Stash vs Capacities: Which One Should You Use?
Last updated: October 20, 2026
Use Stash if you want to dump receipts, files and emails in one place with zero setup, then find them later by asking. Use Capacities if you want to build a connected notes system, with typed objects, daily notes and links, on every device you own.
Stash is an AI document vault from Hive Asset Group, LLC that takes receipts, files, notes and forwarded emails, files them for you, and lets you find anything by asking in plain words.
TL;DR
- Capacities is a notes and knowledge app. You create objects (a book, a person, a meeting), link them together and write daily notes.
- Stash is a vault. You dump things in. Stash names them, files them and answers when you ask.
- Stash needs no setup. No object types, no tags, no links to make.
- Capacities is better for linked ideas and runs on every major platform. Stash does not try to do that job.
- Stash is better for receipts, contracts, PDFs, photos and forwarded emails you need to find fast.
- Both have a free plan. Stash is free for 100 things.
Stash vs Capacities at a glance
| Stash | Capacities | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for 100 things, no card. Pro is $90 a year | Basic is free. Pro is $9.99 a month. Believer starts at $12.49 a month. A Plus add-on adds a larger AI budget |
| Limits | Free holds 100 things. Pro holds 2,000 things | Basic has 5 GB of media uploads in total, then 100 MB a month. Pro and Believer list unlimited media uploads, with fair use applying |
| Setup needed | None. No folders to set up | Some. You pick or create object types and link them |
| How you capture | Drop in files and photos, or forward an email to your own Stash address | Type notes and daily notes. Saving from WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter or by email is listed on the free plan |
| Reading PDFs and images | Included on every plan. Stash reads each item, names it and files it | Image analysis, which can pull out the text in an image, is a Pro feature with AI turned on. PDF analysis is listed on Pro |
| How you find things | Ask in plain words. Stash answers and shows what it used | Full-text search on every plan. An AI assistant on Pro and up |
| Best for | Receipts, contracts, warranties, forms and files you need to find fast | Linked notes, research, daily notes and a personal knowledge base |
Capacities facts checked October 20, 2026 on Capacities' pricing page, FAQ and documentation. Prices change, so check there before you buy.
Pick Capacities if...
- You like to think in connected things. A book, an author and a quote can each be an object, and they link to each other.
- You write daily notes and want them tied to the rest of your work.
- You want apps on every platform. Capacities lists a desktop app for Mac, PC and Linux, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and a web app. It also has offline mode.
- You are happy to spend a weekend learning the system.
- You want a calendar, a public API and an AI assistant working over your notes. Capacities lists those on Pro.
Capacities does these jobs well. Stash does not try to do them.
Pick Stash if...
- Your real problem is paper. A receipt in Gmail, a contract in your downloads folder, a warranty photo in your camera roll.
- You are a freelancer or solo founder and you need your receipts when tax time comes.
- You want to drop things in and walk away. Stash reads each item, names it and files it. If it cannot tell where something goes, it puts it in Needs you instead of guessing.
- You want to find things by asking, like "what did I pay to fix the dishwasher?"
- You do not want to learn a system first. There are no object types to design.
What about price?
Stash is free for 100 things, no card. Pro is $90 a year and holds 2,000 things. If you hit the free limit, nothing you already have is touched, and it all stays searchable. See the Stash pricing page.
Capacities Basic is free. Pro is $9.99 a month, and Believer starts at $12.49 a month. Heavier AI use needs the Plus add-on. Check Capacities' pricing page for the latest.
Can I use both?
Yes. Capacities for the ideas you write and link. Stash for the paper in your life. If you are weighing other tools, see the best second brain apps. Coming from a bigger workspace? Read Stash vs Notion.
FAQ
- Is Stash a Capacities alternative?
- For one job: keeping and finding your stuff. Capacities is a notes app built on linked objects. Stash is a vault for receipts, files, notes and emails, with zero setup. If your main need is the second one, Stash is the simpler pick.
- Is Capacities free?
- Yes, there is a free Basic plan with 5 GB of media uploads in total. Pro is $9.99 a month, and Believer starts at $12.49 a month. AI features and PDF and image analysis need a paid plan. Check Capacities for current prices.
- Is Stash free?
- Yes. You get 100 things for free, forever, and you do not need a card. Pro is $90 a year.
- Do I have to set anything up in Stash?
- No. You do not make folders, tags or object types. You drop things in, and Stash names them and files them. Items it cannot place go in Needs you.
- Can I email receipts to Stash?
- Yes. Every Stash account gets its own email address. Forward a receipt, a booking confirmation or a contract email, and it goes in with everything else. Our guide to forwarding emails has the details.
- Can I take my things out of Stash?
- Yes. Export is open on every plan, as a zip file with your original files and details, so you can take everything with you whenever you want.