Real answers to the things people ask in the beta intro call. If yours isn't here, write hello@foldin.app — we read everything.
The basics
What is Fold In, in one sentence?
A private, invite-only app for 3 to 8 people who already trust each other to share the things they own — with care notes, gentle reminders, and a pickup ritual that closes the loop.
Is Fold In a marketplace?
No. There are no prices, no fees, no listings visible to strangers, no reviews, no algorithm, no public profiles. A Fold is invite-only, capped at 8 people, and what's inside it stays there.
How is it different from a chat group with a pinned list?
A chat is fine for two or three people sharing a couple of things. As soon as you have more items than fit in a pinned message — or more than one borrow in flight — you lose track of who has what, who promised what, and what's already been returned. Fold In is what you'd build for yourselves on weekend three of trying to track this in a chat.
What does it cost?
Nothing during beta. Long term we're exploring a small Household plan for families that want shared inventories across multiple devices. The core single-user experience will stay free, because charging neighbors to lend each other things is a strange business model.
Folds and members
Why the 8-person cap?
Beyond eight, the small-group dynamics change. People start lurking. Lending stops feeling personal. We tested it. Eight is the right number, and we won't be raising it.
Can I be in more than one Fold?
Yes — as many as you like. Most beta users are in two or three: a household Fold, a block Fold, maybe a hobby Fold (climbing crew, parents-of-toddlers, knitting circle).
What if I want to leave a Fold?
There's a graceful unfold flow. You decide what happens to each of your items in that Fold — keep, hand off to someone else in the Fold, or archive. Your existing borrow history is preserved for everyone's reference.
Can I make a Fold with strangers?
Technically yes — but the app is opinionated against it. There are no public Folds. The only way to join one is an invite from someone already in it. If you don't know your Fold members already, the app will feel weird.
Borrowing & lending
What if something gets broken or lost?
The borrow pauses on an Incident screen — Lost, Broken, Late, or Other. Both people see what happened, can chat in-context, and resolve it together. Ratings stay frozen until it's closed. There's no automatic strike system; the app trusts you both to figure it out.
Is the pickup code mandatory?
No — you can use the two-tap mode instead. But beta users overwhelmingly prefer the code; it removes the "did we actually start this?" ambiguity that wrecks borrows 24 hours later.
What if the borrower is late?
Two days before estimated return, the app asks "still on track for Tuesday?" If the date slips, the borrow shows as extended, not overdue. No accusatory red badges. If it's really stuck, the owner can open an Incident from the borrow screen.
Can I lend the same item to multiple Folds?
Yes. When you add an item you pick which of your Folds can see it. You can change visibility per-Fold any time — the app remembers your last setting.
Privacy
Who can see my stuff?
Only the people in the same Fold as you. Items added to one Fold are not visible in another. There are no public profiles, no searchable catalogs, no "people nearby" features.
What data do you collect?
Your phone number for sign-in, your name and avatar (visible only to your Fold members), the items you add (photos, titles, care notes), and your borrow history. Crash logs are anonymized. We don't sell anything. Full policy.
Where are my photos stored?
Encrypted at rest in our cloud, served only to authenticated Fold members. If you delete an item, the photo is deleted within 30 days (we keep it briefly to recover from accidental deletes).
Beta
How do I get in?
Either someone you know invites you to their existing Fold, or you request access on the Get the app page. We're letting in 30–50 new Folds a week to keep up with support.
What's the catch with the beta?
It's a real app, not a prototype, but it's incomplete. Phase 1 (the borrow loop) is rock solid. Phase 2 (the everyday polish) is shipping now. Phase 3 (activity feed, bundles, queue) is in design. Phase 4 (cross-Fold features, trips) is just sketches.
What platforms?
iOS 17+ and Android 13+. There is no web app and there are no plans for one — handoff rituals work better on a phone that's in your hand at the moment of meeting.
Can I delete my account?
Yes. Me → Settings → Delete account. Your items and borrow history are anonymized within 30 days; your Fold members will see them as "from a former member" with no link back to you.