flipsy Make a critter

Inspired by the reversible octopus plush

Let them know how you feel.

A little plush critter that lives on your person’s phone or Mac. Flip it happy, grumpy or sleepy, and they know how you’re doing while they’re at work or out for the day. No text needed.

Make a critter I was sent one

Free. No accounts, no app store.

hungry

Mochi is grumpy · tap to squish

Why Flipsy

Not every feeling needs a text.

Some days you don’t want to type out how you’re doing. You just want them to know. The reversible octopus plush got this right: turn it inside out, and the other person gets it at a glance.

Flipsy brings that across a workday. Your critter sits quietly on their screen. When your mood changes, so does its face, with a tiny note if you want one. They see it between meetings and know where you’re at.

How it works

Three steps, then it’s theirs.

  1. 1

    Make it

    Pick an octopus, llama, space baby or squishy ball. Choose a happy fur and a grumpy fur, stuff it with the lever, add hearts and stars, and give it a name.

  2. 2

    Send the link

    They open it, unbox it and take it home. It stays on their phone or Mac from then on. Nothing to sign up for.

  3. 3

    Flip your mood

    Your remote changes how it looks on their side. Add a note like “hungry”, “miss you” or “need a hug”.

Where it lives

On their phone, or in their menu bar.

On a phone

Flipsy installs straight from the browser and opens full screen, like any app.

  • iPhone: open the link in Safari, tap Share, then Add to Home Screen. Your critter gets its own icon.
  • Android: open the link in Chrome and tap Install, or ⋮ then Add to Home screen.
  • Open it from your Home Screen and tap Turn on alerts. Your phone buzzes when the mood changes, even with Flipsy closed.

In the Mac menu bar

The critter sits next to your clock and changes face when they flip it. Click it to see it up close.

  • Download Flipsy for Mac, open it and drag Flipsy into Applications.
  • The first time, right-click Flipsy → Open. macOS asks once because it’s a small indie app.
  • Paste the link you were sent. To change critters later, use Switch critter at the bottom.

For Macs with Apple silicon (M1 and later).

Get started

Two minutes, either side.

You’re making one

  1. Make your critter and set a 4-digit PIN.
  2. Send them the first link.
  3. Keep the second link. It’s your remote. Add it to your Home Screen and turn on alerts to hear when it arrives.
  4. Flip your mood whenever you like. You’ll see when it’s on their screen.
Make a critter

Someone sent you one

  1. Open the link, unbox it and tap Take it home.
  2. Add it to your Home Screen, or install the Mac app.
  3. Open it from your Home Screen and tap Turn on alerts.
  4. That’s it. It changes when they do.
Open my critter

Good to know

Do we need accounts?
No. Each phone or laptop is quietly remembered on its own.
Is it private?
Only people with the link can see your critter, and only you can flip it.
Will my phone buzz?
Yes, once your critter is on your Home Screen and you tap Turn on alerts. iPhones need iOS 16.4 or later.
Lost your remote?
Open the link you sent them, tap “Open your remote” under the box, and enter your PIN.
Can they make one back?
Yes. Every critter page has a “Make one back” button.