FutureMe is Dead. Greed Killed It. Here's Why I Built the Alternative.
Is anyone else just gutted about what happened to FutureMe?
I've been using FutureMe since I was 16 years old. It was this pure, simple corner of the internet. A way to connect with your past and future self. And it was free.
I remember reading that the whole service cost the original founder something like $500 a month to run, for a service that brought so much joy and introspection to millions. He even kept it afloat for 20 years on donations and goodwill.
Then Everything Changed
In 2021, FutureMe was acquired by a company called Memories Group Ltd. And what's the first thing they do? They start squeezing every last drop of cash out of it.
Now we're seeing subscription fees of $9/year, some people are being charged $36/year. For a service that fundamentally just has to store some text and send an email. It's a joke.
Let's Talk About the Real Costs
I'm a developer, and I know exactly what I'm talking about. Let me break down the actual cost of running a service like FutureMe:
- Storing text: Pennies per gigabyte per month on modern cloud infrastructure
- Sending emails: Fractions of a cent per email with services like Postmark or SendGrid
- Database hosting: A few dollars per month for a PostgreSQL instance
- Web hosting: Modern platforms can handle thousands of users for under $20/month
Total realistic operating cost for tens of thousands of users? Maybe $100-200/month. Certainly not enough to justify $9-36 per user per year.
This Is Personal
So are we just supposed to accept this? Let a bunch of suits tell us our connection to our past selves is now a luxury item?
Hell no.
FutureMe wasn't just an app. It was a promise we made to ourselves. A sacred, private space to reflect, to dream, to remember who we were and imagine who we might become.
My Response: Build Something Better
As someone who has built multiple companies from nothing, I'm offended by their sheer lack of creativity. They chose the laziest, greediest path.
Well, I'm choosing a different one.
I'm building the alternative. Not just a copy, but a superior solution designed to be so efficient it will never need to charge a dime.
What Makes FuturePost Different
Free Forever. No Catch.
Not "free trial," not "freemium with limits." Completely free. Always. I build smart systems that solve problems permanently. This service will be my legacy, and it will run for free long after I'm in the ground.
Your Privacy is Sacred
No ads. No tracking. No selling your data. Your letters are yours. Period. We don't read them, we don't analyze them, we don't monetize them. They're encrypted, secure, and private.
Built to Last
This isn't a startup looking for an exit. This is a commitment. FuturePost is architected for efficiency and longevity. Sustainable infrastructure, minimal overhead, maximum reliability.
Better Features
24-hour edit window for scheduled letters. Draft letters you can work on anytime. Easy import from FutureMe. Privacy controls. And we're just getting started. All free.
Coming from FutureMe?
We've made it incredibly easy to bring all your letters with you. Export your data from FutureMe and import it here in minutes.
Learn How to Import Your LettersThis Is My Promise to You
I'm not building FuturePost because I need another business. I have those. I'm building it because I needed it, and now millions of others do too.
This is about restoring something that was taken from us. That pure, simple space to reflect. That promise to ourselves. That connection between who we were and who we're becoming.
"FuturePost will remain free for as long as I live, and long after. That's not marketing. That's a commitment."
~ Ayush Soni, Founder
How Will It Stay Free?
Great question. And I respect that you're asking it. Here's my plan:
Efficient Architecture
Built on modern, cost-effective infrastructure. PostgreSQL for data, Rails for the backend, minimal dependencies. No bloat.
Community Support (Optional)
If you find value in FuturePost and want to support it, you can. But it's completely optional. No guilt trips, no feature walls.
Aligned Partnerships
Maybe a few carefully selected, non-intrusive partnerships with companies that share our values. No spam, no tracking, no compromises.
Personal Commitment
The truth? I can afford to run this out of my own pocket if needed. And I will. This isn't about profit. It's about principle.
Join the Movement
Don't let corporate greed take away your right to reflect. FuturePost is here, it's free, and it's yours.
One More Thing
If you're reading this and you work at Memories Group Ltd, or you're one of the people who decided to charge people for their own reflections:
You could have chosen differently. You could have preserved what made FutureMe special. You could have honored the trust millions of people placed in that service.
Instead, you chose greed. And now you'll watch people leave. Not because they can't afford $9 a year, but because you broke their trust. Because you turned something meaningful into a transaction.
We'll take it from here.
Help Others Discover FuturePost
Frustrated with FutureMe's pricing? Thousands of others are too. Help them find a truly free alternative by sharing this story.