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FAQ frequently asked questions

Why did you start Anytype?

We started Anytype to empower sovereignty and cooperation at scale.

More precisely: In today's world, software has propelled us to unprecedented levels of innovation, cross-border communication and value capture.

At the same time, we noticed that participation in today’s digital reality often required sacrificing our independence, privacy, data, or information about ourselves, for purposes we weren't comfortable with. Ultimately, we decided to put an end to our own feelings of vulnerability and disempowerment, by forging a new path towards scalable cooperation that respects user sovereignty.

By developing a tool where anyone can create and share without an intermediary, our hope is to demonstrate a system wherein cooperation can flourish without third-party intervention, oversight, and control.

By developing an ecosystem where anyone can be both a participant or a builder, our hope is to democratize who gets access to the web, and who gets their voice heard.

We're still in the early stages of our journey, but ultimately we're building the Internet that we want to use, one step at a time.

Anytype looks similar to many other apps I use for my note-taking and personal knowledge base. Why should I use you?

With Anytype you own the keys, not us. Everything you create and store is E2E encrypted, local-first, and synced in your local p2p network. That means that you - not big tech or governments - get to decide how your data is used, shared, and valued.

By putting ownership back in your hands, we’re showing the world that software which values your autonomy is possible.

Can you tell me more about how you protect me and my data?

TLDR: your account is protected by a seed phrase only you know; all of your data is sharded, E2E encrypted, stored on-device, and synced in your local network or via anytype nodes that can’t read your content.

For more information on these topics, check out our docs.

And what happens to my data if Anytype goes away one day?

Everything is stored on-device, so even if Anytype goes away, your data will not. You will always have access to the app and can export your data in universal formats that can also be imported into other apps. As our code and file format is open, you always can compile the app, run your own infra and maintain the software yourself.

Is Anytype open-source?

Yes - we have always envisioned Anytype as a community-owned ecosystem. Here you can read our open source philosophy.

For now, our repos are read-only, but as we grow as an organization we will gradually open up the code for contributions. For discussions and announcements, please join our contributors community on Github.

Cool. So where can I learn more about how to use Anytype for everyday use?

Please check our docs and tutorial videos here. In case of any questions you can always reach out to our community of passionate alpha and beta testers, who would love to help you build your dream project in Anytype.

How much does it cost to use Anytype?

Anyone can get started with Anytype, free of charge. If you self-host your data, Anytype is and will always be free to use. For those who use our backup services, you can use Anytype up to 1GB of storage for free. If you need more, please contact us.

But how do/will you make money?

We are not prepared to begin charging for usage of Anytype while the app is still in beta, and we rely on our community not to take advantage of the free storage that’s currently offered.

When we do begin to charge, our principles are as follows:

Users should be charged only for the resources they consume. That means that in the short term, we will charge for paid backups of spaces above a certain storage limit. This limit has not been determined, as we still need to understand the true load and cost of hosting spaces on our infrastructure.

In the medium term, our goal is to evolve from an app into a digital cooperative in which you can pay to become a member. Membership comes with benefits such as the ability to publish objects and spaces under a name of your choosing, discoverability in the Any ecosystem, and the right to participate in the earnings of the cooperative based on your contributions.

Where is the team based?

We have two main hubs in Berlin and Lisbon, where several members of our design, engineering, community, and management teams work together.

We also have several team members who work with us remotely. In total, the Anyteam is currently spread across 7 countries.

What should I do in case I need help with my account?

Please write us at support@anytype.io for any issues related to your account.

I’m on board. What is the best way to support Anytype’s mission?

Glad you asked! Since we don’t pay for advertising, the best thing you can do is to help spread the word. The more people who know about us, the closer we are to achieving self-sustainability. Tweet about us, write about us, or invite a friend or family member who could use more secure autonomy, and show them how to use Anytype.

Other ways to help:
  • Submit feature requests & bug reports on our forum
  • Share a video review/blog about why you use Anytype
  • Sign up as a contributor to help with localisation, integration development, or template submissions

And how can I stay updated when you launch new features that are interesting to me?

Sign up for our newsletter! Also, be sure to join our community forum as the central hub for all Anytype announcements & happenings.
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