How it works
Five minutes to set up.
Then it keeps count.
Howdy Mate! does one thing: it remembers how long it’s been since you caught up with each of your people, and tells you — kindly — when it’s time to reach out.
Add your people
Start with the handful you’d hate to lose touch with. Type a name, or tap “Find people in my contacts” to bring in names, birthdays and photos — the only moment the app asks for Contacts, and nothing ever leaves your phone.
Put them in groups that make sense to you: family, school, work, the footy team.
Give each one a rhythm
How often would you like to catch up? Every week for Mum, every couple of weeks for your best mate, every three months for the uni crew — or a custom schedule, like the first of every month for Grandma’s letter.
Not sure? Start generous. Our guide has a rule of thumb.
Get a gentle nudge
Howdy Mate! keeps count from your last catch-up. When someone’s rhythm comes round they move to “Needs you” on the Today screen, and you get a kind little reminder.
Friendships read “In touch”, then “Drifting”, then “Been a while” — never “overdue”.
Reach out, then log it
Send the text, make the call, grab the coffee — however you actually keep in touch. Then tap their name and hit Save. The count resets, and they drop off the list until they’re due again.
Add a note for next time, or log a whole group in one go.
Look back now and then
The Log keeps every catch-up and note. Recap shows your month, year or all time — who you kept close, your busiest month, and the rhythm of it all.
For example
What a week might look like
- Mon
Sofia’s two-week rhythm comes round. A nudge on the way to work; you send her a photo of your old café.
- Tue
Nothing due. Howdy Mate! stays quiet.
- Wed
The first of the month: time for Grandma’s letter. You write it on the train.
- Thu
Leo’s birthday tomorrow — the reminder gives you a day’s head start.
- Sat
Coffee with Priya and Maya. One check-in, both mates logged.
- Sun
A glance at the Log over breakfast. Four catch-ups, zero guilt.
Rhythms and reminders, explained
How does Howdy Mate! know who’s due?
You pick a rhythm for each mate — every week, two weeks, month, two, three or six months, a year, or a custom schedule such as certain weekdays or a set day of the month. Once that long has passed since your last catch-up, they appear under “Needs you” on the Today screen.
What do “In touch”, “Drifting” and “Been a while” mean?
A mate is “In touch” until their rhythm comes round, “Drifting” for up to three rhythms after that, and “Been a while” beyond it. We never call a friend overdue — a friendship isn’t a bill.
Will it nag me?
No. You get a gentle reminder when someone is due, and the wording is kind on purpose. You can turn notifications off in your iPhone’s Settings whenever you like.
What counts as a check-in?
Any kind of catch-up: a text, a call, a video call, social media, seeing each other in person, an email or anything else. You can add a note and how long it lasted, and log one mate or several at once.
Go on, say howdy.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. No account, no subscription, no catch.
On a computer? Point your iPhone’s camera here.