How it actually works
No browsing, no swiping through profiles. Here’s the mechanics, step by step.
0. Look around, then get verified — once
Sign up with your email and see what’s on near you straight away. When you want to join or host a plan, you confirm who you are with a government-issued ID and a live selfie. It takes about two minutes and happens once, not every time you post. Until then you see the general area and time of plans open to everyone, but not who’s going. Details on the Safety page.
1. Post a plan
Pick an activity type, add a title, a place, a date and time, and how many people you’re looking for (including yourself). Choose who it’s for — any age or a range — and whether people join instantly or you approve each one. Takes about ten seconds. Running something regularly? Switch on Repeat this plan and pick weekly, every two weeks or monthly, for up to twelve dates (and up to six months ahead). Each date is its own plan with its own spots and group chat. You can edit a plan after you’ve posted it, one date or this and all later dates, and cancel the same way. People who’ve already joined are told if the time or place changes.
2. We notify the right people
Verified members nearby, in your age range, get a notification automatically. You don’t browse a feed hoping the right people see it — the match happens for you. Prefer a women-only or men-only group? Choose that when you post, and only matching members will see it.
3. People join
With approval on, you see each person’s passport (their photo, interests, three fun answers, rating and how often they turn up) and accept or decline. Want a better feel for people first? Switch on a personality check: anyone asking to join takes a quick, fun six-question quiz, and you see their type and answers before you decide. With instant join, verified people who fit the plan’s age range are in straight away. Once your spots are filled, nobody else can join. If you need to, you can take someone out of your plan from the list of who’s going.
Hosts can also let people bring a friend (+1). Each person going gets one link to send to a friend; the friend must be a verified member who fits the plan, and takes a spot. Going to your first plan? You can let the host know when you join, so they say hello and look out for you.
4. Everyone lands in one group chat
The moment you’re in, you’re in the chat with everyone else who said yes — to say hello, sort logistics, and ask the obvious questions before you meet.
5. The day before: still coming?
The day before, everyone going gets a reminder with two buttons: I’m coming or Can’t make it. The host sees who has confirmed (“4 of 6 confirmed”). If you can’t make it, your spot goes straight to the next person on the waiting list, and telling us a day ahead doesn’t count as a late cancel. For walks, hikes and outdoor sport, the plan shows the forecast for its place and time from two days before, and the host is told if heavy rain, storms, strong wind or heat are forecast, so they can move it.
6. You meet, in person
That’s it. You show up and do the thing. If you’d like, start a safety check-in before you head out, and share your live location with your trusted contacts until you’re home.
7. Keep in touch
After the plan, add the people you got on with as friends. They get a friend request, and once they add you back you hear whenever they post a plan, and hosts can invite their friends straight in. Nobody is told if you don’t add them, or if you ignore a request.
8. Rate it, and mark who came
Afterwards, members rate each other. You only ever see an average — never who said what — so honest feedback doesn’t cost anyone anything. Hosts are asked who came: anyone marked as a no-show can say “I was there”. Hosts see a simple record (“Turned up to 9 of 10 plans”) when they decide on requests, so people who turn up get in.
Nothing on that you fancy? Say what you’d go to
Tell people nearby what you’d go to and when suits you: “Bouldering, weekend mornings”. They see what and when, never who asked, and can tap Me too. When three of you want it, you’re all told, so one of you can post it. Whoever posts it, everyone who wanted it hears straight away.
Or join a club
Found your people? Clubs are groups that keep meeting: a running club, a book group, a Sunday walk. Join one and you get its plans (for members only) and its chat. Or start your own and run it.
Or try Same time next week
Rather see the same faces again, but don’t know where to start? Sign up for Same time next week: pick a weekly slot, answer three quick questions, and on Sunday evening we match you with 4–6 verified people near you. You meet once a week for four weeks, somewhere different each time, with an arrival buddy to walk in with and a group chat in between.
Or Good Company X
Already doing a technical or extreme sport? Switch on Good Company X, say which sports you do and your level, and see plans from people at your level. The host approves everyone, and each plan says who runs it.
Good to know
- If a plan is full, join the waiting list. When someone drops out, the first person in line is moved up automatically (or sent to the host to approve) and told straight away.
- Reminders arrive the day before and two hours before, with the meeting spot one tap away. On the day, the group chat has “I’m here” and “Running late” buttons so people can find each other. Add a plan to your calendar from its page.
- Every plan says what it costs (free, pay your own way, or a small cost paid to the venue) and can list accessibility details like step-free access, seating or a gentle pace. Hosts never charge members.
- If a plan doesn’t fill up, it still goes ahead with however many verified people said yes, unless the host cancels.
- If you need to drop out, leave the plan from its page, or withdraw your request if the host hasn’t answered yet. Please tell the group in the chat first, ideally early: leaving less than 12 hours before the start counts as a late cancel. If someone drops out in the last two days, we tell the rest of the group, so nobody turns up expecting six and finds four. Leaving ends your safety check-in for that plan.
- Age ranges are broad enough to find a real group, and you won’t be matched far outside your own range. Other members see your age range, not your date of birth.
- Location: we use your location to find plans near you. Other members aren’t shown your own location, and we don’t ask for your address; the exact meeting spot is shown only to the host and accepted members; everyone else sees the general area and an approximate distance.