FAQ

Shelby is a private social network you can only join in person. You go to a real event, scan in at the door, and you’re connected to everyone who was in the room with you.

Pick a night on this week’s lineup, get a pass, and scan it at the door. That scan is your membership. There’s no other way in.

Because an open signup lets anyone in. Requiring a scan at a real door means every person on Shelby has actually shown up somewhere, and that’s the whole point.

Joining and staying in your tree is free. Events set their own ticket prices, and Shelby Pro adds extra features for people who want them.

Your tree is everyone who was checked in at the same events as you. Each night you attend adds a new branch, and the people on it stay reachable after the event ends. See how the tree works.

No. Most Shelby nights are social, creative, or active. Some hosts run dating events, and those are clearly labeled so nobody ends up at one by accident.

You can find events and get passes on shelby.live. The app is where your pass, your tree, and your messages live between events, so most people get it after their first night.

Browse this week’s lineup for your city. You can filter by night, neighborhood, and type of event.

Open your pass, a staff member scans it, and you’re in. It takes a few seconds. The screen turns green when you’re checked in.

Not to scan in normally. You do need it if your phone dies or you cannot pull up your code, since ID is the only fallback at the door. Some events require it outright and will say so before you buy.

Show a government issued ID at the door. Staff match it to the guest list and check you in manually. This can be used once every three months. Manual check-in is a fallback, not a second door.

Yes, as long as they have their own pass. Everyone scans in separately, because everyone joins the tree separately.

Yes, up until doors open. Send it from your pass in the app and the new holder’s name goes on the guest list. The original pass stops working once it’s sent.

Each host sets a refund policy, and it’s shown on the event page before you buy. If a host cancels, you get a full refund automatically.

Cancel from your pass in the app. If you’re inside the host’s refund window you get your money back. If not, you can still transfer the ticket to someone else.

Whatever the event page says. If it doesn’t say anything, come as you’d go out to meet friends.

It’s a considered choice, not a rule for its own sake. People have better conversations, remember who they met, and actually follow up. Some hosts do serve drinks, and the event page will say so.

Every event page lists step-free access, seating, and restroom details. If something you need isn’t listed, message the host before you buy and they’ll answer directly.

Parking and transit notes are on each event page. Venues vary a lot, so check before you go.

The morning after the event. That gives everyone a night to get home before the new branch goes live.

Only people in your tree, meaning people who were checked in at an event with you. Nobody outside it can find you.

Only people who were checked in at the same event as you. Being on someone’s wider tree isn’t enough on its own.

You can message anyone you shared a room with. For people further out on the tree, you can ask a mutual connection to introduce you.

Yes. Turn on private mode in settings and you won’t appear in anyone’s tree view. You can still see and message the people you met.

Yes. Leave any branch from your tree view and you disappear from it for everyone on that branch. Your other branches stay as they are.

No. The people you met stay on your tree as long as you both keep your accounts.

Your tree comes with you. Change your city in settings to see events in your new place. Your old connections stay exactly where they were.

Only people who were at the same event. Your attendance history is never public, and nobody can browse it from outside your tree.

No. Your phone number and email are never shown to other members or hosts. You talk through Shelby unless you choose to share more.

Block anyone from their profile and they can no longer see or message you. Reports go to a person on our team, who reviews them and can remove someone from Shelby entirely.

No. We don’t sell data and we don’t run ads. Shelby makes money from tickets, Pro, and hosting, not from you.

It shows you’ve been scanned in at a real event. Everyone on Shelby has one, because there’s no other way to join.

Every account starts with a scan at a door, in front of a person. Bots and fake profiles can’t attend an event.

No. Dating events never appear on your profile outside that event’s own branch. Only people who were also in that room know you were there.

Current pricing is on the Shelby Pro page. It’s kept there so it’s always up to date.

Free gives you your tree, your passes, and messages with people you’ve met. Pro adds things like introductions further out on your tree and early access to popular nights. The full list is on the Pro page.

They take more work to run well. Hosts balance the guest list, staff the room more heavily, and follow up afterward, and the price covers that.

Yes. At checkout you can split a group booking so each person pays for their own pass.

Cancel anytime in settings. You keep Pro until the end of the period you’ve paid for.

Yes. If you meet someone and want to stop, cancel and write to us, and we’ll refund the unused part of your current period. That’s a good outcome, not a lost customer.

Hosts set the balance for each event, and passes are released to keep it. If one side sells out, you can join a waitlist.

Each dating event lists its age range on the event page, and ID is checked at the door to match it.

Yes, and most people do. Hosts run the room so nobody is left standing by themselves.

Then you had a night out and met a room of people who are now on your tree. Plenty of connections start as friendships and go from there.

No. There’s no commitment beyond the night you bought a pass for.

If there is one, it’s on the event page. Otherwise, dress like you’re meeting someone you’d like to see again.

Yes. Anyone can apply to host. Tell us what you’re planning on the host page and we’ll help you set it up.

Hosting is free. The details are on the host page.

Ticket money is paid out instantly as each ticket sells. You don’t wait until after the event.

Yes. Everyone who checks in at your event stays reachable on your tree, and you can invite them to your next night directly.

Yes. Dating events have a few extra requirements, including age checks and a balanced guest list. We’ll walk you through them.

You can sell elsewhere, but guests still need to scan in through Shelby to join the tree. That scan is what makes the network work.

A phone with the Shelby app and a staff member at the door. The app handles scanning, the guest list, and headcount.

No. Any recent iPhone or Android phone works. A charger at the door helps on long nights.

You put a small Shelby card at checkout. Customers who scan it and sign up become verified customers you can reach later.

A flat fee for every verified signup your counter brings in. We share the exact amount when you sign up as a partner.

No. Shelby funds the fee. Nothing comes out of your margin, and there are no discounts to offer.

A small QR card with their receipt. It takes them to Shelby and ties their signup to your business.

About a week from signing up to having cards on the counter.

Check the city picker on the home page. If your city isn’t live yet, you can see how close it is on the founding counter.

Someone who commits before a city opens. Founding members lock in their rate and are the first room when the doors open.

Then the city doesn’t open yet, and every founding member gets a full refund.

Once the counter reaches the threshold, the first nights go on the calendar within a few weeks. The threshold is set by what it actually costs to launch a city.

Yes. Become a founding member and bring others with you. If you want to host the first nights, write to help@shelby.live.

Go to settings and choose delete account. Your profile, messages, and place on every tree are removed. It can’t be undone.

Change it in settings. We’ll send a confirmation to the new address before it takes effect.

Trees open the morning after an event, so check again then. If you’re still missing, write to help@shelby.live with the event name and we’ll add you.

Write to help@shelby.live. A person reads every message.