Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Set Adrift and the talking stage.
About the Talking Stage
What is the talking stage?
The talking stage is the early period of a new connection — after you have met but before you are officially dating. It is the time of late-night conversations, tentative plans, and quietly wondering if this person could be something real.
How long does the talking stage usually last?
Most talking stages last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. There is no set timeline — it ends when both people feel ready to define the relationship or when one decides to move on.
What makes the talking stage different from dating?
The talking stage has no formal commitment yet — you are exploring, not declaring. It is defined by possibility and uncertainty in equal measure.
What is compatibility during the talking stage?
Compatibility during the talking stage means discovering whether your values, humor, ambitions, and emotional styles naturally align. It is less about having identical preferences and more about how your differences fit together.
Why is the talking stage so anxiety-inducing?
Because nothing is defined yet, every message and silence can feel loaded with meaning. The ambiguity is part of the excitement — and the stress.
How do you know if the talking stage is going well?
You both keep showing up — initiating conversations, asking follow-up questions, and making plans. Reciprocity is the clearest signal.
Should you be talking to multiple people at once during the talking stage?
There is no universal rule — it is a personal and cultural choice. Set Adrift supports multiple active connections because modern dating is rarely linear.
What is a green flag versus a red flag in the talking stage?
A green flag is a behavior or value that signals healthy connection, like emotional availability and consistency. A red flag is a pattern that suggests incompatibility or harm, like dismissiveness or dishonesty.
About Set Adrift
What is Set Adrift?
Set Adrift is a private app designed specifically for the talking stage of a new connection. It gives two people a shared space — called a Drift — to ask and answer questions, discover compatibility, and feel close even from a distance.
Who is Set Adrift for?
Set Adrift is for anyone who has met someone interesting and wants to explore whether it could be something more. It works for connections that started on dating apps, at a party, at work, or anywhere else.
Is Set Adrift a dating app?
Set Adrift is not a matching or swiping app — there is no discovery feed. It is a connection app for people who have already found each other and want a private space to deepen that connection.
How do I invite someone to a Drift?
You create a Drift, choose a color pair that feels right, and send your partner a unique invite link. They can join without needing to pay — partners always join free.
Do both people need an account?
Yes, both people need an account to join a Drift. Your partner's account is always free — only the person who initiates a Drift needs a paid plan.
Is Set Adrift available on iOS and Android?
Set Adrift is coming soon to iOS, Android, and as a Progressive Web App. Join the waitlist at setadrift.app to be notified when we launch.
What does "Set Adrift" mean as a name?
It captures the feeling of drifting together — unmoored from your usual routine, floating toward something uncertain and exciting. A Drift is your own private current.
Is Set Adrift safe for LGBTQ+ connections?
Absolutely. Set Adrift is built for any two people in any kind of talking stage — gender and orientation are entirely your own.
Features
What is a Drift?
A Drift is a private shared space between exactly two people. Each Drift has its own color identity, daily questions, compatibility map, disappearing photos, music playlist, and AI insights.
What is the daily question feature?
Each Drift receives a new question generated by AI based on both partners' personalities and where the conversation has been. You each answer privately, then the answers are revealed together once both are submitted.
What is the Moment Button?
The Moment Button lets you quietly signal that you are thinking of your partner. If you both tap within 15 minutes of each other, the app detects the sync and marks it as a shared Moment.
What are Sparks?
Sparks are disappearing photos you can send within a Drift — they expire after being viewed. If a screenshot is taken, the sender is notified immediately.
What is Tonight?
Tonight is a swipe-matching feature inside a Drift where both of you swipe through restaurant, movie, and activity ideas. When you both swipe yes, it is a match — something you could actually do together.
What is Our Vibe?
Our Vibe is the shared Spotify playlist for your Drift, generated by AI from both partners' music moods and onboarding answers. You can add to it and listen together.
What is the Compatibility Map?
The Compatibility Map is a 7-dimension visual showing how you and your partner align across adventure, humor, values, ambition, family, money, and intimacy. It fills in progressively as you answer questions together.
What is the Journal?
The Journal is your private space to write about your feelings, experiences, and thoughts about any of your connections. It is never shared with anyone — not even your partner.
What are AI Insights inside a Drift?
AI Insights are observations surfaced inside a Drift based on your combined question answers and activity. They highlight patterns, shared themes, or moments of unexpected alignment.
What is Flag Reveal?
After answering enough questions together, you can each flag each other's answers as green, red, or interesting. Flag Reveal shows the pattern of how you have been perceiving each other.
Multiple Drifts and Your Pattern
What are multiple Drifts?
Multiple Drifts means you can maintain more than one active connection at the same time, each in its own private space with its own color, questions, and data. The number of Drifts you can have depends on your subscription tier.
How many Drifts can I have?
The One Drift plan allows 1 active Drift, the Drifting plan allows up to 3, and the Full Drift plan allows unlimited Drifts. Partners always join free regardless of how many Drifts you manage.
What is Your Pattern?
Your Pattern is a private AI analysis that looks across all your Drifts to surface insights about you — your tendencies, your needs, and what you consistently bring to connections. It is visible only to you, never to any partner.
Does Your Pattern compare my partners to each other?
No. Your Pattern is always about you, not comparisons between partners. No partner is identified by name, color, or any other detail in Your Pattern output.
Which plans include Your Pattern?
Your Pattern is available on the Drifting plan ($11.99/mo) and the Full Drift plan ($16.99/mo). It requires at least 2 active or past Drifts to generate meaningful insights.
Can my partners see each other?
No. Each Drift is completely isolated. Your partners have no knowledge of or access to any other Drift you are part of.
Privacy and Safety
Is my journal private?
Your journal is completely private and is never shared with any partner under any circumstances. Even the AI analysis of your journal happens entirely on the server — only abstract insights, never your actual words, ever leave that process.
Can my partner see what I write in my journal?
No. Journal entries are readable only by you. No function, no partner, and no admin endpoint returns your journal content to anyone else.
How does screenshot protection work for Sparks?
On Android, the OS-level screenshot flag is set so screenshots cannot be taken during photo view. On iOS, screenshot detection triggers an immediate notification to the sender and marks the photo accordingly.
What data does Set Adrift collect?
Set Adrift collects your account information, onboarding answers, question responses, and in-app activity within Drifts. We do not sell your data or use it for advertising.
Where are Spotify tokens stored?
Spotify tokens are stored encrypted on the server — never in your browser storage, device storage, or any client-side location. The refresh token is never returned to the client.
Can I delete my account?
Yes. Deleting your account immediately removes your journal, pattern insights, uploaded photos, and Spotify tokens. Active Drifts are archived so your partners retain access to shared history for 90 days.
How does spice level work?
Each partner sets their own comfort level for question content. The effective spice level for a Drift is always the lower of the two — consent is always the deciding factor.
Is there age verification for mature content?
Yes. Any spicy content tier requires age verification before opt-in, handled by a third-party verification service. The current version of Set Adrift launches without the Spicy tier enabled.
Pricing and Subscription
How much does Set Adrift cost?
Plans start at $6.99/month for One Drift, $11.99/month for Drifting (up to 3 Drifts + Your Pattern), and $16.99/month for Full Drift (unlimited Drifts + Your Pattern). Annual plans are also available at a discount.
Do partners have to pay?
No. Partners always join free. Only the person who initiates a Drift needs a paid plan.
Is there a free trial?
Pricing details will be announced closer to launch. Partners who join via invite will always be free.
What is the difference between the Drifting and Full Drift plans?
The Drifting plan ($11.99/mo) supports up to 3 active Drifts and includes Your Pattern. The Full Drift plan ($16.99/mo) supports unlimited Drifts and also includes Your Pattern — ideal if you are actively exploring multiple connections.
Can I switch plans?
Yes, you can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time from your profile. Changes take effect at the next billing cycle.
What happens to my Drifts if I downgrade?
If you downgrade to a plan that supports fewer Drifts than you currently have active, you will be prompted to choose which Drifts to archive. Archived Drifts are preserved and accessible.
Is there an annual pricing option?
Yes. Annual plans are available for each tier at a discounted rate — One Drift at $49.99/yr, Drifting at $84.99/yr, and Full Drift at $118.99/yr.
How is payment handled?
Payments are processed securely through Stripe. Set Adrift never stores your card details directly.