Getting started

Use the hosted app

The quickest path is to open the app. There’s nothing to install, and no account required — the board lives in your browser’s storage and is restored when you return.

To get streamed answers you’ll need a model. Open the hamburger menu (top-left) → Account tab and either bring your own key (free) or switch a track to a hosted model paid from a balance. See Chat & LLM for the model fields and Accounts & billing for the hosted option.

Optional: sign in

You can use Brainstorm entirely signed out. Signing in (Account tab) adds:

• Hosted models billed to a balance — no API keys to manage.
• Cloud sync of your boards across devices (free), and, with Plus, collaboration on shared boards.

Create your first item

Right-click anywhere on the canvas to open the context menu, then pick what to drop — a chat bubble, a code cell, a note, and more. Whatever you create spawns at the point you clicked. See The canvas for the full menu.