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Coffee Bud

Built for people who order the same drink every time.

Coffee Bud does a few things well: it shows you real cafes, remembers what you drink, and makes it easy to meet friends there.

The map

Every indie cafe, none of the big chains.

Starbucks, Dunkin' and other big chains are left out of the map. Tap any cafe to see its menu, hours, walking time, the vibe regulars report, and which of your friends are there right now.

  • Search the cafes around you by name, or look up a coffee shop anywhere.
  • Choose a radius of 1, 3, 5 or 10 miles.
  • Hide any other chain in Settings.
  • Suggest a missing cafe or coffee cart from the map.

Your drinks

Save three. Find them anywhere.

Tell Coffee Bud the drinks you actually order. Cafes that serve them are highlighted in teal on the map and marked Your drink in the list.

  • Matches come from what regulars order when they check in, plus each cafe's own menu.
  • Switch search to Drinks to see only the cafes that pour yours.
  • Photograph a menu to find drinks worth saving. Your scans stay private.

Vibe tags

Quiet for laptops. Loud for catching up.

When you check in, you can tag what the place is like. Tags add up on the cafe's page, so you know whether to bring a laptop or a friend.

  • Wifi, outlets, work-friendly, quiet, loud, cozy, crowded, pet-friendly and outdoor seating.
  • Tags come from people who were there, not from the cafe's marketing.
  • A tag appears on the cafe's page once it's been added in five check-ins.

Friends

Find your people at a cafe.

See which friends are out right now. They show up under Online now when they check in and drop off when they leave. Invite friends to a cafe for a set time and see who's going.

  • Add friends by username, QR code or your contacts.
  • Friends answer invites with Going, Maybe or Can't.
  • Your feed shows friends' check-ins, invites you've received, and replies to the ones you sent.

Streaks and ranks

Make a habit of it.

Check in at least once a week to keep your streak alive, and climb five ranks as your points add up. There's no leaderboard. It's a quiet scorecard for your own habit.

  • Each check-in earns 1 point. Add a photo and it earns 2.
  • Ranks go Bean, Sip, Brew, Roast and Master Barista.
  • Your profile keeps track of every cafe you've been to, and how many times.

Privacy

Public, friends or private, every time.

Each check-in has its own privacy setting, starting from the default you pick in Settings. Public means anyone on Coffee Bud can see it, Friends means only your friends, and Private counts toward your streak without showing up to anyone.

  • Online now clears after two hours, or as soon as you leave if you allow Always location.
  • Block or report anyone. We review reports within 24 hours.
  • Delete your account from Settings at any time.

Beyond the app

On your wrist and your Home Screen.

Coffee Bud comes with widgets and an Apple Watch app. A link to a cafe opens it in an App Clip, even before you install the app.

  • Widgets for your streak, the nearest cafe that pours your drink, and friend activity.
  • On Apple Watch: a streak complication, and one-tap check-in when you're at a cafe that pours your drink.