Pickleloonies · Reference
Frequently Asked Questions
18 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 via Venmo, Zelle, or cash. Upload a screenshot to confirm. Admins approve. No money flows through us.
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 tracks who owes what (court fees, food wagers, equipment splits) but it doesn't process money itself. Members settle via Venmo, Zelle, or cash — the app keeps the ledger and shows balances. No payment processor, no card on file, no fees.
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 export my crew's data?
Yes. Pods can export their session history, RSVP log, and payment ledger as CSV from the pod settings page. 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).