What is a plan?
- Aug 4
- 5 min read
A guide to what actually makes something a plan on Butter, for anyone tired of typing the same address into a group chat four times.
Quick test. Right now, could you say exactly who's coming to the thing you're planning? Not who said "maybe." Not who reacted with a thumbs up three weeks ago. Who is actually, definitely coming.
If you hesitated, you already know the problem. Someone suggests something, nobody picks a date, and the organiser ends up typing the same details into three different messages. New people want to join but don't know anyone in the chat, so they sit it out. And if there's a cost involved, the host is stuck chasing approvals, payments, and a headcount by hand.
A plan is where all of that gets one home. It's the step between "we should do something sometime" and "we're meeting here at 7pm, join us."
Guests can see the vibe, RSVP or grab a ticket, join a chat and get updates automatically. Hosts get a guest list plus tools for approvals, invites, waitlists, and payments, all in one place, instead of running it out of a spreadsheet and three group chats. Butter's own way of putting it: pick the thing, set the time, new people join in.
What a plan includes
A name, cover images, a one-line summary, and a full description
The date, start and end time, and location
The planner, any co-hosts, or the club behind it
The tone, laid-back, chatty, or high-energy
The structure, casual, open-ended, or curated
Capacity and waitlist settings
Age or gender-audience preferences
Guest approval and invite controls
An optional RSVP form, menu, or extra instructions
How you can join a plan
Free: RSVP without paying anything
Cover Cost: chip into a shared jar to cover the activity's costs
Ticketed: buy a ticket to secure your spot. Selling tickets may need approval first, or gets unlocked immediately after hosting 3 plans on Butter
How to create a plan
Open Create and select Make a plan.
Choose who's posting it, your personal profile or a club you manage.
Give it a name, like "Morning run and coffee."
Add the essentials: cover images, a one-liner and description, tone and structure, the date and time, and a location.
Choose how it works: Free, Cover Cost, or Ticketed if you have approval.
Set capacity and audience, including ages, gender, and whether guests can invite friends.
Add any extras: co-hosts, a menu, or RSVP questions.
Choose your guest controls: require approval for RSVPs, and turn a waitlist on or off.
Tap Post plan once you're ready.
Share the link or invite people straight from Butter to spread the word!
A few ways people use plans
A morning run followed by coffee
A weeknight dinner for a group of new people
A book club meeting
A hike or a beach day
A pottery, cooking, or climbing social catch-up
A picnic where everyone chips in for food
A paid club event with tickets
A casual drink after work
Turning an idea into a confirmed date, time, and place (you guessed it: a plan!)
Why plans exists
Nobody should have to guess who's coming, repeat the same three details in a group chat, or run a paid event off the back of a spreadsheet. A plan gives all of that one home, so you can focus on the thing you're actually doing: hosting a sick event.
Butter is the app for finding things to do to meet people
Your place for activity-based social plans - from supper clubs and run clubs to morning walks and creative sessions.
FAQs
What's the difference between a plan, an idea, and a club?
A plan is ready to happen: it has a date, time, location, and participation rules. An idea is something you're still considering and want to test interest in. A club is an ongoing community that can host multiple plans, chats, and updates.
Does a plan have to cost money?
No. Plans can be Free, Cover Cost, or Ticketed. Cover Cost is for sharing a known expense, Ticketed is for selling admission.
Can anyone create a ticketed plan?
Not automatically. Selling tickets needs approval, and a pending ticketed plan may stay hidden until that's granted. Approvals take up to 2 business days. Ticketed plans also unlock automatically after hosting 3 plans on Butter.
Do guests join immediately?
It depends on your settings. A free plan can require approval or let guests join instantly. Cover Cost plans need approval after the guest contributes. Ticketed plans skip RSVP approval altogether, buying a ticket confirms the spot. If the plan's full and waitlists are on, guests can join the waitlist instead.
How do waitlists work?
For ticketed plans, people join the waitlist automatically and are offered a spot first come, first served if one opens. For free plans, they can request to join and fill a spot if one becomes available. If the waitlist toggle is off, nobody can join once capacity's reached.
Who can see the location?
For a free plan, people who aren't guests generally see just the suburb, with a "private location" label. The exact address becomes visible once they're a guest. Ticketed plans show the venue upfront to support ticket purchases and directions. Worth keeping in mind before using a private home address as your location.
Can someone view or join from the web?
Anyone with the link can view the plan page on the web, and ticketed guests can check out there too. Free plan RSVPs, along with the fuller experience like profiles, chat, and activity, mostly happen in the Butter app.
Where do I find plans I'm involved with?
The Plans area shows everything you're hosting, attending, have saved, were invited to, or are waitlisted for, ordered by what's coming up soonest.
Can I save an unfinished plan as a draft?
Not reliably yet. It's best not to leave a plan half finished and expect to pick it back up later, finish and post it in one go where you can.
Can I create recurring or multi-day plans?
Not as a dedicated feature yet. For now, create separate plans for each date, or duplicate a past plan and update the details.
Can I duplicate an old plan?
Yes. Duplicating a previous plan prefills a new one for you. Just double check the date, guest settings, capacity, and payment details before you post it.
What do the different sections of the plan editor do?
What's the plan? (the summary and details)
What's the vibe? (tone and structure)
When and where? (date, time, and venue)
How will it work? (free, jar, or ticketed)
Who do you want to meet? (audience and invitations)
Optional extras (menu, co-hosts, and RSVP form)
Advanced customisation (approvals and waitlists)
Why can't I change a plan from free to ticketed?
Once people have joined or money's moved, some payment settings lock in to protect existing RSVPs and payments. If the participation model needs to change significantly, it's best to create a separate plan.
What happens if the plan fills up?
If waitlists are on, new guests can join the waitlist. If they're off, the plan shows as full. As the planner, you can increase capacity if needed, but you can't reduce it below the number of guests you already have.
What happens if the planner cancels?
Guests are notified. For ticketed plans, cancelling triggers the refund flow automatically. It's best to cancel through Butter directly rather than just messaging the group, so guest status, payments, and notifications are all handled properly.
Can guests invite friends?
Only if you turn on Guests can invite friends. Otherwise, invitations are limited to you and any co-hosts.
Does joining a plan automatically make everyone friends?
No. Joining gives you access to the plan itself and its group chat, but it doesn't automatically create a friendship connection.
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