Making new friends can be a tricky business at any time, but with more people than ever having spent an unusual amount of time at home for the past 18 months+, it has meant even less of a chance to socialize and make new friends. It also means, however, that there are more people than ever looking for ways to meet others and find new ways to socialize and interact. So really, now is the perfect time to download one of these apps for making friends and expand your circle!
Top 9 apps for making friends
#1 Meetup
Meetup is a website and app for making friends with a strong focus on meeting up IRL. The main idea behind this app is to connect you with other people in your area who have a shared interest, to be able to organize real-world meetings. So whether it be yoga or board games, anime or photography, you can search for local groups and find a bunch of people who share your enthusiasm. It’s more of a group activity based app compared to the others on this list so if you like the idea of meeting a bunch of like-minded individuals download it now and give it a try to find others to hang out with and share your passion!
#2 Hey! Vina
Hey! Vina dubs itself the “Tinder for (girl) friends”. The premise is similar, swipe left for “no”, or swipe right for “yes”, with the basic app being free with the option of becoming a paid VIP member for extra perks. What you see when you’re deciding is also similar, a photo with a short bio, examples include “TV & movies & Netflix & relationship talk for days” or “Likes coffee and gossip. Not so keen on spinach”. It’s a great app for making friends if you are a woman who works from home, or who has moved to a new city and wants to meet other women with similar interests, or even just wants to expand their circle of friends.
#3 Nextdoor
Nextdoor is a nice app for making friends in your neighborhood and getting to know your local community. The aim is to create an online community of local people who can share information, buy or sell items, introduce/welcome new neighbors and more. It is especially useful if you have moved to a new area and want to find out something specific about your area, like recommendations for a bakery or for a gardener, or if you want to know what after school care is available for children. All neighbors are verified, so you can know that the people you are talking to really are those living around you, and it can be a great place to make some new friends.
#4 Bumble BFF
A lot of people will have heard of Bumble as a dating app, famous for its difference of having women make the first move. But did you know there is also Bumble BFF, an app for making friends? Billed as “a simplified way to create meaningful friendships”.
Just select some of your interests, upload up to 6 photos, choose what kinds of friendships you are looking for and Bumble BFF will start suggesting potential matches to you. It is really that simple. As with regular Bumble you can fill out a bio and connect your Instagram or Spotify accounts. A very slick, easy to use app, and a great way to meet new potential friends. You can select whether you’re looking for professional connections, romance or friends when you first download Bumble.
#5 Friender
Friender is an app for making friends that bases matches on common interests or friends in common. Link your Facebook or Google+ account and start looking for new people near you. One nifty feature is that it allows you to filter potential friends based on the specific interest you are looking for. So for example, you want someone to share your enthusiasm for old movies, or someone just to go ice skating with, adjust your settings, and you will only be shown those who match your exact criteria. Give it a go today to find whoever you are looking for.
#6 Peanut
Peanut is a wonderful app for making friends with women who are mothers, or are hoping to become mothers. It aims to connect women who are at similar stages in their lives, in order to share support and valuable information about motherhood and all topics surrounding it, including adoption, childcare options, maternity pay, menopause and many others. The community is very encouraging and there are many opportunities to find women to meet up with and share experiences, advice and time with.
#7 Strava
Strava connects people looking for a workout buddy. As an app for making friends, it is awesome for finding others who want to exercise together, but it also functions as a great activity tracking app too. You can join in with regular challenges and even enter into some friendly competition against other Strava users for fun and to keep you motivated. Upload pics, share routes/workout regimes, or peruse others’ uploads for inspiration.
#8 Meet My Dog
Meet my dog is a social app for making friends with other dog owners. You can post photos with a short bio describing your dog (and yourself), with the aim of meeting other local dog owners to meet up with and go for walks, share tips, and socialize with your pups. Download now and get started to set up a puppy play date!
You’ll find it here on Google Play.
#8 Honorable Mention – PenPal
Although we’re not technically an app (yet), PenPal is a relatively new platform that connects people from all over the globe in a real-world way. Simply sign up to start sending and receiving real postcards from other users anywhere in the world. You can specify which language(s) you speak, your interests and even start off with a free credit to send your first postcard. It’s a wonderful way to brighten someone’s (and your own) day and could be the start of a fruitful friendship!
Find out more about PenPal here or sign up here.
Found your app for finding friends?
Hope I could help! If you know of any other apps that have you helped you find good friends, then let us know in the comments. Enjoy!
Oh, and make sure to also check out our article on ways to make friends wherever you are…
