Here are some apps that can help people find ways to make new friends.

As loneliness and social isolation have become more prevalent in recent years, people are increasingly finding new ways to form platonic connections.

In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General went so far as to call the problem a public health crisis. Remote workers who miss the daily interactions that occur in the office, and young people who want to form adult social circles based on common 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 focused on fostering friendships and building local communities.

More than a dozen location-focused friendship apps have generated about $16 million in consumer spending in the U.S. so far this year, according to estimates from AppFigures. Notable examples include BFF from Timeleft, Meet5, and Bumble. Additionally, these apps have recorded approximately 4.3 million downloads so far in 2025.

The app aims to provide a less awkward solution than approaching a stranger at, say, the gym or your local cafe and trying to strike up a conversation. These platforms make it clear that everyone using the app is looking for the same thing: friendship rather than romance, making starting a conversation much less intimidating.

From major players like Meetup to newer players like 222, there are many apps catering to the growing demand for meaningful friendships. We’ve compiled a list for you to try out.

222

App 222 is an iOS-only social events platform that connects groups of strangers based on personality test results to facilitate in-person gatherings. The app sends invitations to nearby public social events, including wine bars and comedy clubs. Participants will then go through a screening process and be notified on the day of the event. Bonus for those with social anxiety: You can bring your plus one.

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

best friend

Dating giant Bumble is one of the more established players to enter the friendship space, launching a friend finder feature in 2016 and launching it as a standalone app in 2023. The friend-making app recently underwent a major redesign with a focus on facilitating group gatherings to meet users’ desire to expand their social circles.

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

clicks

Clyx is another emerging app in the group-based social networking landscape that focuses on finding local events. The social platform integrates data from platforms like Ticketmaster and TikTok to help users find community events. Clyx also allows users to upload their contact list to see what events their friends are planning to attend. The app also includes the ability to recommend other users to participate in these events.

Currently, Clyx operates exclusively in two cities: Miami and London. However, there are plans to expand to more locations in the near future, including New York City and Sao Paulo. The app is available for download from the App Store and Google Play Store.

les amis

Les Amís is a friendship app for women, transgender, and LGBTQ+ individuals that leverages AI to connect users with similar interests and encourage participation in local events like pottery classes, book clubs, and wine tastings. Matches happen every Monday, so users can chat and plan meetups later in the week.

Available on iOS and Android, Les 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, with fees ranging from $70 in New York to €55 in Amsterdam.

class

The local event discovery platform has been around since 2002, helping millions of users connect with others who share similar interests. Users can reply to events. Join groups that cater to different hobbies, professions or social goals. Create your own groups and events. You can also chat with group members and post updates and photos from your meetings.

Meet5

This European community-building app recently launched in the U.S. and is aimed at users over 40 who want to meet new people in the area and participate in group activities like picnics, concerts, and hikes. In particular, AppFigures estimates that in a short period of time, there have been approximately 777,000 U.S. downloads from the App Store and Google Play Store to date.

pie

Pie is one of the newest social apps on the market. It features an AI-based 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 brief personality assessment, and an algorithm organizes attendees into groups of six, then adds them to a group chat within the Pie app where 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 remaining

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

Dinner is held on Wednesday evenings at 7pm at a designated restaurant. To help everyone break the ice, the app offers games to start conversations. After dinner, an after-party will be held at a local bar.

Users can make dinner reservations online or through the app. Prices vary by country and restaurant. Users must pay for their tickets in advance and are responsible for their own dinner and drinks.

washed away

Washed Up is a social event discovery app launched in early 2026, designed for people in the Los Angeles area who want to find things to do and meet new people more easily.

The app helps users discover local events like concerts, trivia nights and comedy shows, while also providing a built-in way to connect with others who are planning to attend. Instead of attending events alone, users can create or participate in ‘plans’, which are small group gatherings tied to specific events. Users can browse these plans, request to join, chat with groups, and add new friends, making it easier to attend events with others rather than alone.

It can be downloaded from the App Store.

wiser friends

Wyzr Friends is an activity-based friendship app designed for adults over 40, empty nesters, divorced people and others looking to connect with like-minded people. Users can recommend or reject potential friends and plan activities for themselves based on shared interests, such as going to the movies or hiking.

Available for iOS and Android devices in the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Philippines, Singapore, and Mexico.

M motion

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

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

This story was updated after publication.