The practical stuff, answered
Devices, syncing, privacy, and what actually happens after you sign up.
Accounts, syncing, and devices
What devices does DormHQ work on?
Any device with a browser: iPhone, Android, iPad, Mac, Windows. There's nothing to install from an app store. On your phone you can add DormHQ to your home screen (we'll show you how inside the app) and it opens full screen like a regular app.
Does everything sync automatically?
Yes. Your DormHQ lives in a real account in the cloud, so when the student marks the mattress topper purchased from their phone, mom sees it on her laptop seconds later. No exporting files, no texting screenshots, no 'which version of the spreadsheet is right?'
What happens if I lose my phone or switch devices?
Nothing bad. Sign in on the new device and everything is exactly where you left it. Planners that store everything on one device lose the whole plan when that device breaks, gets wiped, or clears its browser data. DormHQ doesn't work that way.
How do I sign in? I don't remember making a password.
You didn't. DormHQ uses email sign-in links, so there's no password to forget during the most chaotic week of the year. Enter your email, tap the link we send, you're in.
Privacy
Who can see my family's DormHQ?
Only the people you invite. Every list, budget, photo, and document is private to your family account. Connected roommates are separate on purpose: they see only the specific items you mark as shared, never your budget, documents, or anything else.
Do you sell my data?
No. DormHQ makes money two ways, and both are on the label: DormHQ+ subscriptions and affiliate commissions when you choose to buy through a shop link. Your lists are not a product.
What about my student's information?
We collect what the planning actually needs (school, housing type, the list itself) and nothing more. There's no GPA tracking, no health or mood tracking, no location tracking. Those don't help anyone move into a dorm.
Getting started
What happens right after I sign up?
The Build My Dorm quiz takes about two minutes, then DormHQ hands you a personalized packing list organized by category, with school policy notes where we have a verified guide for your school. From there you invite family, assign who's buying what, and watch the 'still needed' number fall.
Why not just use a spreadsheet or a notes app?
A spreadsheet can hold a list, but it can't tell you what belongs on it, whether your school allows it, who's bringing it, or that you and your roommate both just bought a fridge. DormHQ starts you from a researched list for your school and keeps the whole family and the roommate coordinated in one live place.
My school isn't one of the 71 with a DormHQ guide. Is it still useful?
Yes. The packing plan, coordination, budget, and move-in tools work for any school. The guides add school-specific policy links on top, and we add more schools every season.
Can I try it without an account?
Yes, two ways: the interactive demo on this site lets you click around a sample dorm right now, and the Build My Dorm quiz shows you your personalized list before you create an account.
