What's actually happening between Gmail and your phone.
Here’s the work Motherboard quietly takes care of while you go about the rest of your day.
Motherboard scans your inbox for receipts.
At onboarding, Motherboard reads back through the last 12 months of order confirmations in your Gmail to seed the inventory. After that, Motherboard tracks new purchases as they come in — pulling out item name, category, brand, size, retailer, date, and price. Everything else in your inbox stays untouched.
Motherboard reads your family calendar.
Once Motherboard knows what each kid owns, Motherboard looks at what's coming up on the calendar — a soccer season starting, picture day, a family vacation, a change in the weather. Each event hints at what a kid is going to need. A growth-curve estimate fills in the rest: if your kid was wearing a certain size more than nine months ago, there’s a good chance they’ve outgrown it.
Motherboard sends you a text.
When the inventory and the calendar line up against something a kid is about to need, Motherboard texts you — like a friend with a really good memory, not another app demanding your attention. You reply with one of three options — BUYING NOW, ALREADY HAVE, STILL FITS — and Motherboard updates the inventory based on what you say.
What Motherboard works with.
Motherboard works with most major retailers that sell kids’ clothes, shoes, and gear — including the niche brands your sister-in-law told you about. If you’ve ordered something for your kid from somewhere on the internet, there’s a strong chance Motherboard already knows about it.
The first minute.
Once Motherboard launches, setup is quick. Connect your Gmail, sign in with the Google account where your shopping confirmations land, approve read-only access to your inbox and calendar, and add your kids’ names and ages. From there, Motherboard builds the first inventory in the background while you go on with your day, and your first nudge arrives shortly after.
Sign upReply: BUYING NOW / ALREADY HAVE / STILL FITS
Things we know you're going to ask.
Do I have to enter my kids' clothes manually?
Nope! Motherboard builds your kids' wardrobe automatically from your order confirmation emails. No spreadsheets or data entry required. Connect your Gmail and it takes it from there.
Which email and calendar providers does Motherboard work with?
Gmail and Google Calendar — for now. Other providers like Outlook and iCloud are on the roadmap as Motherboard grows.
Which stores does it work with?
Any online retailer that sends an email order confirmation... so most! The more of your kids' shopping that runs through email receipts, the fuller the picture.
I use Gmail for purchases but Outlook for my calendar. Will Motherboard still work?
Yes! Most of Motherboard's value comes from your order confirmations, which live in Gmail — so connecting Gmail gets you the core experience: sizing heads-ups, low-stock reminders, and seasonal nudges. For calendar-based reminders (like gear for an upcoming season), here's a simple trick: when you add a kid-related event to your Outlook calendar — a first practice, a recital — just invite your connected Gmail address to the event. It shows up on your Google Calendar too, and Motherboard catches it. One extra step, and you're covered.
What if I buy some things in person?
Motherboard sees your online orders, so in-store purchases won't be captured automatically. The ability to manually log in-person purchases is a feature that will soon be available!
What if my kids get a lot of hand-me-downs or gifts?
Motherboard builds from what comes through your own orders, so hand-me-downs and gifts won't show up automatically. It'll still track everything you buy — just know a closet full of hand-me-downs may look emptier to Motherboard than it really is.
How often will you text me?
Only when something actually needs your attention — a few times a week at most, and often less. We're not here to blow up your phone. Reply STOP anytime to pause everything.
What do I do when I get a text?
Nothing, unless you want to! Motherboard's texts are helpful heads-ups — a size likely outgrown, a season coming up. If it's useful, act on it. If not, ignore it. No pressure, ever.
Does Motherboard read all of my emails?
No. At onboarding, Motherboard scans your inbox to identify only order confirmations from the past 12 months. After that, Motherboard scans daily for any new purchases. Your personal emails, school messages, work email, and group chats never have their body content read.
What about my financial information?
Motherboard does not read or store payment card numbers, bank account information, or any financial credentials from your emails.
Where does the data live?
Your inventory lives on secure Google Cloud servers in the US. Motherboard does not sell your data, share it with retailers, or use it to train AI models.
How do I cancel?
Log into your account at my.motherboard-app.com, go to your Profile tab, scroll to the bottom, and tap Cancel & delete my account. Your recurring subscription stops, but you'll keep access until the end of your current billing period. After that, your account is paused and your inventory records are held securely for 30 days — so if you change your mind, you can reactivate and pick up right where you left off. If you don't come back within 30 days, everything is permanently deleted.
Have a question we didn't cover?
Email hello@motherboard-app.com — a real person will get back to you.