Munich, 3 November 2026 – Munich-based software company equinux has launched Knuff, a social check-in app that helps families, close friends and other private groups answer a simple but important question: “Is everyone OK?”
Users organise themselves into private groups called Bubbles. With a quick check-in, they can let other members know they’re doing well, without having to call or write a lengthy message.
The Bubble map shows when each person was last active, making it easy to see who has recently checked in and who might need a little extra attention. With Knuff’s customisable Concern Level, users can set how long they’re comfortable waiting for a check-in from each person before receiving a notification. This helps them notice when someone hasn’t checked in as expected and reach out to make sure everything is OK.
Inspired by a Real Family Experience
The idea for Knuff grew out of a personal experience in the family of equinux CEO Till Schadde. His 94-year-old relative, Martha, lives independently, which often prompted the question: “Has anyone called Aunt Martha today?”
“We wanted a quick way to find out whether Martha was alright and who had spoken to her last,” Schadde explains. “At the same time, many members of our family now live in different places and are at different stages of life. Knuff helps us feel connected and reassured without constantly scheduling calls and posting in a group chat.”
That personal situation inspired an app designed for a wide range of everyday situations.
For Families, Friends and People Who Look Out for One Another
Older people who live independently can use Knuff to let their families know they’re OK. Children can check in after arriving somewhere, while students living in a new city, family members abroad and frequent travellers can stay connected with very little effort.
Close friends, neighbours, sports teams and clubs can also create their own Bubbles. Each Bubble remains separate, and check-ins are visible only to members of the Bubble in which they were shared.
Knuff is also useful on days when there isn’t enough time or energy for a conversation or longer message. One tap is enough to tell the people who matter: “I’m OK.”
Share a Little or a Lot
A Knuff check-in can be as simple as a tap to let others know everything is OK. And if someone is not feeling OK, they can let their Bubble know that, too. Users can also choose to share more, including personal messages, photos, videos, voice messages, polls or their current location.
Bubbles offer additional ways to interact, including scheduling a meet-up or sharing longer video clips, so groups can share updates and stay connected in ways that work for them.
Knuff isn’t designed to replace WhatsApp, iMessage or other messaging apps. Instead, it complements them with a quick, low-effort way to check in and look out for one another.
A European Alternative: Developed and Hosted in Germany
Knuff is developed in Munich by a small, independent team with a focus on privacy. Unlike services that rely on US-based cloud providers such as AWS, Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure, Knuff’s service and data are hosted and managed on equinux’s own infrastructure in Germany.
Check-ins stay within the private Bubble where they were shared, helping users keep personal updates within their intended group.
For people who care about where their data is stored and who operates the infrastructure behind their apps, Knuff offers a European alternative.
Free for iOS and Android
Knuff’s core features are free. Users can optionally purchase additional characters, known as “Knufflings”, as well as Bubble designs. Additional features are available through passes with a fixed duration. These passes do not renew automatically, and Knuff does not use automatically renewing subscriptions.
Knuff is available for iPhone and iPad running iOS 16 or later, as well as Android smartphones, making it easy for families and friends to stay connected across different devices.
Information and download:
https://knuff.me/app
Press kit and images:
https://knuff.me/#presskit
About equinux
equinux is an independent software company based in Munich, Germany. The company develops digital products and operates its services using its own infrastructure in Germany.