{ "version": "2", "generatedAt": "2026-11-03T22:49:39.280Z", "listing": { "slug": "brightbeanxyz--brightbean-studio", "name": "BrightBean Studio", "tagline": "Free, no-tier social media manager for agencies, with an in-repo MCP app, API, and agent skill.", "shortTagline": "Free social media manager", "description": "BrightBean Studio is a Django social media management platform: multi-workspace teams, composer with per-platform overrides, calendar and queues, approval workflows with a client portal, unified inbox, analytics, and media library across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads, Bluesky, Google Business Profile, Mastodon, and DEV.to. Every feature is free, hosted or self-hosted. The repo ships apps/mcp and apps/api, and the site says agents draft and schedule posts with a single API key.", "capabilities": [ "adaptable", "operable" ], "vertical": "content-publishing", "alternativeTo": [ "Buffer", "Hootsuite", "Later" ], "shape": "business-app", "formFactor": "web-app", "executionModel": "hybrid", "provenance": "unknown", "codeStack": { "languages": [ "Python", "JavaScript" ], "frameworks": [ "Django 5" ], "packageManager": "pip", "database": [ "PostgreSQL (DATABASE_URL)" ], "hostingTarget": [ "Docker", "Heroku one-click", "Render one-click", "Railway one-click", "brightbean.xyz hosted" ] }, "modelStack": { "providers": [ "BrightBean intelligence service (INTELLIGENCE_INTERNAL_URL)" ], "models": [], "requiredKeys": [], "promptLocations": [], "tools": [] }, "repos": [ { "url": "https://github.com/brightbeanxyz/brightbean-studio", "owner": "brightbeanxyz", "name": "brightbean-studio", "license": "AGPL-3.0", "stars": 2253, "lastCommit": "2026-08-13" } ], "interface": { "kind": "mcp", "url": "https://github.com/brightbeanxyz/brightbean-studio/tree/main/apps/mcp", "official": true, "hosted": "both" }, "operability": "official", "recommendedWrapper": null, "reach": [ { "job": "Draft and schedule posts", "reachable": true, "evidence": "brightbean.xyz/studio: agents draft and schedule posts through installed skills with a single API key" }, { "job": "Publish to Instagram", "reachable": true, "evidence": "Instagram in the supported platforms table; scheduling reaches any connected channel" }, { "job": "Publish to TikTok", "reachable": true, "evidence": "TikTok in the supported platforms table (publish and insights)" }, { "job": "Publish to YouTube", "reachable": true, "evidence": "YouTube in the supported platforms table" }, { "job": "Move posts through approval stages", "reachable": null, "evidence": "triage claimed approve; tools live in apps/mcp/handlers.py, not read" }, { "job": "Reply from the unified inbox", "reachable": null, "evidence": "inbox app exists; MCP coverage not verified" }, { "job": "Read analytics", "reachable": null, "evidence": "analytics app exists; MCP coverage not verified" }, { "job": "Browse the media library", "reachable": null, "evidence": "media_library app exists; MCP coverage not verified" }, { "job": "Client approves through a magic-link portal", "reachable": false, "evidence": "passwordless human flow by design" }, { "job": "Plan on the idea Kanban board", "reachable": null, "evidence": "not verified" } ], "editions": [ { "name": "Free", "price": null, "open": true, "distributions": [ { "kind": "hosted", "url": "https://brightbean.xyz/studio/" }, { "kind": "source", "url": "https://github.com/brightbeanxyz/brightbean-studio" }, { "kind": "container", "url": "https://github.com/brightbeanxyz/brightbean-studio/blob/main/docker-compose.yml" }, { "kind": "one-click", "url": "https://github.com/brightbeanxyz/brightbean-studio#readme" } ] } ], "skills": { "kind": "none", "paths": [], "install": null, "note": "No SKILL.md, Claude Code plugin, or skills install target in the repo." }, "customization": { "summary": "Copy .env.example: SECRET_KEY, ENCRYPTION_KEY_SALT, ALLOWED_HOSTS, APP_URL, DATABASE_URL, STORAGE_BACKEND with S3_* for object storage, EMAIL_* for mail, then a PLATFORM_* app ID and secret per network you connect. app.json, render.yaml, and railway.toml carry the one-click deploys; Caddyfile fronts Docker. Branding per workspace is set in-app. Approval stages are configured in the UI, not files.", "envVars": [ "SECRET_KEY", "ENCRYPTION_KEY_SALT", "DEBUG", "ALLOWED_HOSTS", "APP_URL", "DATABASE_URL", "STORAGE_BACKEND", "S3_BUCKET_NAME", "EMAIL_BACKEND_TYPE", "EMAIL_HOST", "DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL", "GOOGLE_AUTH_CLIENT_ID", "PLATFORM_FACEBOOK_APP_ID", "PLATFORM_INSTAGRAM_APP_ID", "PLATFORM_THREADS_APP_ID", "PLATFORM_LINKEDIN_PERSONAL_CLIENT_ID", "PLATFORM_LINKEDIN_COMPANY_CLIENT_ID", "PLATFORM_TIKTOK_CLIENT_KEY", "PLATFORM_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID", "PLATFORM_PINTEREST_APP_ID", "UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY", "INTELLIGENCE_INTERNAL_URL", "STUDIO_BASE_URL" ], "configFiles": [ ".env", "docker-compose.yml", "docker-compose.prod.yml", "app.json", "render.yaml", "railway.toml", "Caddyfile" ], "promptFiles": [], "effort": "config-only", "editCount": 30 }, "useWhen": [ "I run social for many clients and want approvals and a client portal without paying per workspace", "I want a free hosted scheduler my agent can post through today, with the option to self-host later" ], "accounts": [ "developer app on each network (Meta, TikTok, Google, LinkedIn, Pinterest)", "Google (optional SSO)", "S3-compatible storage (optional)" ], "active": true, "lastActivity": "2026-08-13", "gotchas": [ "AGPL-3.0", "INTELLIGENCE_INTERNAL_URL and STUDIO_SHARED_SECRET point at a separate intelligence service; check whether self-hosters get sentiment analysis without it", "Bring your own developer credentials for every platform; Meta and TikTok apps need review", "2FA is on the roadmap, not shipped", "MCP tool list was not read; Reach for approvals, inbox, analytics, and media is unverified" ], "fit": { "adaptable": 2, "operable": 2 }, "evidence": { "formFactor": "README: Django web app, Docker or one-click deploy, free hosted version", "executionModel": "scheduler is deterministic; inbox sentiment analysis and apps/intelligence plus INTELLIGENCE_* env vars point at a model service", "operability": "apps/mcp (protocol.py, transport.py, handlers.py, tools.py) and apps/api in the Builder's repo; site: agents draft and schedule with an API key", "effort": ".env.example names 50+ variables; app.json, render.yaml, railway.toml, docker-compose", "editions": "README and site: every feature free, hosted or self-hosted, no paid tier", "active": "pushedAt 2026-08-13; Show HN 2026-04-13 with 190 points", "provenance": "2026 launch with .claude directory in repo; no authorship statement" }, "confidence": { "formFactor": 0.95, "executionModel": 0.5, "operability": 0.8, "effort": 0.9, "reach": 0.5, "editions": 0.9, "provenance": 0.4 }, "openQuestions": [ "Read apps/mcp/handlers.py to enumerate tools and settle the null Reach items; operable fit rises to 3 if approvals, inbox, and analytics are covered", "Is the intelligence service open, and does self-hosting work without it?", "Where is the brightbean-studio-agent skill published?" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://github.com/brightbeanxyz/brightbean-studio", "foundBy": "sourcing:content-publishing:community" }, { "url": "https://brightbean.xyz/studio/", "foundBy": "analysis:content-publishing" }, { "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47749674", "foundBy": "sourcing:content-publishing:community" } ], "research": { "stage": "verified", "verdict": "unverified", "reason": "Official MCP and API in-repo with a free hosted edition; scheduling Reach confirmed, the rest unverified so operable fit held at 2. Config-only under AGPL.", "disputed": [] }, "url": "apps/brightbeanxyz--brightbean-studio.html", "coverage": "partial", "paid": false, "source": "research/verified/brightbeanxyz--brightbean-studio.json" } }