textallora

I'm building allora — a productivity tool that works entirely over text message. No app to download, no account to set up. You text what's on your mind, and it organizes everything, sets reminders, and feeds you one task at a time.

Why SMS?

I kept downloading productivity apps, using them for a week, and abandoning them. Todoist, Things, Reminders, Notion — the graveyard on my phone kept growing. I realized I wasn't the problem. The tools were asking me to build a new habit around a new interface. That's the opposite of reducing friction.

But I text people all day without thinking about it. So I built the tool there.

How it works:

You text allora the same way you'd text a friend. Brain dumps, random thoughts, "remind me to call the dentist" — whatever. It figures out what's actionable, organizes it, and reminds you at the right time. When it's time to do something, it gives you one thing — not a list. You do it, say "done," and get the next one.

Where I'm at:

- Live with real users on SMS + WhatsApp

- Built with Python/FastAPI, Claude API for the AI, Twilio for messaging

- Solo founder, bootstrapped

- Users are mostly busy professionals, parents, and people with ADHD who gave up on apps

What I've learned so far:

- The hardest part isn't the AI — it's writing SMS responses that feel human in 160 characters

- People text in chaos. "pick up milk call mom oh and I need to finish that report by friday" — and they expect you to just get it

- Retention is way better than I expected. Turns out when the tool comes to you, you don't forget it exists

Would love feedback from this community. What's your first reaction — would you text a tool instead of opening an app?