Someone once said:
Life without friendship is like a sky without stars.
Making new friends can be challenging for a lot us, especially after the COVID-19 Pandemic disrupted our social lives.
But does that mean you’re going to die a loner? Absolutely not. There are hundreds of apps you can use these days to connect with new people if you’re new town or want a buddy to grab a drink with.
And to help you, we’ve compiled a list of the 31 Best Friendship Apps so you can start making new friends today!
1. Bumble BFF
The female-centric Bumble app first came into the spotlight in 2014. Bumble BFF is an integrated mode in the Bumble app launched in 2016. Using the swipe algorithm, the app allows you to find a match of the same sex. All of you have to do is add few photos, interests, a quick bio, and you’re good to go.
2. Meetup
Want to find new friends with the same interest as yours? If your answer is yes, then you’re going to love Meetup. Currently hosting a cloud of 50 million active users, Meetup focuses on facilitating real-life connections and networking professionally. Just enter your location and look for events that interest you, and voila! You’ve found yourself a crew.
3. Nextdoor
New in the neighborhood? Familiarize yourself with Nextdoor. This private social networking app lets you explore people living in your neighborhood and form friendly connections with them — all through a secure and verified user base. In addition to bonding, users can also have a yard sale and find profitable tasks such as babysitting.
4. Hey! VINA
Hey! VINA, frequently called “Tinder for Girl-friends,” is a woman-focused friendship app. It’s designed to empower women and strengthen their camaraderie. The female-only social app lets user connect to people with similar lifestyle and interests. Using the swiping algorithm, women can join live chats and plan in-person meetups.
5. Yubo
Yubo’s target market is youngsters, or teenager to be precise. One hallmark of Yubo which makes it stand out from competitors is its cat-fish free live video chat feature, just like Facetime. Recently, Yubo collaborated with YouTube and Snapchat to make their chatting experience more fun. It currently has over 20 million users worldwide.
6. Atleto
Did you know that exercising with a friend has been scientifically proven to induce motivation and healthier lifestyle habits? Atleto is the perfect match for gym freaks and athletes that like to exercise with a partner. Atleto displays the location, skills, and workout frequency of various people. It also allows you to host a sports event. Download it today to make your workout sessions even more fun!
7. Peanut
Your children’s calendars are probably filled with fun parties and social gatherings, but sometimes a mommy needs friends too. No woman should go through motherhood alone, and that’s where Peanut comes in. Founded by Michelle Kennedy, Peanut has numerous chat rooms, community groups, and group hangouts for moms to find and support each other through the stages of motherhood.
8. Wink
Wink is a tinder-inspired app available for people of all ages and genders across the globe. It’s pretty straightforward;create a profile with a personal picture, add your interests, and then start using the infamous swipe feature to chat with people right away.
9. Skout
Would you believe that skout has been in the friendship app game for 15 years? Skout uses the built-in GPU in your smartphone to find you a match based on proximity and your liking. Using the super-easy swipe left/right concept, it’s perfect for travelers or someone entering a new stage of life.
10. Friender
Are you among those tired of boring surface-level conversations? Don’t worry because Friender is here to save the day! The swipe-based app makes use of an algorithm to find you your perfect pal according to your interest. However, swipe wisely. The standard app comes with limited swipes, so you’ll have to purchase a premium subscription for unlimited swiping.
11. LMK
Introverts out, Extroverts in. LMK lets you connect to strangers in multiple ways instead of just the basic DM-style messages. It features voice-chat rooms and calling. Oh, and the app automatically hides your phones number, so you can become more familiar with the other person before getting stuck into an awkward one-one conversation.
12. Twitch
Twitch is widely considered as a gamer’s paradise. Over time, the app expanded its categories, ranging from makeup artists to sex columnists. Twitch might be the best fit for you if you’re into watching streams. You can find many people with shared interests and get conversations going right away! After all, what’s better than forming connections over a mutual love of live streams?
13. Ablo
Have you ever imagined making new friends around the world? Ablo’s got your back. It features the basic voice chat and texting functions like any other app — but Ablo takes it one step ahead with its automated translation tool so you can chat without a language barrier. If you want a real-life talking experience, head into one of their live streams!
14. Friended
Friended helps break the ice by allowing users to play games and challenging quizzes with their matches. The idea is to engage in a fun discussion, which is particularly helpful for introverts. It also has a “community” feature which allows you to post icebreakers to connect with like-minded people.
15. Vingle
Everyone has a specific obsession or hobby. Maybe you like watching anime or collecting antique coins. Have you ever thought about doing these things with a buddy? That’s where Vingle comes in. It lets you connect with people ofmatching interests and even create your own community so others can join.
16. Patook
Patook is a strictly platonic-friendship app that aims to connect users to a match through a point system based on mutual likes and dislikes. Oh, and the app specifically includes a no-flirting policy in its terms of service, blurring out any message that try to break their policy. Say goodbye to creepy flirters.
17. UNBLIND
UNBLIND is a friendship app that uses the blind-dating system to connect you with matches solely based on your interests. Your profile is kept anonymous and it does not require you to add a picture. Because all profiles are kept secret, UNBLIND has no search option to find any user.
18. OneRoof
OneRoof is just like Nextdoor, except it’s even more hyper-local. As the name suggests, it helps you connect with people in the same building or plaza as yours. If you’re new in town or living in an apartment, download OneRoof today and connect with people in your locality sharing similar interests and hobbies!
19. We3
We3 is a social personality app. Right off the bat, We3 prompts its users with a quiz to determine their personality type. It has over 32 pre-designed personalities that are automatically assigned to users after they finish the quiz. Once matched, a trio of users is formed where you can chat or do in-person meetings.
20. Badoo
You might have heard that Badoo is a dating app. But that’s far from the truth. After signing up, Badoo asks for your motive behind using the app and allows you to select between dating, friendship, long-term partner, etc. It then uses your location and interests to find the perfect companion.
21. Clubhouse
Despite how fishy the name sounds, Clubhouse is one of the best apps for making friends based on interests. It’s allows users to join millions of audio rooms according to their favorite genres. Clubhouse has everything from fashion to politics to business tips and making money. Even if you aren’t comfortable talking, you can just sit back and listen to others share their expertise – just like a podcast.
22. REALU
So, you want to a friend urgently but don’t want to wait hours matching with strangers? Fair enough. REALU solves this problem by finding people interested in hanging out in real-time. The idea is to build long-lasting connections and encourage physical interactions. REALU also strengthens your social skills, so it’s great for people lacking confidence.
23. Hoop
Are you a Snapchat addict? If yes, then we highly recommend using Hoop. Using the app is pretty straightforward. After creating an account, you can request the usernames of potential friends. If they accept it, their Snapchat username will be revealed. Otherwise, the details remain hidden. But hey, it doesn’t hurt to try!
24. Bloom
Bloom is a community-based lifestyle app to connect with your pals in a safe and friendly environment. Not only does it have a dedicated chatting mode, but it also lists tons of live events and festivals happening around you. Instead of conversing over the regular coffee shop, Bloom allows you to spice up your social life and make new friends in a thrilling atmosphere.
25. Slowly
Slowly takes a little retro approach to making friends online. Unlike texting, users are expected to write a long letter, which can then take days to deliver depending on the geographical location of your partner, just like a physical letter would in real life. You can also limit the letters you want to accept, so you don’t feel buried under too many letters.
26. Discord
Originally designed for gamers, Discord is a communication app that has millions of servers, ranging from study groups to fashion groups. Though the channels are a little difficult to comprehend at first, you’ll get used to the interface in no time. If you see a friendship fly off, you can add them to your friend’s list for private DMs.
27. Couchsurfing
Left your travel buddy at home due to an unforeseen illness? Having trouble finding friends in a new country? Couchsurfing has your back. With more than 14 million users operating in over 200,000 cities across the globe, Couchsurfing aims to bring travelers with mutual interests together. It’s particularly a great app for introverts that are traveling or visiting a new country for education.
28. Camsurf
Are you suspicious of hackers stealing your identity over live chat? Camsurf is here to safeguard you. It’s a free video messenger app that requires no sign-ups and virtually eliminates the risk of a security breach. You can filter matchesfrom over 200 countries and language built-in the app to get a precise match.
Friendship Apps for Dog Owners
If you’re a dog parent and want to make friends with other dog owners near you, keep reading this list!
29. BarkHappy
BarkHappy lets you create a profile of your dog and connects you to other dog owners in your neighborhood. Users can chat, plan meetups, and volunteer in virtual events. If you want to become a hero, you can help in finding a user’s lost dog in the in-app lost & found section.
30. Meet My Dog
Meeting and hanging out people can sometimes get tiring. How about you make things fun with a dog party? If you always tend to spend time with pets at a party, Meet My Dog is the perfect app for you. The app allows you to meet with other dog owners so you and your fluffy pal can both have a new BFF!
31. PawDate
Similar to Meet My Dog, PawDate allows its users to set up a profile of their dogs and meet with other nearby dog owners. You can plan a playdate or simply have an adorable photoshoot of your loyal companion while finding a new friend simultaneously. It’s a win-win for both.
Summary
So, did you like our catalog for 31 Best Friendship Apps? It’s no surprise that many of us have trouble physically interacting with people. Therefore, we have some important tips as you experiment with these apps:
- Remember to make plans frequently
- Understand that not every person will work out for you
- Don’t rush: Take your time to get to know each other
- And most importantly, never undermine yourself
With that being said, we hope you find many strong, supportive, and healthy friendships this year.
