I’ve always wished for a simple and powerful image uploader for iOS. On my Mac, I use Cyberduck to manage uploads to our CDN (Rackspace Cloud Files) and for Editorial I had to put together a script with Python. Neither is a great solution for my workflow – all I really want is a dedicated iOS app that can upload files, get URLs back, and communicate with other apps.

Jeff Mueller is building just that: Plink is (will be) an image uploader for iOS with support for a variety of services, image URL formats, and URL schemes for inter-app communication. The app will use Essence and is being built with power users in mind from the start.

To fund development for the app, Mueller has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Backer. He writes:

Plink solves this problem by providing a bridge between your online storage host and your text editor. Right now, it’s in an alpha state that provides a limited subset of the overall intended functionality. We want to finish it, but we need to know we’ll see a return on our investment

And:

We’ll be honest: there aren’t a lot of people who will find Plink useful. However, those who do find it useful will likely be very big fans of the simplified workflow it provides. If it gets enough exposure, I expect that Plink will be the app equivalent of a cult movie hit.

Our definition of success for Plink is simple. I need enough money to fund about 20 hours of development at my typical hourly rate for iOS work. Once Plink launches, it will be entirely free to download. The Backer campaign will provide all of the funding for this project. No revenue will be generated directly through the App Store.

If Mueller can reach the basic goal of $2,500, he will release Plink for free on the App Store. Personally, though, what I would love to see realized is the stretch goal of $3,500: with that, Plink will also support S3, Rackspace, Flickr, and Photobucket.

Plink has the potential to be an extremely niche app that will become a must-have for a few nerds around the world. You can check out Plink’s website, and contribute to the campaign here.