Lindy

Configurable AI assistants for email, meetings, support, and operations

KINDA · partial replacement
price variesestimated build time weekend to multi-dayreplaced by 0 people

The visible AI assistants + automation loop is buildable, but a credible replacement needs more than the first screen. Lindy earns its keep through connectors, auth, reliability, so expect a weekend or multi-day build and a narrower personal scope.

Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability

What you give up

  • schema drift handling and enterprise controls
  • sender reputation, deliverability, and suppression handling
  • hundreds of maintained connectors
  • OAuth app verification
  • durable execution at scale

Why people still pay

Lindy: One automation is easy. Subscribers pay for maintained integrations, credentials, retries, observability, and someone else owning breakage.

Your build guide

The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.

Before you start

  • A supported Node release, PostgreSQL, HTTPS for a shared deployment, and a backup destination. Begin with one workspace and explicit owner/member permissions.
  • Implementation components: Next.js App Router and TypeScript for server-rendered pages and validated mutations. PostgreSQL with Drizzle migrations; Better Auth sessions for a small private workspace. A TypeScript worker with a typed tool registry and a durable per-step execution log.
  • Scope boundary: schema drift handling and enterprise controls; sender reputation, deliverability, and suppression handling
01
Next.js App Router and TypeScript for server-rendered pages and validated mutations.
02
PostgreSQL with Drizzle migrations; Better Auth sessions for a small private workspace.
03
A TypeScript worker with a typed tool registry and a durable per-step execution log.
04
Domain model: triggers, versioned workflows, typed tools, execution steps, approval requests and external action receipts
engineering roadmap

Implementation plan

1

Phase 1

Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Implement one assistant workflow such as extracting an inbound request and preparing a calendar/email draft. Separate deterministic validation from model planning and stop for approval before any external write. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: schema drift handling and enterprise controls; sender reputation, deliverability, and suppression handling

2

Phase 2

Durable model. Model triggers, versioned workflows, typed tools, execution steps, approval requests and external action receipts Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: A model cannot add a tool, credential scope or approval rule; retries distinguish completed actions from unknown outcomes.

3

Phase 3

Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Checkpoint each step with input hashes and external receipts. Separate safe retries from unknown side effects; resume from the last confirmed step with a run budget and cancellation.

4

Phase 4

Permissions and integration failure. Authorize every record read and mutation on the server using its workspace membership; validate payloads, protect mutations against CSRF, and escape user-authored HTML. Allowlist tools, destinations and credential scopes. External writes, shell commands and messages require explicit policy approval; imported content cannot grant permission. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.

5

Phase 5

Portable handoff. Export versioned JSON plus attachments and a readable CSV summary. Restore into a separate database and compare record IDs and attachment checksums before switching. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.

6

Phase 6

Acceptance scenarios. A prompt-injection instruction in an email cannot send a message; resuming after an approved write reuses its receipt rather than performing it again. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.

the pro prompt
download AGENTS.md
WORKING SLICE
Implement one assistant workflow such as extracting an inbound request and preparing a calendar/email draft. Separate deterministic validation from model planning and stop for approval before any external write.

Build this scoped Lindy-inspired workflow with a documented data model and visible failure states.

Architecture
- Next.js App Router and TypeScript for server-rendered pages and validated mutations.
- PostgreSQL with Drizzle migrations; Better Auth sessions for a small private workspace.
- A TypeScript worker with a typed tool registry and a durable per-step execution log.

Prerequisites and limits
A supported Node release, PostgreSQL, HTTPS for a shared deployment, and a backup destination. Begin with one workspace and explicit owner/member permissions.
Outside this release: schema drift handling and enterprise controls; sender reputation, deliverability, and suppression handling

Data model and correctness
triggers, versioned workflows, typed tools, execution steps, approval requests and external action receipts
Invariant: A model cannot add a tool, credential scope or approval rule; retries distinguish completed actions from unknown outcomes.
Checkpoint each step with input hashes and external receipts. Separate safe retries from unknown side effects; resume from the last confirmed step with a run budget and cancellation.

Security and privacy
Authorize every record read and mutation on the server using its workspace membership; validate payloads, protect mutations against CSRF, and escape user-authored HTML. Allowlist tools, destinations and credential scopes. External writes, shell commands and messages require explicit policy approval; imported content cannot grant permission.

Recovery and export
Export versioned JSON plus attachments and a readable CSV summary. Restore into a separate database and compare record IDs and attachment checksums before switching.

Implementation order
1. Phase 1 — Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Implement one assistant workflow such as extracting an inbound request and preparing a calendar/email draft. Separate deterministic validation from model planning and stop for approval before any external write. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: schema drift handling and enterprise controls; sender reputation, deliverability, and suppression handling
2. Phase 2 — Durable model. Model triggers, versioned workflows, typed tools, execution steps, approval requests and external action receipts Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: A model cannot add a tool, credential scope or approval rule; retries distinguish completed actions from unknown outcomes.
3. Phase 3 — Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Checkpoint each step with input hashes and external receipts. Separate safe retries from unknown side effects; resume from the last confirmed step with a run budget and cancellation.
4. Phase 4 — Permissions and integration failure. Authorize every record read and mutation on the server using its workspace membership; validate payloads, protect mutations against CSRF, and escape user-authored HTML. Allowlist tools, destinations and credential scopes. External writes, shell commands and messages require explicit policy approval; imported content cannot grant permission. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.
5. Phase 5 — Portable handoff. Export versioned JSON plus attachments and a readable CSV summary. Restore into a separate database and compare record IDs and attachment checksums before switching. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.
6. Phase 6 — Acceptance scenarios. A prompt-injection instruction in an email cannot send a message; resuming after an approved write reuses its receipt rather than performing it again. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.

Acceptance
A prompt-injection instruction in an email cannot send a message; resuming after an approved write reuses its receipt rather than performing it again.
Use real source data or clearly labeled fixtures. Explain unsupported input and provider failures; do not fabricate analytics, delivery receipts, accuracy claims or security guarantees.

Optional agent guidance
Optional external skill: [supabase-postgres-best-practices](https://github.com/supabase/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/supabase-postgres-best-practices/SKILL.md) — Review PostgreSQL schemas, queries, indexes, pooling, concurrency and row-level security. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: [sharp-edges](https://github.com/trailofbits/skills/blob/main/plugins/sharp-edges/skills/sharp-edges/SKILL.md) — Review security-sensitive APIs and configuration for dangerous defaults and easy-to-misuse interfaces. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: [web-design-guidelines](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/web-design-guidelines/SKILL.md) — Review web interfaces for accessibility, keyboard focus, forms, navigation and interaction quality. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Project rule — data model: triggers, versioned workflows, typed tools, execution steps, approval requests and external action receipts
Project rule — preserve this invariant: A model cannot add a tool, credential scope or approval rule; retries distinguish completed actions from unknown outcomes.
Project rule — acceptance evidence: A prompt-injection instruction in an email cannot send a message; resuming after an approved write reuses its receipt rather than performing it again.

$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy or download AGENTS.md

prior art · use these instead of building, if you'd ratherActivepiecesOpen-source automation builder with connectors and self-hosting.↗n8nSource-available workflow automation engine and connector reference.↗
share on X ↗

Lindy pricing

planmonthlyannual (per mo)what you get
plus$49.99/workspace—2 connected inboxes; base monthly usage allowance is not stated numerically on the public card.7-day trial.
pro$99.99/workspace—3 connected inboxes; 3x the Plus usage allowance; absolute task or credit count not published.7-day trial.
max$199.99/workspace—5 connected inboxes; 7x the Plus usage allowance; absolute task or credit count not published.7-day trial.
enterprise——Custom inbox, usage, security and support limits.Quote required.

free tierno permanent free tier; 7-day trial

billingmonthly only; no public annual plan

hidden costsUnused usage does not roll over. Optional overage is charged at 2x the standard credit cost; phone numbers cost $10/month each and US/Canada calls use about 20 credits per minute.

pricing sources checked 2026-08-11 · pricing source ↗

Questions about Lindy

Can you build your own Lindy with AI?

Partly. The visible AI assistants + automation loop is buildable, but a credible replacement needs more than the first screen. Lindy earns its keep through connectors, auth, reliability, so expect a weekend or multi-day build and a narrower personal scope.

What does the Lindy build prompt cover?

The prompt starts with this scope: Implement one assistant workflow such as extracting an inbound request and preparing a calendar/email draft. Separate deterministic validation from model planning and stop for approval before any external write. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: schema drift handling and enterprise controls; sender reputation, deliverability, and suppression handling; hundreds of maintained connectors. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.

How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?

Start with the Lindy prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.

How long will this Lindy project take?

The catalogue estimate is weekend to multi-day for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.

What would I give up by replacing Lindy?

schema drift handling and enterprise controls; sender reputation, deliverability, and suppression handling; hundreds of maintained connectors; OAuth app verification; durable execution at scale. Lindy: One automation is easy. Subscribers pay for maintained integrations, credentials, retries, observability, and someone else owning breakage.

What can I use instead of building Lindy?

The prior-art section lists Activepieces, n8n as starting points. Review their current scope, license and maintenance before adopting one.

Every week, more subscriptions die.

New verdicts, new prompts, the week's most-doomed apps.
One email. Unsubscribe in one click.

last week:100 Questions · KINDA1of10 · KINDA1Password · KINDA+1090 more

free forever · no scanner spam · the prompt stays on the site, the deaths come to you

$weekly: what got a verdict, what died.