AllerLens is live(ish): waitlist, tech stack, and what's next

AllerLens is live(ish): waitlist, tech stack, and what's next Today I turned on the public waitlist for AllerLens—the app that scans any menu and flags allergens in seconds. You can join at allerlens.app. The problem Dining out with allergies is stressful. Menus are messy: multi-column layouts, bilingual text, weird spacing. Basic OCR + regex breaks fast. People need instant answers. What AllerLens does Point your camera at a menu. AllerLens reads the text, understands the layout, and highlights risky items for your allergy profile. Your allergy profile stays on your device. This is guidance, not medical advice. What I shipped Public landing at allerlens.app with waitlist Double-opt-in email (confirm link → welcome email) Database storage for signups with UTM tracking Welcome email that invites replies Tech stack Hosting: Vercel (Next.js App Router) Database: Neon serverless Postgres Email: Resend (transactional + double opt-in) DNS: Squarespace domain with Resend records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) Why this stack: Free/cheap at low volume, instant DX, easy to keep data minimal. OCR work in progress AllerLens uses a geometry-first parser that groups words by bounding boxes, detects columns, and finds price gutters. Recent fixes: Fixed right-aligned price gutter UI Plant-milk suppression (almond milk doesn't flag dairy) Data controls: clear cache and delete account Next up: Camera guidance polish, header normalization, better multi-page stitching. Privacy I don't sell health data Waitlist emails can be removed via unsubscribe link Allergy profile lives on your device Server logs minimized and purged Roadmap 1. Finish camera guidance and OCR cleanup 2. Expand allergen coverage and languages 3. Ship family profiles and offline mode 4. Invite early waitlisters in batches How to help Join the waitlist at allerlens.app. Want early access? Reply to the welcome email and tell me what cuisines you scan most. Builder notes Double opt-in improves deliverability. Resend + custom domain with SPF/DKIM/DMARC was painless. Neon is perfect: cheap, serverless, familiar SQL. Vercel Edge + API routes kept the form snappy. This is guidance, not medical advice. Always confirm with the restaurant if you have severe allergies. Press/partners: If you run an allergy org, clinic, or restaurant group and want to collaborate, email waitlist@allerlens.app. Thanks for cheering this on. Shipping the waitlist unlocks the feedback loop I need to make AllerLens genuinely useful.