Untappd

Untappd
Stable release	; iOS 3.4.4 (April 29, 2019; 5 years ago) Android 3.4.4 (April 29, 2019; 5 years ago) [±]
Operating system	iOS, Android
Website	untappd.com

Untappd Inc.
Type of business	Social networking service
Founded	October 22, 2010; 14 years ago
Headquarters	Wilmington, North Carolina
Owner	Next Glass
Key people	Greg Avola; Tim Mather; Kurt Taylor; Trace Smith; Ty Graham;
Products	Untappd, Untappd for Business, Untappd Marketplace
Employees	125 (2017)
Users	820,000 (2020)
Launched	October 22, 2010; 14 years ago

Untappd is a geosocial networking service and mobile phone application founded by Greg Avola and Tim Mather that allows its users to check in as they drink beers, and share these check-ins and their locations with their friends.^[5] It incorporates aspects of gamification.^[6]

Untappd provides a platform for users to rate the beer they are consuming, earn badges, share pictures of their beers, review tap lists from nearby venues, see what beers their friends are drinking, comment on checked-in beers, and ask the app to suggest similar beverages.^[7]^[8] In 2016, an updated version of the application allowed users to find a beer by scanning its barcode^[9]

Untappd uses Foursquare for its location services.^[10]

Badges

As a user checks in different beers, they earn badges. These badges consist of local badges, beer badges, venue badges, and special badges. Local badges are earned from checking in at specific locations participating in an Untappd for Business promotion. Beer badges are earned based upon how many unique beers a user has checked in, what country or region the beer is produced, what style the beer is, or various actions by the user, such as checking in the same beer multiple times in a row. Venue badges are earned for checking in at different locations like breweries, restaurants, or festivals. Special badges are earned from checking in a specific beer as part of a promotion or checking in on a specific holiday.

History

Untappd started in 2010 at Father's Office in Santa Monica, California. On January 17, 2014 it was announced that Untappd had passed the 1 million user mark^[11] and by April 2016, they had 3.2 million users.^[12]

On January 15, 2016, Untappd announced that it would become a subsidiary of Next Glass, a beer and wine rating and suggesting application.^[13]^[14] Both companies indicated their applications will remain independent, but will benefit from increased data integrations.^[15]

It was included in the "Top 50 Apps of the Year" of 2016 by Time.^[16]

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 25, 2020, the Untappd at Home campaign was launched, so users could check in beers from a global home location.^[17]

As of September 4, 2020 Untappd, reported 820,000 unique users checked-in at least once from almost 180 different countries.^[18]