Upfora FAQ
How meeting someone new nearby works

How it works

Is Upfora free?

Yes. Upfora is completely free, and you are never charged. Cafés and restaurants can pay for a plan that puts them first among the three places when they qualify, and their card says so.

Why don't I choose coffee or lunch?

The time of day decides: Upfora suggests places that suit it, a café in the morning, a lunch spot at noon, a bar in the evening. Everyone who taps Now in the same hour is looking for the same thing, so nobody misses a match over a different choice.

Why does only one person choose the place?

Only one person chooses, so that everyone else answers one question: this person and this place, with no discussion about where to go. The person who started the search picks one of three places before the invitation goes out, and the invitation names it.

Why only 90 seconds to answer?

The 90 seconds stops the back-and-forth: the moment is now, and the person you invite acts on it fast. When you tap Now, whoever you're matched with has 90 seconds to accept or decline, and if no answer comes, your search goes on.

Why only three places?

Three is enough to choose from quickly, because each place is already open, suits the time of day and is practical for everyone. Upfora checks them before you see them, so choosing one needs no negotiation.

Can I plan ahead?

Yes, where Upfora offers set times: tap Later and book one or more, such as a lunch on Tuesday. A booking is for that one date. 45 minutes before the start, the app asks if you're still in, and 25 minutes before, everyone who said yes is seated in groups of two to four.

Can I go in a group?

Yes, from 09:00 to 22:00: after you tap Now, choose a group, and Upfora finds up to three others for a table of four. Everyone at the table sees every other person's first name before deciding. At night, Now is always one to one. A set time you book with Later always seats a group of two to four.

Matching

How far does Upfora look?

Upfora looks for people within 2 km of you, and no one is asked to walk more than 15 minutes to the place. If nobody in the match walks, Upfora can look further: no one is asked to travel more than 25 minutes by public transport, or to drive more than 15 minutes when everyone has chosen to drive. If no suitable place is within the walk, Upfora looks once more, as far as 45 minutes of walking would reach, and times those places by car, so you'll probably drive.

Who can I be matched with?

Upfora matches you only with someone who shares a language with you, whose choice of Same gender or Meet anyone and yours both allow the match, and who is on the same side of 18 as you. On Now, shared interests and a similar age then help decide who comes first, and they never rule anyone out. Nobody you've reported, or rated with a thumbs-down, is matched with you again. A set time that names a language, such as a language cafe, matches everyone who booked it in that language.

Where does Upfora work?

Upfora works wherever people use it. There is no service area to check: Now matches people near each other who are open to talk, so it works anywhere people near you are searching. Set times with Later are offered only where Upfora has arranged them.

Safety and privacy

How am I protected?

You meet in person at a place Upfora suggests, and no one is ever shown your exact location. There is no chat, so nobody can message you in the app, before or after the meeting. Reporting someone also blocks them, and your arrival counts only when you are at the place itself. Adults are never matched with anyone under 18.

Why is there no photo?

A photo doesn't help you decide the one thing that matters at that moment: whether you want to meet this person now. It would turn the moment back into judging a profile, which is what Upfora exists to avoid. You see a first name and what you have in common, and you find out the rest across the table.

Why we ask

Why do you ask my age?

Your age confirms you're old enough to use Upfora, and it keeps adults and people under 18 apart: they are never matched with each other. Between adults, a similar age helps decide who comes first. Nobody is ever shown your age; at most, they see that you're of a similar age.

Why do you need my phone number?

Your phone number is how you sign in: Upfora texts you a code, and there is no password. It also keeps blocks and reports in force for 12 months after an account is deleted, if the same number signs up again. Nobody sees your number unless you both choose to share numbers after you meet.

Why do you ask my gender?

Upfora asks your gender for one filter: Same gender or Meet anyone, and a match needs both people's choices to allow it. There is no option to name a gender to look for, because Upfora is platonic: it is for meeting people, not for romance. Your gender is never shown as a reason for a match.

Other apps

How is Upfora different from Nomadtable?

Nomadtable lets travellers see who is nearby and chat in groups, while Upfora has no profile to browse and no chat, and picks one match for you: read the comparison.