I've been a big fan of Pinterest since it opened its arms to the world in 2010. I've used it to get inspiration for home decor, storage solutions, and even when I'm planning to build an outdoor pergola. It has proven to be an invaluable tool in helping me collect photographs based on specific themes and I'm not sure what I would have done without it. I'm sure my house wouldn't be as well organized!
There has been little that can rival this powerful app since its launch 14 years ago. Sure, there's Designspiration, but it reflects too much of Pinterest for my taste. Then there are apps like Dribble and Behance, but they're better suited to creatives who want to showcase their work than regular people looking for inspiration.
However, I think Pinterest might have met its match. As of 2022, mood board enthusiasts have turned to an alternative option. is called Cosmos and I may have loosened Pinterest's grip on me, too.
Home Screen Heroes
This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps we couldn't live without. Read them all here.
Having worked in a variety of creative fields over the years, including graphic design, video editing, 3D visualization and, as a hobby, woodworking, I have always seen the important role a mood board plays. . It's a unique space to gather visual inspiration while learning from how others have created the same type of art.
Apprenticeship from others who have trodden well-trodden paths is an incredibly valuable part of the creative process. Cosmos lets you do exactly that, but without all the bloated ads and sponsored content that clutters Pinterest. From the first moment we use the app, it is clear that Cosmos has opted for a minimalist black and white design. This is ideal for creatives who want to focus on the images rather than the interface that houses the art.
There is so little to distract that all attention is focused on the creative process of inspiration. Using the app is a wonderfully meditative and meaningful experience, perfect for kick-starting any creative process or project. I have found it to be an incredibly powerful tool to fuel and elevate my creative processes.
Cosmos includes a variety of intuitive features that help you stand out from companies like Pinterest and Instagram. For starters, everything focuses on elements and clusters. The first are all the images, links, videos and articles that inspire you. The latter are custom collections where users can organize and categorize their saved items. I think the combination of the two provides a perfect combination to keep my ideas organized but fluid enough that I can add even more to them.
Other features include AI-powered search so users can find inspiration by color or phrase, as well as a “Discover” page to explore new ideas in a variety of categories. These features are ideal for finding exactly what you want while leaving the door open to other creative avenues.
Another of these innovative features is Infinite Canvas, which provides an immersive way to view and revisit inspiration, present ideas and showcase work. This feature was first seen in another project the team was involved in called Public Work, a search engine for public domain content. The response was so overwhelmingly positive that it has now reached Cosmos.
One of the things that sets Cosmos apart is that there are no ads or sponsored content. When I started using the app, I expected to see a targeted ad or something intrusive required by the app developers to fund the project. The intrusion never came and I am very happy that it did.
Innovative features and an ad-free experience have made Cosmos attract a large fan base. The platform has hundreds of thousands of users and millions of items. They earned the title of “Best App of the Week” in the design section of the Apple App Store and earned three searches per second within the app.
Cosmos also provides extensions for Chrome and Safari with all saved items visible in the app. That means wherever you're browsing, Cosmos is ready to help.
Download the Cosmos app on iOS.