content types for each idea. Here's when to use each:
📝 Notes
For thinking and capturing information. Research findings, brain dumps, meeting notes, design decisions—anything that's not a discrete action.
Example: "Target audience analysis: 25-40 year old creative professionals who struggle with idea organization"
✅ Tasks
For actionable work items. Specific actions you need to take, things you can check off, steps toward completion, organized into sections.
Example: "Design homepage mockup" or "Write first draft of intro"
🔗 Links
For reference and inspiration. Articles and tutorials, competitor research, design inspiration, resources and documentation.
Example: Saving a Medium article about go-to-market strategies
🖼️ Media
For visual assets. Sketches and wireframes, screenshots and mockups, photos and graphics, reference images.
Example: Uploading initial logo concepts or UI inspiration screenshots
The key difference: Notes are thoughts, Tasks are actions, Links are references, Media is visual.
AI Coach
What is the AI Coach?
The AI Coach is a conversational AI feature built into every idea. Think of it as having an intelligent thinking partner who:
- Knows everything about your idea (title, description, notes, tasks, links, tags)
- Adapts to different roles based on what you need
- Helps you brainstorm, plan, critique, and execute
- Can turn conversations into actionable notes or tasks
The 7 Coach Personas
Choose the persona that matches what you need right now. Each has a distinct personality and approach:
1. Brainstorm Partner
Open-ended, "yes and..." approach, generative
When to use: Initial idea exploration, generating variations, overcoming creative blocks
2. Strategic Advisor
Business-minded, practical, focused on market fit
When to use: Validating ideas, prioritizing features, planning go-to-market, making strategic decisions
3. Technical Architect
Engineering-focused, detail-oriented, implementation-minded
When to use: Making technical decisions, choosing technologies, architecting systems, solving technical challenges
4. Creative Director
Design-focused, user-centric, aesthetics-aware
When to use: Design thinking, user experience, visual direction, content strategy
5. Art Coach
Creatively supportive, craft-focused, process-oriented
When to use: Music, art, illustration projects, developing artistic concepts, improving creative craft
6. Accountability Coach
Motivating, progress-focused, encouraging but firm
When to use: Overcoming procrastination, getting unstuck, maintaining momentum, working through resistance
7. Devil's Advocate
Critical, challenging, risk-aware
When to use: Stress-testing ideas, identifying weaknesses, avoiding blindspots, making sure you've thought it through
Converting Conversations to Notes/Tasks
The most powerful feature of the AI Coach: turning conversations into action.
- Add to Notes: When the conversation revealed valuable insights, click "Add to Notes" to save a structured summary
- Add as Tasks: When the conversation identified action items, click "Add as Tasks" to create a checklist
Monthly Chat Limits
AI Coach usage is limited by your plan:
- Free Plan: 10 chats per month
- Pro Plan: 100 chats per month
- Teams Plan: Custom limits
Privacy: Why Chats Aren't Saved
AI Coach conversations are intentionally ephemeral—stored only in your browser session. This design choice prioritizes privacy, keeps you focused on moving forward, and encourages you to convert valuable insights into notes or tasks.
Pricing & Premium Features
Free vs. Pro Comparison
Free Plan
$0/forever
- Up to 10 active ideas
- Unlimited notes & tasks
- 10 AI Coach chats/month
- 3 custom templates
- 100 MB media storage
Pro Plan
$8/month
- Unlimited ideas
- Unlimited notes & tasks
- 100 AI Coach chats/month
- Unlimited custom templates
- 500+ MB media storage
- Browser extension access
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Common Issues and Solutions
I can't create more ideas (Free plan)
Problem: You've hit the 10 active idea limit.
Solution:
- Archive ideas you're not actively working on
- Delete ideas you no longer need
- Upgrade to Pro for unlimited ideas
My AI Coach chats aren't working
Problem: You've hit your monthly chat limit.
Solution:
- Wait until the 1st of next month (counter resets)
- Upgrade to Pro for 100 chats/month
- Check Settings → Account to see remaining chats
My coach conversation disappeared
Problem: Chats are ephemeral by design.
Solution:
This is expected behavior. Refresh or close tab = chat clears. Save valuable insights to notes before they're gone using "Add to Notes" or "Add as Tasks".
Getting Support
Need more help?
- Email support: support@idealist-app.com
- Feature requests: feedback@idealist-app.com
- Response time (Free): 48-72 hours
- Response time (Pro): 24 hours
Ready to start building?
Sign up for free and turn your ideas into reality.