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

In recent years, people are increasingly looking for new ways to create platonic connections as loneliness and social isolation become more common.

In 2023 US Surgeon General he even went so far as to call the issue a public health crisis. Remote workers who miss everyday office interactions and younger people who want to build their adult social circles around shared interests and hobbies are among those looking for meaningful friendships.

Thanks to online dating apps, the stigma associated with finding contacts online has largely disappeared. It has welcomed a new wave of apps focused on fostering friendships and building local communities.

Appfigures estimates that more than a dozen local friendship apps have generated a total of about $16 million in U.S. consumer spending this year. Some notable examples include Timeleft, Meet5, and BFF Bumble. Moreover, in 2025, these apps have collected around 4.3 million downloads so far.

The apps are intended to provide a less awkward solution than, say, walking up to a stranger at the gym or local coffee shop and trying to strike up a conversation. These platforms make it clear that everyone using the app is looking for the same thing – friendship, not romance – making it less intimidating to initiate conversations.

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

222

App 222 Is iOS only a social events platform that facilitates in-person meetings by pairing up groups of strangers based on their personality test scores. The app sends invitations to nearby public social events, such as wine bars and comedy clubs. Verification then takes place and selected participants are notified on the day of the event. Bonus for those with social anxiety: You can bring a stuffed animal with you.

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

best friend

Dating giant Babble is one of the more established players to enter the friendship space, launching a friend finder feature in 2016, which then evolved into a standalone app in 2023. The dating app recently underwent a significant redesign, with a greater focus on facilitating group meetings, catering to users' desires to expand their social circles.

BFF is available for free download on the website iOS AND Android devices.

Clyx

Clyx is another emerging app in the group social networking landscape, with a strong focus on discovering local events. The social media platform helps users find social events by integrating data from platforms like Ticketmaster and TikTok. Additionally, Clyx allows users to upload contact lists, helping them see what events their friends plan to attend. The app also includes a feature to recommend other users to connect with you during these events.

Currently, Clyx only operates in two cities: Miami and London. However, it plans to expand to additional areas in the near future, with New York and São Paulo at the top of the list. The application is available on App Store AND Google Play Store.

Les Amis

Les Amis is a friendship app for women, transgender and LGBTQ+ people that uses artificial intelligence to match users based on similar interests and encourages participation in local events such as pottery classes, book clubs and wine tastings. Matches take place every Monday, allowing users to chat and plan meetings later in the week.

Available on iOS AND AndroidLes Amís 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 and costs $70 in New York and €55 in Amsterdam.

Meeting

The local event discovery platform has been around since 2002 and helps millions of users connect with others with similar interests. Users can respond to events; join groups devoted to various hobbies, professions or social causes; and create your own groups and events. They can also chat with group members and post updates and photos from meetings.

Meet 5

The European one community building app recently launched in the US, targeting users over 40 who want to meet new people in their area and participate in group activities such as picnics, concerts and hiking. It is worth noting that in a short time, approximately 777,000 files have already been downloaded in the US App Store AND Google Play Store– according to Appfigures estimates.

Cake

Cake is another of the newer social media apps on the market. It features 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 undergoes a short personality assessment, and the algorithm divides participants into groups of six, which are then added to a group chat in the Pie app, allowing them to interact with each other ahead of the event.

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

Time left

Time left is a relatively new platform that helps you organize weekly dinner dates with groups of strangers. The application 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 occupations and zodiac signs.

Dinners take place at a selected restaurant on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. To help everyone break the ice, the app includes a conversation-starting game. After dinner, there will be an after party at a local bar.

Users can book dinners online or through app. As for prices, they vary depending on the country and restaurant. Users pay for their ticket in advance and are responsible for covering their own lunch and drinks.

Wyzr Friends

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

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

Movement

Movement is a newly launched friendship app that combines location tracking with social discovery to help users connect with people nearby and discover new bars and restaurants in their area. Once joined, users can participate in interest-based groups – such as hiking, basketball, or art – view a map of active users, and send messages to people nearby. The app also highlights new places on the map, making it easier to find a restaurant or place to try.

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

This story was updated after publication.