Mock Brains The brains behind better operations
Contact Get Brain Stack — $47
Contact Get Brain Stack — $47

Built for small and medium businesses

Fewer software subscriptions. More room to grow.

Monthly software bills add up fast. Brain Stack helps you set up alternatives for automation, social scheduling, email campaigns and more in your own cloud account. Buy the kit once. Start with the subscription you most want to replace.

$47 $97 Launch price through December 31, 2026. Applied automatically at checkout — nothing to type.

Get Brain Stack — $47 See what you could replace

One-time purchase for the downloadable setup kit. Technical setup and ongoing upkeep required. Hosting and other service costs may apply.

Secure checkout by Stripe · 14-day deployment guarantee · US billing addresses only · Read the disclosures

The monthly bill

Every monthly plan takes another bite out of your budget.

Each one seemed reasonable when you signed up. Together, they create a software bill your business has to cover again next month.

  1. A scheduler for your posts.

    Renews monthly

  2. A platform for your emails.

    Priced by list size

  3. An app to connect the other apps.

    Priced by task volume

  4. A booking page, a support inbox, a dashboard.

    Per seat, per month

Start with the work

Start with the work you need to get done.

Six jobs most small businesses pay a subscription for, and the included application that does each one.

  • Automation

    Take repetitive tasks off your plate

    Build automations that move information and trigger actions between the services you already use: a form comes in, a task is created, the follow-up goes out.

    Included application: n8n Compare with: Zapier, Make

  • Social media

    Plan your social posts ahead of time

    Prepare and schedule posts for supported social channels from one place. Connect your accounts and check the publishing options you need.

    Included application: Postiz Compare with: Buffer, Hootsuite

  • Email

    Reach your email list

    Organize subscribers and send campaigns and newsletters through the email delivery service you choose.

    Included application: listmonk Compare with: Mailchimp, Kit

  • Customer support

    Answer customers in one inbox

    A shared support inbox and website live chat, so questions from email and your site land in one queue your team can work through.

    Included application: Chatwoot (Community Edition) Compare with: Intercom, Crisp

  • Bookings

    Take bookings without the back-and-forth

    Let clients book appointments against your availability from a page on your own domain.

    Included application: Easy!Appointments Compare with: Calendly

  • Publishing

    Publish under your own brand

    A home for your articles, updates and newsletters on your own domain, with your subscribers in your own database.

    Included application: Ghost Compare with: Substack, Ghost(Pro)

Available features depend on the included app versions, their licenses, and the services you connect. Workflows, account connections, and content require configuration.

Explore all 16 included apps and their requirements →

What you are buying

What is Brain Stack?

Brain Stack is a downloadable setup kit that helps you install a selection of business applications on a server in your own Oracle Cloud account.

It brings the setup files, installation tools and reference guides together so you have a documented starting point for running your own tools. You choose what to install and connect it to your business.

You are responsible for operating the server and the applications after setup. The applications remain separate tools, each with its own interface and license. Mock Brains does not host them.

  1. Top layer Your apps Pick from 16 included applications: automation, scheduling, email, support, bookings, publishing and more.
  2. Middle layer Shared plumbing HTTPS certificates, a shared database and backup tooling, set up by the installer.
  3. Base layer Your own cloud server Created in your Oracle Cloud account by the kit's setup files and sized for Oracle's free tier.

What's in the download

A ZIP you run from your own computer. No Git, no GitHub account. Extract it, open START-HERE.html, and follow the guide for Windows, macOS or Linux.

  • Server setup files

    Create the server in your Oracle Cloud account, with the two size profiles built in.

  • Setup configurator

    Runs in your browser on your own computer. Pick apps, enter your domain, and it checks that the selection fits your server before you create anything.

  • Installer

    Installs the apps you chose on your server, with HTTPS handled for you.

  • Host manager

    A private dashboard and command line for starting, stopping, updating and backing up apps.

  • Backup tooling

    Scheduled backups with a restore guide. Running and testing them is on you.

  • Reference guides

    Seventeen guides, from creating the Oracle account to hardening the server and restoring a backup.

See the full technical details →

Replacement fit

Which subscription would you like to review first?

You can keep using the tools that work well for you. Start by comparing one recurring expense with an alternative that could do the same job.

If you pay for this kind of toolExplore this optionCheck before switching
Automation e.g. Zapier, Make n8n Required integrations, workflow behavior, and the features in the included edition
Social scheduling e.g. Buffer, Hootsuite Postiz Your channels, publishing formats, account connection requirements, and server needs
Email campaigns e.g. Mailchimp, Kit listmonk Email delivery service, list import, campaign features, and sending costs
Customer support inbox e.g. Intercom, Crisp Chatwoot The channels you need, team seats, and what the Community Edition includes
Appointment booking e.g. Calendly Easy!Appointments Calendar sync, payment collection, reminders, and how clients book with you today
Publishing e.g. Substack, Ghost(Pro) Ghost Publishing features, existing content, domain setup, and migration needs
Website analytics e.g. Plausible, Fathom Umami The reports you actually use, data retention, and your privacy policy

Test the features and move the information you need before canceling an existing service. Other product names are used only to describe the kind of tool; see the disclosures.

Getting started

Start with one tool that earns its place.

Four steps from a subscription you want to review to a tool you have tested in your own business.

  1. 01

    Choose the job you want to improve.

    Identify one subscription or recurring task. Check that an included application supports the features you need.

  2. 02

    Download your Brain Stack kit.

    Get the setup files and documentation. Review the requirements before creating cloud resources.

  3. 03

    Follow the setup and connect your services.

    Install your selected applications, connect the necessary accounts, and configure your first useful workflow.

  4. 04

    Test it in your business.

    Confirm it does the job reliably. Then decide whether you are ready to switch from the tool you currently pay for.

The whole bill

Could the numbers work for your business?

Start with the subscriptions you could actually replace. Then include the cost of running the alternatives: the kit, hosting, connected services and your time.

Compare the whole bill

Enter your own estimates to compare recurring software costs. Leave anything you do not know blank.

Only the plans an included app could realistically take over.

Oracle's Always Free tier can run the server at no instance cost today; Oracle controls that. Count your domain and anything above the free limits.

Model API usage, an email sending service, backup storage, anything you connect.

Monthly setup help, extra storage, a monitoring service.

If you hire someone to set it up or move your data.

The hours you expect to spend on updates and backups, at what your time is worth.

Brain Stack kit, paid once $47

Estimated monthly cash difference

—

Enter the subscriptions you could replace to see an estimate.

  • Estimated first-year cash difference —
  • Simple break-even estimate —

This is an estimate based on your inputs, not a savings promise. Annualized costs do not show when money leaves your account. Prepaid subscriptions may remain paid through the end of their term.

Fit

A good fit for an owner who wants more control.

Brain Stack may fit if

  • You pay for several software subscriptions worth reviewing
  • You can follow technical setup instructions, or you have someone who can
  • You are prepared to maintain the tools you run: updates, backups, the occasional log file
  • You want your business data on a server you control

Probably not a fit if

  • You want managed hosting, a support desk, or an uptime guarantee
  • You need every subscription gone this month
  • You will not set a budget alert or read a setup guide

You will need an Oracle Cloud account and any domain settings, service accounts, or API credentials required by your selected tools. Review the setup guide before buying and make sure you are comfortable with the installation and the ongoing responsibilities.

Preview the setup steps →

The offer

Get the kit. Build the setup that fits your business.

Brain Stack

$47 $97

Launch price through December 31, 2026. Applied automatically at checkout — nothing to type.

The downloadable setup kit. Buy once, run it yourself.

Your purchase includes

  • The downloadable setup package
  • Configuration and installation tooling for all 16 included applications
  • Server management and backup tooling, with reference documentation
  • Yours to keep, no subscription
  • Best-effort email support for the setup scripts
  • 14-day deployment guarantee
Get Brain Stack — $47

Secure checkout by Stripe. No account needed. US billing addresses only.

Digital download. Technical setup and ongoing upkeep required. Hosting, AI usage, email delivery, and other third-party services may add costs.

You are buying Mock Brains' setup tooling and documentation. Third-party applications keep their own licenses.

Read the refund policyRead the terms of sale

FAQ

Questions owners ask before they buy

Is this a subscription?

No. Brain Stack is a one-time purchase for the downloadable kit. You may still pay for hosting, AI usage, email delivery, domains, backups, or other services you choose to use.

What does running tools in my own cloud account mean?

The applications run on a server in your Oracle Cloud account. You control that account and take responsibility for the server, application configuration, updates, and backups.

Do I need technical experience?

You need to be comfortable following technical instructions and handling configuration (running commands, connecting over SSH, adding DNS records), or have someone who can do that work for you. The kit provides setup tools and documentation; installation and ongoing administration remain your responsibility. Review the setup requirements before purchasing.

Can I cancel all my current software subscriptions?

The right candidates depend on the features your business uses. Compare the included applications with your requirements and test them before making a switch. Some existing tools may still be worth keeping.

Does the kit include ready-made automations for my business?

No. The kit sets up the applications. You still connect your accounts and configure your own workflows; no business-specific automations or templates are included.

Will my cloud hosting be free?

Your hosting cost depends on the resources you use, your account eligibility, Oracle's rules, and capacity in your region. Oracle's documentation lists 2 OCPUs and 12 GB of memory for Always Free tenancies (October 2026), and Oracle can change that at any time. Set a budget alert before you deploy and check your billing after the first days. The purchase price of Brain Stack does not include cloud hosting.

Can I run all the applications at the same time?

Not on the free profile. Choose applications based on your needs and the capacity of your server; the kit's configurator estimates memory for your selection and warns before you create anything that will not fit. A larger selection can need the larger paid profile. The full catalog and a live estimator are on the main Brain Stack page at https://www.mockbrains.com/brain-stack/.

Are AI models and API credits included?

No. Any AI provider accounts or paid usage required by your chosen tools are separate. A subscription to a consumer AI application does not necessarily include API usage.

Is everything private just because it runs in my account?

You control the server account, but connected services can process information you send to them. Data handling depends on each application, provider, and configuration.

What support do I receive?

Best-effort email support for the Brain Stack setup scripts at support@mockbrains.com. Ongoing server administration, custom business workflows, and support for the third-party applications are outside that scope.

What does the deployment guarantee cover?

You can request a refund within fourteen days of purchase if the setup scripts cannot complete your deployment or your region has no Oracle Always Free A1 capacity. Email support@mockbrains.com with your order number and the logs or the region you tried. One refund per purchaser. It does not cover Oracle charges, third-party services, or changing your mind. Read the full policy for eligibility and the request process.

What happens after I pay?

Stripe sends you straight to your download and we email a re-download link. Extract the ZIP, open START-HERE.html, and follow the guide for Windows, macOS or Linux. No Git or GitHub account is required.

Disclosures

Important disclosures

Read these before purchasing. They are the same obligations you accept at checkout.

You are buying setup scripts only

The Mock Brains Brain Stack package contains the Terraform configurations, configurator, installer, host manager, backup tooling and documentation created by Mock Brains. The third-party applications are separate projects with their own licenses, downloaded and installed from their official upstream sources onto your server during deployment. Mock Brains does not sell, distribute, license, host, or provide support for those applications, and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Oracle Corporation or any of the application projects. Product names are used only to describe compatibility.

Third-party applications have their own licenses

Each application has its own license terms: permissive (MIT, Apache, BSD), copyleft (AGPL, GPL, LGPL), and source-available (Sustainable Use License, SSPL / Elastic License 2.0). Supporting containers installed alongside the apps carry their own licenses: GPL-2.0 (MySQL, MariaDB), GPL-2.0 / LGPL-2.1 (HAProxy), BSD-3-Clause (Redis), BSD-2-Clause (nginx), and SSPL / Elastic License 2.0 (Elasticsearch, used by Postiz). Some licenses restrict commercial use or hosting for others, or require source disclosure if you modify and distribute the software. You are responsible for reviewing and complying with each application's license.

Cloud billing and Oracle Free Tier terms are your responsibility

You are solely responsible for all Oracle Cloud, domain registration, DNS, email relay, LLM API and other third-party charges. Oracle's documentation lists 2 OCPUs / 12 GB for Always Free tenancies (October 2026) and pay-as-you-go tenancies have been reported at 4 OCPUs / 24 GB; Oracle may change, limit, or discontinue Free Tier offerings at any time, provides no SLA or support for Always Free resources, may reclaim idle instances, and does not guarantee capacity in any region. Service limits in Oracle's console show what you may create, not what is free. Mock Brains makes no guarantee that any deployment is or will remain free, and resource estimates in this product are for planning only. Set a budget alert and monitor your billing dashboard, especially during your first deployment.

This is not managed hosting, and there are no uptime, performance or savings guarantees

The Brain Stack helps you set up self-hosted infrastructure on your own cloud account. Ongoing maintenance, updates, security patches, credential management, backups, monitoring and troubleshooting are your responsibility. We cannot and do not guarantee server uptime, application availability, performance, security, or any specific cost savings. Results depend on your configuration, usage, and factors outside our control.

Oracle, Java, MySQL, and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners. Mock Brains is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Oracle Corporation or any third-party application vendor.

Get started

Give your software budget a closer look.

Choose the tools that fit your work. Understand the setup and operating costs. Build a business setup that makes sense for you.

$47 $97

Get Brain Stack — $47

One-time downloadable kit. Setup and upkeep required. Additional service costs may apply.

Oracle, Java, MySQL, and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners. Mock Brains is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Oracle Corporation or any third-party application vendor.