Does it store my passwords or documents?

No. It stores no documents and no passwords. The messages you write tell your contacts where things are and who to call — you keep the actual plan elsewhere, for example in an encrypted document whose password is held by someone you trust.

Is it open source, and how much does it cost?

It's free and MIT licensed. You can download it from GitHub, read the README, browse the source, or build your own version from it.

What do I need to run it?

A web server with PHP 8.1 or newer, an SMTP account to send mail, cron or any outside scheduler that can request a web address every 15 minutes, and HTTPS. Apache works as shipped; nginx needs four lines of configuration. The installer runs in the browser and writes the crontab line for you.

Does it work over email links only, or can I check in by opening the page?

Opening the link never counts as a check-in, because email scanners open links. You have to press the button.

Death Plan Switch — A self-hosted dead man's switch that alerts the right people

Death Plan Switch is a free, self-hosted dead man's switch for independent web developers. It emails you once a week; if you stop checking in, it asks your next of kin first, then delivers pre-written messages to the contacts who need to act. Built by a one-person web studio owner who needed a way to ensure clients' sites, domains and hosting details wouldn't be lost if he died.

Key Features

Weekly check-in email

The system emails you at the same time each week. Checking in requires pressing a button — merely opening the link doesn't count, because email scanners open links.

Staged escalation timeline

A fixed timeline counted from the check-in: reminder at hour 24 to both your addresses, last reminder at hour 48, next of kin asked at hour 72, reminded at hour 120, and contacts told at hour 144. Contacts are notified at most 13 days after your last check-in.

Next of kin gate

Before any alerts fire, your next of kin is asked 'Is everything all right?' Each answer option says what it will do before they press it. If they confirm you're well, the process stops and nobody else is contacted.

Custom messages to contacts

Each contact receives the message you wrote for them, telling them where things are and who to call. The tool stores no documents or passwords itself.

Late check-in with false-alarm recovery

You can check in at any stage, even after it fires. Anyone already contacted is told it was a false alarm via a one-button notice.

Simple, dependency-free deployment

PHP 8.1+ with no database, Apache support out of the box (nginx needs four lines), browser-based installer that writes the crontab line for you, and installs in a few minutes.

How It Works

Set it up once

Deploy the PHP app on a web server, connect an SMTP account for sending mail, set up a cron job or external scheduler to hit a web address every 15 minutes, and enable HTTPS. Install it on hosting that's separate from the sites it protects.

Check in weekly

Each week a check-in email arrives at the same time. You press the button to confirm you're alive. Reminders go out at 24 and 48 hours if you don't.

Escalation happens if you go quiet

At hour 72 your next of kin is asked if everything is all right, with a reminder at hour 120. If they confirm you're fine, it ends there. If something's wrong, your contacts receive their pre-written messages at hour 144.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Free and MIT licensed, including the right to build your own version from the source
Fully self-hosted: no accounts, no hosted service, no third party seeing your data
No database required, making deployment lightweight
Thoughtfully designed escalation: next of kin is asked before anyone else is told, avoiding alarming family over a false alarm
Requires an actual button press rather than link opens, so email scanners can't trigger false positives
The installer writes the crontab line for you, reducing the technical setup to a single step

Who It's For

Best for

Independent web developers who hold the keys to clients' sites, domains and hosting
Solo business owners who want a dead man's switch they host and control themselves
People comfortable with basic server administration (PHP hosting, SMTP, a single cron line) who value open source and privacy

Not ideal for

Non-technical users who want a hosted, sign-up-and-forget service
Anyone who needs notifications beyond email, such as SMS or phone calls
People looking for a secure vault to store passwords and documents for heirs

Use Cases

A solo web developer who manages clients' sites, domains and hosting and needs someone to know where everything is if they die

One-person business owners wanting a dead man's switch they fully control rather than trusting a hosted service

Anyone who wants to alert specific people with pre-written instructions after a set period of silence, without storing sensitive documents online

FAQ

What is Death Plan Switch?

A free, self-hosted dead man's switch aimed at independent web developers. It emails you once a week; if you stop answering, it asks your next of kin, and then tells the contacts who need to act, each with a message you wrote.

How quickly are my contacts notified if I stop checking in?

The email arrives at the same time each week, and the escalation timeline ends with contacts being told at hour 144 — so they're notified at most 13 days after your last check-in.

Does my family get alarmed over a missed check-in?

No. Only your next of kin is asked first, at hour 72, with a clear explanation of what each answer will do. If they say you're well, it ends there and nobody else is contacted.

What happens if I check in late, even after it has fired?

Death Plan Switch