Home→How it works

How it works

From “we should do something”
to everyone sorted

HerdCats takes your group from first message to confirmed date, paid up, and plan in hand — all from one link. Here's exactly how it works.

Create→
Share & vote→
Lock the date→
Plan*→
Pay*

Steps 4 and 5 are optional — use them for bigger trips

The organiser's journey

Five steps. First three take about 5 minutes. Steps 4 and 5 only if you need them.

1

Create your event

Name it, set a date range, add a group photo if you like. Takes 90 seconds. You get a unique link — that's the only thing you'll ever need to share.

Works for any occasion — set any date range, any group size.

Creating an event in HerdCats
2

Share the link

Drop it in your group chat — WhatsApp, iMessage, wherever. Your group taps it, enters their name, and picks their available dates. No account. No app. 30 seconds for them.

Real-time results — you see the overlap as people vote.

Group voting on dates in HerdCats
3

Lock the date

See which date works for the most people. Lock it. Everyone sees it's confirmed on the event page. Get commitments — in, maybe, or out — so you know your actual headcount.

That's it for most groups. Steps 4 and 5 are only if you need them.

4

Plan the trip

Optional

Generate a day-by-day AI itinerary for your destination. Build activity polls — propose options, let the group vote. The plan lives on the same link everyone already has.

Only needed for bigger trips — skip this for a night out or birthday.

AI itinerary in HerdCats
5

Collect the money

Optional

Add your costs. Per-person split calculated automatically. Everyone pays by card or bank transfer. Live dashboard shows who's paid, who hasn't. No more chasing.

Use for any trip where you're splitting costs — cottage, golf, abroad.

Payment dashboard in HerdCats

What your group sees

Your job is to share one link. Theirs is to tap it. No one in your group ever needs to create an account or download anything.

Lake District Weekend

Your name

Sarah

Pick your dates

Sat 12 Apr
Sat 19 Apr
Sat 26 Apr
Submit my dates

Name, tap, done

Enter a name, pick dates. About 30 seconds. No account needed, ever.

They see the results too

Real-time vote counts. They can see who else can make each date.

Same link, forever

The plan, costs, and itinerary all live on the same link they already have. Share it once.

See it for your occasion

Pick your trip type — see exactly what HerdCats looks like for it, and which features you'd actually use.

Night out

Manchester, Bristol, wherever — getting everyone to commit to the same Friday is genuinely hard. HerdCats makes it a two-minute job.

  • ✓Date poll — everyone picks their Fridays
  • ✓Commitments — see who's actually in
  • ✓AI suggests bars, restaurants, venues
  • ✓Share the itinerary in one WhatsApp message
HerdCats participant view for a night out

Features used

Date pollCommitmentsAI itineraryActivity pollsCost splitPayments

Ready to try it?

Create your first event in about 90 seconds.

Free to use. No app. Your group never has to sign up.

Create Free Event

Already have an account? Log in →