Updated August 2026 · by Jared Keys, founder of Converge
The best apps for planning a night out
Seven apps, compared by the one thing each is genuinely best at. Because “planning a night out” is really four different problems — deciding where to go, getting people to commit, finding a night that works, and remembering the places you loved — and no single app wins all four.
The list
1. Converge
Best for deciding where to goThe only app on this list built for the argument itself. Everyone in the group checks in privately — budget, energy, availability — so nobody performs for the chat. The engine matches the group's combined taste against live venue inventory and generates three plans (dinner-led, activity-led, nightlife-led). The group votes; the winner becomes the night. Solo, it's a taste-matched map of the city: save spots to boards, follow people whose taste matches yours, and see where they actually go. Free, on iOS and the web.
Where it stops: live in nine cities (DC, New York, LA, Chicago, Austin, London, Paris, Barcelona, Marrakech) — if you're elsewhere, it can't help yet. And it doesn't do invitations; that's Partiful's job.
2. Partiful
Best for invites & RSVPsThe best-made invite pages in the game. When you already know the what and the where, Partiful turns it into a page people actually respond to — playful themes, text-message RSVPs, no app download required for guests. It has become the default for parties, birthdays and one-off events.
Where it stops: Partiful starts working after the plan exists. It won't help a group figure out where to go. Full comparison: Partiful vs Converge.
3. Howbout
Best for shared calendarsA social calendar for friend groups: everyone's availability side by side, so “when are we all free” stops being a forty-message thread. Strong for standing groups that hang out regularly.
Where it stops: it schedules the night; it doesn't plan it. You still need to pick a place.
4. Flaky
Best for spontaneous plansLow-pressure, private plan-making with close friends — signal you're up for something without broadcasting it. Good for the “anyone around tonight?” use case the big social apps abandoned.
Where it stops: same as Howbout — it connects people, not places.
5. Beli
Best for tracking restaurantsThe strongest restaurant-tracking community out there. Head-to-head rankings build your personal top list, and the leaderboard mechanics make logging meals genuinely fun. If your night out is entirely about the restaurant, Beli's rankings are hard-earned and useful.
Where it stops: restaurants only — bars, shows and the rest of the night are out of scope, and it's a solo scorekeeping loop more than a group planning tool. More options: apps like Beli.
6. Discotech
Best for club nightsGuestlists, tickets and table service for big-room nightlife in major cities. If the night is specifically a club night and you want to skip the line logistics, this is the specialist tool.
Where it stops: clubs. It's not for dinner, dives, shows or anything before 11pm.
7. GroupMe
Best for the chat itselfHonorable mention, because most plans still live and die in a group chat. GroupMe's polls and event RSVPs are the least-friction upgrade if your group refuses to install anything new.
Where it stops: the chat is where plans famously stall. Polls tell you what people say; nothing in a chat knows what your group actually likes.
Side by side
| App | Decides where to go | Group voting | Learns your taste | Invites & RSVPs | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Converge | Yes — 3 generated plans | Yes | Yes — saves & outings | No | 9 cities, full night |
| Partiful | No | No | No | Yes — the best | Anywhere, events |
| Howbout | No | No | No | Partial | Anywhere, scheduling |
| Flaky | No | No | No | Partial | Anywhere, close friends |
| Beli | No | No | Yes — rankings | No | Restaurants only |
| Discotech | Partial — clubs | No | No | No | Clubs, big cities |
| GroupMe | No | Polls | No | Basic | Anywhere, chat |
Quick answers
What's the best app for planning a night out with friends?
Depends which part is broken. Group can't decide where? Converge. Plan exists but people won't commit? Partiful. Can't find a night everyone's free? Howbout. Most groups' actual problem is the first one — the chat goes quiet at “so where are we going?”
Is there an app that decides where to go out?
That's Converge's whole job: private check-ins, a taste-matched engine, three plans, a vote. It's the only app here where “I don't care, you pick” stops being a lie somebody has to absorb.
What do college students actually use?
The group chat, mostly — which is why plans die. The stack that works: a decision tool (Converge — live in DC, NY, LA, Chicago, Austin, London, Paris, Barcelona, Marrakech), an invite page for bigger events (Partiful), and the chat for everything in between. If you're near Howard University, we wrote a live guide to going out near campus.