Free swipe file tools
Every swipe file tool says it's free. Here's what each free plan really holds, where it runs out, and the free DIY setups that work if you don't want another app.
TLDR
- “Free” ranges from 10 saves to unlimited, and the limits are almost always in the small print.
- The dedicated tools with a real free plan: Savepad (150 saves), Milanote (100 items), Raindrop (unlimited links), Are.na (limited blocks).
- The free DIY setups: Google Drive, Notion, and Pinterest secret boards. No limits, more work.
The free plans, honestly
Savepad: 150 saves. Every link, image, note, or file counts as one, and binned saves count until the bin empties. You get folders, tags, full-page snapshots, search inside screenshots, and exports, all on Free. When you hit 150, new saves stop and everything else keeps working. There’s a whole FAQ on why 150.
Milanote: 100 items. Notes, images, and links all count. Great for one moodboard, tight for a swipe file. The Milanote alternatives post is full of people who hit it.
Raindrop.io: unlimited links. Genuinely generous. Links only, no full-page copies on Free, and search is by title and tags. Good if your swipe file is links.
Swipewell: 10 swipes. It’s a swipe file tool for marketers and the free plan is a trial in disguise.
Foreplay and Swipekit: trials. 7 days with a card and 14 days without one. Not free plans.
The free DIY setups
Google Drive. A folder per type (Ads, Landing pages, Emails), screenshots named with the brand and date. Free up to 15GB, and you already have it. The search won’t read the words in your screenshots well, and links are a separate doc. How to build a swipe file in Google Drive has the full setup.
Notion. A database with Type, Brand, and Tags columns and a gallery view. Free for personal use. It’s flexible enough to be anything, which is the problem at row 500. See swipe file in Notion.
Pinterest secret boards. Free, visual, private. Fine for images, bad for pages and emails, and you’ll be dodging the ads and AI pins. Pinterest secret boards as a swipe file shows how.
An email label. Forward good emails to yourself with a label. Free and fast, impossible to browse visually. The email swipe file post has better ideas.
Free plans compared
| Tool | Free limit | Keeps the page | Searches text in images | Exports on free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savepad | 150 saves | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Milanote | 100 items | No | No | PDF, image, Markdown |
| Raindrop.io | Unlimited links | Pro only | No | Yes |
| Swipewell | 10 swipes | Screenshots | Check site | Check site |
| Google Drive | 15GB | Screenshots | Partly | It’s your files |
| Notion | Personal use | Clipper text | No | Yes |
| Unlimited pins | Images | No | No |
So, which free one?
If you want to start a proper swipe file today and see if the habit sticks, start with Savepad Free or Raindrop. If you’d rather not add another app, Google Drive. Whatever you pick, steal the folders from the swipe file template, and check you can export before you put two years into it.
FAQ
Is there a completely free swipe file tool?
Google Drive, Notion, and Pinterest secret boards are free with no save limit, but you do the work. Of the dedicated tools, Savepad Free holds 150 saves and Milanote Free holds 100 items.
What happens when I hit the free limit in Savepad?
New saves stop, nothing else does. Everything you saved stays, searchable and exportable. Empty the bin to make room, or upgrade.
Can I export from a free plan?
In Savepad, yes, on every plan. Check before you commit to any tool, because the export is what saves you if it shuts down.