generate.now vs IT Tools

The short answer

IT Tools is an open-source, self-hostable collection of developer utilities under GPL-3.0. If you want your toolbox running on your own infrastructure, or working offline, use it. generate.now is hosted only, but takes natural-language input on several tools and publishes worked examples and a spec citation for each one. Different trade-offs, both free.

01 — Side by side

IT Tools vs generate.now, feature by feature

Feature comparison between generate.now and IT Tools
Featuregenerate.nowIT Tools
Self-hostableNo — hosted onlyYes, via Docker — stronger option (competitor)
LicenceSource not publishedGPL-3.0 — stronger option (competitor)
Works offlineNoYes, when self-hosted — stronger option (competitor)
Catalogue size31 toolsLarger — a broader set of small utilities — stronger option (competitor)
Natural-language inputYes, on 7 tools — stronger optionNo
Per-tool reference contentExamples, FAQ, and cited specifications on every tool — stronger optionMinimal — the interface is the documentation
Data leaving the browserThe prompt only, and only on AI-assisted toolsNever — everything runs client-side — stronger option (competitor)
PriceFree, no accountFree, no account

Highlighted cell marks the stronger option for that row. Rows without a highlight are broadly equivalent.

02 — Choose theirs

When IT Tools is the better choice

  • 01

    You want to self-host, which takes one Docker command

  • 02

    You need the tools to work offline or on an air-gapped network

  • 03

    You want GPL-3.0 source you can audit, fork, or contribute to

  • 04

    You want the broader catalogue — IT Tools covers more utilities

  • 05

    You want a hard guarantee that no input ever leaves the machine

Go to IT Tools

03 — Choose ours

When generate.now is the better choice

  • 01

    You want to describe what you need in plain English rather than fill in fields

  • 02

    You want worked examples, an FAQ, and a link to the specification for each tool

  • 03

    You want zero setup — no Docker, no deployment, no maintenance

  • 04

    You want to see when a tool was last updated and who maintains it

04 — FAQ

IT Tools vs generate.now — frequently asked questions

Is IT Tools free?

Yes, and it's open source under GPL-3.0. You can use the hosted version at it-tools.tech at no cost, or run your own instance with a single Docker command and never depend on anyone else's uptime.

Can I self-host generate.now?

No. It's hosted only, and the source isn't published. If self-hosting matters to you — for an air-gapped network, a compliance requirement, or just a preference — IT Tools is the right answer and this isn't a close call.

Does generate.now send my input anywhere?

Only on the AI-assisted tools, and only the prompt itself — nothing is stored or used for training. The other 24 tools run entirely in your browser. IT Tools runs everything client-side with no exceptions, which is a stronger guarantee if that's what you need.

Which one has more tools?

IT Tools has the larger catalogue. generate.now has 31, each with worked examples, a FAQ, and a link to the specification it implements. It's depth per tool against breadth of tools — pick based on which you actually need.

05 — Reference

Sources

  • IT Tools

    Corentin Thomasset — The tool being compared — a collection of handy online tools for developers.

  • CorentinTh/it-tools

    GitHub — The source repository, including the Docker instructions for self-hosting.

Every claim about IT Tools on this page was checked against their live site on . Products change, so treat that date as the vintage of everything on this page.