Help & User Guide

FilterNow has two types of users: recipients and senders.

Recipients create anonymous profiles using non-identifying attributes — skills, interests, credentials, locations, and tags. No real name is required. Your only personally identifiable data is an encrypted email address used for login and optional notifications.

Senders apply filters on the home page to find the set of profiles that match their criteria, then compose and send a message to that audience. Senders must provide their name and email, which are visible to recipients — but recipients remain fully anonymous to the sender. For sends over the free limit, a per-recipient fee applies.

Your profile controls which messages you receive. The more attributes you add, the more precisely senders can find and reach you — and the more relevant your messages will be.

Creating an account

1. 1 Go to Profile Click "Profile" in the top navigation bar.
2. 2 Enter your email Type your email address and click "Send Code". A 6-digit sign-in code will be emailed to you.
3. 3 Enter the code Paste or type the 6-digit code and click "Sign In". Your account is created automatically if this is your first time.
4. 4 Accept the terms On first sign-in you'll be asked to agree to the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Usage Policy before proceeding.

Adding profile attributes

1. 1 Choose a category Scroll to any section on the Profile page — Skills, Interests, Credentials, Locations, or Tags.
2. 2 Type a value Enter a value in the text field (e.g. javascript, Toronto, RECE). Suggestions may appear as you type.
3. 3 Click Add Press the "Add" button or hit Enter. The value appears as a chip. Click the × on any chip to remove it.
4. 4 Toggle Remote In the Locations section, enable "Open to Remote" if you're open to remote opportunities. This adds "remote" as a location attribute.
5. 5 Save Click "Save Profile" at the bottom. Your changes take effect immediately — you'll start receiving messages that match your new attributes.

All messages sent to your profile appear in your inbox at /messages. You must be signed in to access it.

Reading a message

1. 1 Open Messages Click "Messages" in the top navigation bar.
2. 2 Click a message row The message opens in a detail panel showing: sender name and email, subject, body, filters used, total recipients, message ID, received date, and expiry date.
3. 3 Respond (if you want to) If the sender included contact details in their message, you can reach out to them directly. FilterNow does not provide a built-in reply function — your anonymity is preserved by default.

Sorting messages

1. 1 Click "Sort" The sort button (top-right of the Messages page) opens a sort panel.
2. 2 Choose an option Sort by received date (newest or oldest), expiry date (soonest or latest), or recipient count (fewest or most).

Deleting messages

1. 1 Delete one Open the message detail and click "Delete". Confirm in the dialog.
2. 2 Delete selected Click "Select" to enter selection mode, check the messages you want, then click "Delete Selected".
3. 3 Delete all Click "Delete All" and confirm. This permanently removes every message in your inbox.

Reporting a message

1. 1 Open the message Click the message row to open the detail panel.
2. 2 Click "Report" Choose a reason: Spam, Harassment, Inappropriate, Scam/Fraud, or Other.
3. 3 Confirm Click "Confirm Report". Reported messages are flagged for review. You can remove a report by clicking "Remove Report" in the same panel.

You don't need a FilterNow account to send a message — just an email address you can verify. Your name and email will be visible to everyone who receives your message.

Step 1 — Build your filter set

1. 1 Go to the home page The large number shows how many profiles currently match your active filters (starting at the total platform count).
2. 2 Click "Search" The filter modal opens. Choose a category (Skills, Interests, Credentials, Locations, Tags) and type a value. Use the typeahead suggestions to pick from existing values.
3. 3 Add the filter Click "Add Filter" or press Enter. The filter appears as a pill below the count and the number updates live.
4. 4 Refine Add as many filters as needed. Remove a filter by clicking × on its pill, or click "Clear Filters" to start over.
5. 5 Check the quota meter The bar beneath the count shows how many recipients are in the free tier. Anything over the free limit incurs a $1/recipient fee.

Step 2 — Verify your email

1. 1 Click "Send Message" You're taken to the compose page with your filters pre-loaded.
2. 2 Enter your email Type the address you want to send from. This will be shown to all recipients.
3. 3 Agree to the policies Check the box confirming you agree to the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Usage Policy, and that you understand your identity will be disclosed.
4. 4 Send the verification code Click "Send Verification Code". Enter the 6-digit code from your email, then click "Verify & Continue".

Step 3 — Compose and send

1. 1 Fill in the form Enter your name, a subject line, and your message body (up to 2,000 characters). The info panel on the right shows recipient count, active filters, message ID, and expiry date.
2. 2 Pay if required If recipient count exceeds the free limit, a payment section appears. Enter your card details via the Stripe form that loads.
3. 3 Send Click "Send Message" (or "Pay & Send" if payment is required). Your message is delivered to all matching inboxes. You'll receive a confirmation.

FilterNow uses five attribute categories. Both senders and recipients use the same categories — recipients add them to their profile; senders use them to narrow their audience.

All account controls are on the Profile page under the Account section.

1. → Email Notifications Toggle on or off. When enabled, you'll receive an email whenever a message is sent to your profile. Verification emails are always delivered regardless of this setting.
2. → Change Email Address Click "Change Email Address". A confirmation link is sent to your current email — click it to proceed with the change.
3. → Delete All Messages Permanently removes every message from your inbox. Your profile and account remain intact.
4. → Delete Account Permanently deletes your profile, all attributes, and all messages. Type DELETE to confirm. This cannot be undone.
5. → Sign Out Ends your current session. Your profile and messages are preserved.
6. → Dark / Light Mode Click the moon/sun icon in the top-right corner of any page to switch themes. Your preference is saved in your browser.