Stashpad: A Dev-Focused, Login-Free Google Docs Alternative

Stashpad Introduces New Doc App with No Login Required

Stashpad, a startup that initially focused on providing developers with a “DM to yourself”-style notebook app, is now shifting its focus to a new document app called StashPad Docs. This new offering allows users to create and edit documents without the need to log in, while still supporting Markdown formatting.

Key Features of StashPad Docs

• No login required
• Browser-first approach
• Local storage of document history
• Server-independent search functionality
• Easy sharing and collaboration

Although offline support is not currently available, the company plans to introduce this feature in the future. While most features are accessible for free, users can opt for the Pro plan at $12 per month (or $8 per month with annual billing) to access advanced features such as restricted access and priority support.

Collaboration as a Major Use Case

Stashpad emphasizes the importance of collaboration in StashPad Docs, boasting real-time interactions with a delay of less than 50 milliseconds. The company believes that this feature will be a significant draw for users looking to work together on documents seamlessly.

The Reason Behind the Pivot

Despite having raised $2 million to date, Stashpad found that its original note-taking product, now called “Stashpad Lists,” did not achieve the expected growth due to its narrow target audience. CEO Cara Borenstein discovered a greater demand for a Google Docs-like use case when working on collaboration features for the note-taking app. She stated:

“One thing that struck us is how, even when teams had an official team wiki in place (using tools like Confluence or Notion), still they would often resort to Google Docs for a variety of use-cases. They might do so even without fully acknowledging that Google Docs remains a big part of their workflow.”

With StashPad Docs, the startup aims to cater to both technical and non-technical users, recognizing the potential for a venture-sized opportunity in the document collaboration space.