Pickleloonies · Reference
Frequently Asked Questions
20 questions about Pickleloonies — what it is, how it works, and how your data stays yours.
What if my crew only has 6 people?
That's fine. A crew of 6 plays great on Pickleloonies — RSVPs, payments, and chat all work the same. There's no minimum, no maximum, and no per-member fee. Most crews land between 8 and 24 active members; smaller crews just don't use the waitlist mechanics much.
Is it really free?
Yes. No tiers, no paywall, no per-member fees. We may add optional paid features later, but the core crew manager will stay free.
Do I need an account to try it?
No. Tap Try the Demo and you'll land in a fully-functional sample pod with sessions, payments, and chat — no signup required.
How is this different from Pickleheads or CourtReserve?
Pickleheads is for finding public courts and strangers to play with. CourtReserve is enterprise software for clubs and facility operators. Pickleloonies is for your private friend group — the people you already play with every Tuesday at 6pm. In the app, your group is called a 'pod'; in everyday talk, it's just your crew.
Can I bring guests who aren't in the crew?
Yes. Add guest names inline when you RSVP. They show up on the roster under your name, and they count in fee splitting automatically. No account needed for guests.
How do payments work?
Pickleloonies tracks who owes what for each session. Members pay each other directly with Venmo, Zelle, or cash (free for paying friends), upload a screenshot, and an admin approves. No money passes through the app. A prepaid Pod Wallet is coming soon.
Will there be an iOS / Android app?
Native iOS and Android apps are in development with no firm date yet. Until then, install the web app to your home screen — it behaves like a native app with offline support and push notifications.
Where is my data stored?
Your crew is private — only your invited members can see it. Built on Supabase (managed Postgres) with row-level security. Read our Privacy Policy for the full details.
What is Pickleloonies?
Pickleloonies is a semi-private pickleball pod manager — a web app that helps a recurring crew of 8-24 friends organize sessions, RSVP, invite guests, and settle peer-to-peer payments without group-chat chaos. There's no public discovery; every pod is invite-only.
Is Pickleloonies free to use?
Yes. The current version is free for all crews. There's no premium tier and no ads. We may add optional paid features for larger groups later, but the core RSVP, guest, and payment flow will stay free.
Does Pickleloonies have an iOS or Android app?
Today it's a web app that works great on phones — installable as a PWA from your browser with offline support and push notifications. Native iOS and Android apps via Expo are on the roadmap.
How does Pickleloonies handle peer-to-peer payments?
Pickleloonies keeps the ledger (court fees, food wagers, equipment splits) and shows balances. Members settle with each other via Venmo, Zelle, or cash, and no money passes through the app. Venmo and Zelle are free for paying friends (on Venmo, use your bank balance or debit card; credit cards add a fee).
Is my data secure?
Yes. Pod data is protected by Supabase row-level security so only members of your pod can see your RSVPs, payments, and chat. Avatars and pod logos are public; payment screenshots and chat images are stored in private buckets with signed-URL access.
Can I use Pickleloonies for league or tournament play?
Pickleloonies is built for recurring rec play with the same crew. It works for league nights or in-pod tournaments, but it's not a tournament-bracket manager. For sanctioned tournaments, tools like PickleballTournaments.com are a better fit.
Who built Pickleloonies?
Pickleloonies is built by Vincent, a solo developer and recreational pickleball player in Southern California. It started as a tool for his own Tuesday-night pod and grew from there. The blog has the full origin story.
What pickleball terminology does Pickleloonies use?
Standard pickleball vocabulary — dink, kitchen, ATP, Erne, third-shot drop, stack, switch, banger, and so on. The Glossary page has 22 of the most common terms with definitions.
Can I get a copy of my data?
Yes. Email privacy@pickleloonies.com from your account's address and we'll send you a copy of your data. Your data is yours.
Does Pickleloonies work with court reservation systems?
Not directly. Pickleloonies handles the social and financial side of a pod — who's coming, who's bringing guests, who owes what. Court reservations still happen on whatever system your facility uses (CourtReserve, PlayTime Scheduler, or just a paper signup sheet).
What is the Pod Wallet?
Coming soon: an optional prepaid balance for pods, so session fees are paid automatically and nobody chases Venmo requests. It isn't available yet. Until it launches, pay your organizer with Venmo, Zelle, or cash, and Pickleloonies keeps track.
Can I delete my account?
Yes, from your Profile page at any time, or by emailing privacy@pickleloonies.com. Your profile, memberships, RSVPs, payment records and uploaded files are removed. Messages you sent stay in the chat for your crew, without your name.