As people look for ways to make new friends, here are apps that promise to help

In recent years, people have increasingly looked for new ways to form platonic connections as loneliness and social isolation have become more prevalent.

In 2023, the US Surgeon General went so far as to label this issue a public health crisis. Telecommuters who miss the day-to-day interactions found in an office and younger individuals eager to create their grown-up social circles based on shared interests and hobbies are among those seeking meaningful friendships.

Thanks to online dating apps, the stigma associated with finding connections online has largely disappeared. This has welcomed a new wave of apps that focus on fostering friendships and building community.

According to estimates from Appfigures, over a dozen locally-focused friendship apps have collectively generated approximately $16 million in consumer spending in the U.S. so far this year. Some notable examples include Timeleft, Meet5, and Bumble’s BFF. Additionally, these apps have achieved approximately 4.3 million downloads so far in 2025.

Apps aim to provide a less awkward solution than, say, approaching a stranger at the gym or the local coffee shop and trying to strike up a conversation. These platforms clearly indicate that everyone using the app is looking for the same thing – friendship, not romance – which makes it much less intimidating to initiate conversations.

From big players like Meetup to newer ones like 222, there are plenty of apps catering to the growing demand for meaningful friendships. We have compiled a list of them for you to try.

222

The app 222 is an iOS-only social events platform that facilitates in-person meetings by pairing a group of strangers based on their personality test scores. The app sends invitations to nearby public social events, such as wine bars and comedy clubs. After that, there is an assessment process and selected participants will be notified on the day of the event. A bonus for those who feel socially anxious: You are welcome to bring a plus-one.

The service charges a curation fee of $22.22 or a monthly subscription for the same price.

BFF

Dating giant Bumble is among the more established players entering the friendship space, launching its friend-finding feature in 2016, which then evolved into a standalone app in 2023. The friend-making app recently underwent a significant redesign, with an increased emphasis on facilitating group meetings that cater to users’ desires to grow their social circles.

BFF is available for free download on iOS and Android devices.

Clyx

Clyx is another new app in the group-based social networking landscape with a strong focus on discovering local events. The social platform helps users find community events by integrating data from platforms like Ticketmaster and TikTok. In addition, Clyx allows users to upload their contact lists, which helps them see what events their friends are planning to attend. The app also includes a feature that recommends other users to connect to those events.

As of now, Clyx operates exclusively in two cities: Miami and London. However, it has plans to expand to additional areas in the near future, with New York City and São Paulo at the top of the list. The app is available in the App Store and Google Play Store.

Read Amís

Les Amís is a friendship app tailored for women, transgender and LGBTQ+ individuals that leverages AI to match users based on similar interests and encourages participation in local events such as pottery classes, book clubs and wine tastings. Matches are made every Monday, allowing users to chat and schedule meetings later in the week.

Les Amís is available on iOS and Android and serves cities across Europe, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, ​​Berlin, Madrid, Paris and Stockholm. In the US, the app is available in Austin and New York, with plans to expand to Boston, Miami and Los Angeles.

The app uses a paid membership model that varies by city, with fees of $70 in New York and €55 in Amsterdam.

Meetup

The local event discovery platform has been around since 2002 and has helped millions of users connect with others who share similar interests. Users can respond to events; join groups that cater to a variety of hobbies, professions or social purposes; and create their own groups and events. They can also chat with group members and post updates and photos from gatherings.

Meet 5

Recently launched in the US, this European community-building app targets users over 40 who want to meet new people in their area and participate in group activities such as picnics, concerts and hikes. Notably, in a short period of time, there have been about 777,000 US downloads so far across the App Store and Google Play Store, according to Appfigure’s estimates.

Pie

Pie is another one of the newer social apps on the market. It has an AI-powered quiz designed to predict which users are most likely to be compatible with each other. Each person who responds to a Pie event takes a short personality assessment, and the algorithm organizes attendees into groups of six, which are then added to a group chat in the Pie app so they can interact with each other before the event.

Currently, the app is only available in Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco. Users can download Pie from the App Store and Google Play Store.

Time left

Timeleft is a relatively new platform that helps you organize weekly dinner dates with groups of strangers. The app uses a special algorithm to match you with others, taking into account your age, gender and personality. Users are matched with four other people, but only learn minor details about them the night before, including their profession and zodiac sign.

Dinners take place at a selected restaurant on Wednesday evenings at 19.00 To help everyone break the ice, the app offers a conversation starter game. After dinner there is an after party at a local bar.

Users can order dinners online or through the app. In terms of price, it varies according to country and restaurant. Users pay for a ticket in advance and are responsible for covering their own dinner and drinks.

Wyzr friends

Wyzr Friends is an activity-based friendship app designed for adults 40 and older, aimed at empty nesters, those who are divorced, and other users looking to connect with like-minded individuals. Users can thumb up or down potential friends and arrange personal activities based on shared interests, such as going to the movies or hiking.

It is available on iOS and Android devices in the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, the Philippines, Singapore, and Mexico.

Mmotion

Mmotion is a newly launched friendship app that blends location tracking with social discovery to help users connect with people nearby and explore new bars and restaurants in their area. Once signed up, users can join interest-based groups — such as hiking, basketball or art — view a map of active users and send messages to those nearby. The app also highlights new locations on the map, making it easy to find a restaurant or place to try.

Mmotion is currently only available to users in New York City on iOS and Android devices. Users must first submit an application to be considered.

This story was updated after publication.