Host and join real-life plans with new people in your city.
Butter flips the script on social apps by letting you create or join actual plans — dinner, coffee, gym sessions, weekend runs — rather than just swiping or chatting. You host a plan, interested people request to join, and you pick who comes. It's less algorithm, more curation, and everything happens IRL. Think of it as a social calendar where every event comes with built-in new friends.
How it works
Download the app and create a profile. Browse plans others have posted — anything from dinner parties to run clubs to coffee catch-ups — or host your own by setting the activity, time, and location. When someone wants to join your plan, they send a request and you decide who to accept. Show up, do the thing, and meet people who are genuinely into the same stuff. After the plan, you can stay connected through the app or just show up to the next one.
Who it's for
People who'd rather bond over a shared activity than make small talk at a bar. Anyone in Melbourne looking to expand their social circle beyond work and existing friends. Fitness-minded folks who want running, gym, or sport buddies. People who want to curate who they spend time with rather than leaving it to an algorithm.
What works
You choose the activity, so every meetup is something you actually want to do. Host-picks-guests model means more intentional, higher-quality connections. Alcohol-free plans are a first-class option, not an afterthought. Free to use with no subscription paywall. Covers a wide range of activities beyond just dining.
What doesn't
Currently limited to Melbourne — most people can't use it yet. Only four screenshots on the listing, so the app experience is a bit opaque. Success depends heavily on local user density and active hosts. No algorithmic matching — you have to browse and self-select.
Søren's Take
Butter is doing something refreshingly different: instead of matching you with strangers and hoping for the best, it lets you build plans and invite people into them. The host-selects-guests model gives you real agency, and the focus on alcohol-free and activity-based plans feels genuinely modern. The catch is that it's Melbourne-only for now, so unless you're there, you're on a waitlist. If you are in Melbourne and tired of apps that promise connection but deliver small talk, Butter is worth a serious look.
