FAQs

Got a question about the 8seats app? We've answered some of the most common ones here.

Where did the idea behind 8seats come from?

We believe that digital chat conversations should be as natural and seamless as conversations in the real world. We took inspiration from the way people communicate in real life and invented a new chat interface to allow the same experience to exist inside a chat app.

I already have a chat app. Why should I start using 8seats?

Group conversations in the 8seats app are faster, more natural and more intuitive. Messaging apps have not undergone a meaningful evolution since group chat emerged around 2007, so it’s definitely overdue for an update! We wanted to create a better way for groups of people to communicate online, one that better reflects how conversations occur in real life.

Conventional chat apps tend to be linear rather than dynamic. This means that switching contexts between groups and sub-groups tends to be fiddly and Time-consuming. In fact, we’ve run side-by-side tests where 8seats has outperformed other well-known messaging apps by up to 400% when communicating between multiple groups of people. Less setup, sifting through lists or groups and fewer clicks and taps means you and your team can spend more time doing the things that matter.

What is a Table?

Tables are the heart of the 8seats app. They are the next evolution in group messaging. A table enables dynamic conversations between any combination of people in that group with a simple tap or swipe.

That means no more static groups and no endless lists of groups with mostly the same people in them!

How many people can I have on a Table?

Tables can fit up to 8 people for now – but don’t worry! If you need to communicate with a larger group, simply start a Room. This will give you simple group chat, allowing you to broadcast to up to 1,000 members.

We have many new features coming soon, bring added flexibility to Tables and empowering larger groups with natural conversation dynamics too.

Keep an eye on the 8seats.com website and the Discover area of the 8seats app for news about upcoming new features.

I put someone’s head down. Are you sure they can’t read my message?

Yes. If a table member’s head is down they can never read any messages sent to that conversation. Our system ensures there’s no way for them to access or intercept that message on their device.

What if I need to chat with more than 8 people?

Did you notice that the 8seats logo contains both the number 8 and the ∞ infinity symbol? That’s no coincidence! Our Rooms feature offers you simple group chat, allowing you to broadcast to up to 1,000 members – with support for even bigger groups coming soon.

Rooms do not include the heads up and down feature (that would get quite fiddly), however we have some innovative features coming soon to bring natural conversation dynamic to larger groups too.

Keep an eye on the 8seats.com website and the Discover area of the 8seats app for news about upcoming new features.

How many Tables or Rooms can I be part of?

In the Early Access version, there is a limit to the number of Tables and Rooms you can create, which depends on the type of account you have. However, you can be invited to other Tables and Rooms by other people. That means you can be a part of more Tables than your Table creation limit, and the same goes for Rooms. There is currently no hard limit on the total number you can be a part of.

Does your business need more Tables or Rooms, or do you have a special need for the 8seats app? Get in touch with our team here to talk to us about it. We’d love to hear from you.

How do I add people to my Table?

In the current version of the 8seats app, a Table can have up to 8 people on it. That means you add up to 7 others. While a Room can include up to 1,000 members. Anyone who is a member of a Table or Room can invite other people to it.

Once you have a Table or Room set up, simply tap the blue ‘+’ icon near the top right of the screen to start the invite process. You can add multiple people directly from the contacts on your device, or if you want to add someone new, simply enter their name and phone number to securely invite them to your Table.

Are the messages I send secure?

Yes. In the Early Access version, messages and personally identifiable information on the 8seats platform are protected with 256-bit encryption, both at rest and in transit to ensure your privacy.

We have an even more advanced security systems planned for future versions of 8seats, including ‘sharded encryption’ (more on this soon), and the option for businesses to host the 8seats platform themselves.

Keep an eye on the 8seats.com website and the Discover area of the 8seats app for news about upcoming new features.

How can I customise my Table or Room?

You can customise your Table or Room with a background and colour. There’s a range of preset backgrounds or you can add your own. In future we’ll be adding more way for you to make Tables and Rooms feel personal and relevant to you, your group or your team.

What’s coming next for 8seats?

We have a big list of exciting new features coming to the 8seats app. While we’re not able to share exact details quite yet, we can say that these new additions will offer even more flexible group sizes, powerful utilities for your team, plus more ways to make your messaging experience faster, more natural and let you and your team get more done.

Some of these are due to be released very soon, while others will come a bit later. Keep an eye on the 8seats.com website and the Discover area of the 8seats app for news about upcoming new features.

Can I become a Beta tester for new 8seats features before they are released?

Not yet, but soon! We will shortly be launching a Closed Beta testing program for the 8seats app so we can learn more about how our new features can enhance your messaging experience and help you and your team be more productive through faster and more natural online communications.

If you are interested in becoming a Closed Beta tester for unreleased features, please get in touch with us by email at [e-mail]