Arrange your work on a visual canvas
Novastart organises applications and files on a zoomable canvas. Instead of moving repeatedly between overlapping windows, you can keep related work next to each other and zoom between an overview and an individual task. Saved workspaces retain the arrangement for later sessions.
Two different installation routes
The publisher describes a windowed app for Windows and mentions Intel Macs. This listing lists Windows because the current public app-download route supplies a Windows installer; a matching Mac package was not established. That app runs the Novastart environment inside a virtual machine while leaving the host desktop in place. It is not simply a replacement launcher for native Windows applications, and the developer warns that the virtualised experience can introduce lag.
Novastart OS is a separate installation for an x86 PC. Installing the OS replaces the existing operating system on the selected machine. Back up important files and review the installation instructions before considering that option. An Ubuntu integration is also mentioned by the publisher; confirm the currently supported release and package before relying on it.
What the free plan includes
The published Free plan provides one folder, two canvases and four windows per canvas. Paid plans remove those workspace limits. Team collaboration belongs to the Team plan, not the Free plan. AI agents require separately purchased credits on every plan; a free workspace does not mean free AI use.
Applications opened within the workspace may have their own accounts, subscriptions or licence conditions. Access to a familiar app from the canvas does not make its paid features free. Check the official pricing page for the current allowances and charges.
Resources and privacy
The publisher specifies Windows 10/11 or an Intel Mac, at least 8 GB of RAM, about 32 GB of disk space and enabled hardware virtualisation for the windowed app. The public app-download route provides a Windows installer. This does not establish availability of a matching macOS package, and the separate OS image should not be confused with a Linux desktop application.
According to the privacy policy, workspace contents remain on the user's machine unless shared. AI-agent tasks send the relevant screenshots and instructions to OpenAI, and task logs remain locally. Review those data flows before asking an agent to work with sensitive documents. These are publisher disclosures, not results of an independent application execution test.
- Best for
- Organising related apps and files visually within a small free canvas workspace.
- Good to know
- Free: one folder, two canvases, four windows each. AI needs paid credits; collaboration needs Team. The Windows app runs a VM; confirm resources before downloading.
Installation and free-plan details
Use the official installation page, compare the Free, Pro and Team plans and read the privacy policy. We follow the publisher's request for an official download link. This listing covers the Windows windowed application, not an instruction to replace your operating system.