Join or create a chat room
only meant for right here, right now!
Walk into a bar, a festival, a hotel lobby — open Sifter and join the chat already happening there, or start one for the people around you. Authenticated. Ephemeral. Tied to where you actually are.
Free on the App Store • iOS 16+
Digital connection.
Physical reality.
Sifter is a hyperlocal, geofenced chat app. Most apps pull you away from the world — Sifter pulls you deeper into it.
If you aren't here, you aren't in.
Chat rooms are tied to physical coordinates. Walk in to join. Walk out to leave. No remote lurkers allowed.
Zero Footprint.
No chat logs. No history tracking. Conversations exist only in the moment, just like real life.
No Friction.
Forget QR codes, invites, or friend requests. Just open the app and talk to the room immediately.
1. Enter a Zone
Sifter detects public spaces and events around you. No setup required — just walk into the geofence.
2. Join the Conversation
See who's there. Ask questions, share updates, or just banter. Everyone in the chat is physically present.
3. Leave Without a Trace
Walk away, and the chat disappears. No notifications following you home. Your privacy is guaranteed.
Built for the Real World
From morning coffee runs to massive conferences, Sifter unlocks the hidden layer of conversation around you.
Conferences
Network instantly without awkward introductions. Find who's at the keynote right now.
Campuses
Find study groups in the library or see where the party is happening on the quad.
Neighborhoods
Borrow a drill, report a lost pet, or organize a block party with actual neighbors.
Events
Live react to the concert with the crowd. Coordinate meetups in the mosh pit.
Frequently Asked Questions
The short version of what Sifter is, how it works, and what makes it different.
What is Sifter?
Sifter is a chat-room app for iOS where every chat is tied to a specific physical place. When you walk into a bar, a festival, or a hotel lobby, you can open Sifter and join the conversation already happening there — or start one for the people around you. The chat exists for where you are, when you are there.
Who is Sifter for?
Sifter is for anyone in a place where they'd want to talk to the people physically around them but can't — Vegas tourists in a hotel lobby, festival-goers between sets, conference attendees in a hallway, college students on campus. Free on iOS 16 or later.
How is Sifter different from Yik Yak?
Yik Yak was anonymous with a wide radius — that combination made it unsafe. Sifter authenticates every user (Apple Sign-In or phone) and lets the user pick the radius for their chat room (one venue, one corner, one floor). Authenticated users plus user-defined geofence makes open conversation safe.
How is Sifter different from a dating app?
Dating apps assume romantic intent up front. Sifter doesn't. The chat room exists for whoever's physically present, conversation is open-ended, and the app handles no follow-up after you leave the venue. People sometimes meet on Sifter the way they sometimes meet at a bar — incidentally, not by design.
How does Sifter handle privacy?
Location is the privacy filter. Only people physically inside a venue's geofence can see or join its chat room. When you leave, you leave the chat. Sifter knows who you are (authentication is required), but conversations are tied to physical co-presence — not stored, not searchable, not forwarded outside the room.
What does Sifter cost?
Sifter is free on the iOS App Store. No in-app purchases, no ads inside chat rooms, no premium tier at launch. The app requires iOS 16 or later. Android is in development; sign up at sifter.cc to be notified when it launches.
Where can I download Sifter?
Sifter is on the iOS App Store at sifter.cc/download. The download link redirects to the official App Store listing. iOS 16 or later required.