The Best Apps to Make Friends, Sorted by What You Actually Want
By ValuePair · · 7 min read
No single friend app is best. Pick your goal below and see which app fits, what it costs, and when to skip it.
There is no single best app to make friends. The right one depends on what you want to happen next: a group to join, one person to talk to, or a plan someone else makes. Pick your goal and jump to the app that fits. Costs are the base price; paid upgrades are listed per app.
Local groups and events
Meetup
The broadest option. Organizers run groups around a shared activity and post events you RSVP to, so you never meet a stranger cold. Go to the same group three times before judging it: people start remembering your name on the second or third visit.
- Cost
- Free to join and RSVP. Meetup+ is optional (weekly, monthly or yearly); Meetup shows the price in the app.
- Age
- 18+
- Where
- Worldwide, strongest in larger cities
- Catch
- Messaging other members needs Meetup+
- Good fit if
- you would rather meet people while doing something, like running, board games, books or languages.
- Skip it if
- group settings drain you, or recent events near you only draw a handful of people.
Browse people nearby
BFF by Bumble
Scroll profiles of people nearby and send a wave. If they wave back, you match and can chat. Members can also create and join interest Groups. Matching is the easy part; turning a match into a plan is still up to you. Our Bumble BFF alternative guide compares the two approaches in detail.
- Cost
- Free. Bumble says BFF has no premium tier.
- Age
- 18+, selfie verification required
- Where
- New BFF app in the US, Canada and Mexico; elsewhere BFF Mode or Bumble For Friends
- Good fit if
- you like choosing who to talk to from profiles, filtered by age and distance.
- Skip it if
- browsing tires you out, or your chats tend to stall after the first hey.
A dinner planned for you
Timeleft
Sign up for a dinner, drinks or a run, and Timeleft groups you with four to six strangers based on a personality quiz, age range and language. It removes the hardest step: making the plan.
- Cost
- US$19.99 a month in the US; food and drinks paid separately
- Age
- 18+; Timeleft says most members are 25 to 45
- Where
- Over 200 cities in 52 countries, by its own count
- Good fit if
- you are comfortable in a group and want someone else to handle the plan.
- Skip it if
- a subscription feels like a lot for one dinner, or table small talk is the part you find hard.
People on your street
Nextdoor
A neighborhood network rather than a friendship app, but it reaches people a few blocks away that no other app here will. Neighbors post local groups and events next to recommendations and lost cats.
- Cost
- Free
- Age
- 13+ in most US states, so not adults-only
- Where
- Your neighborhood, set from a verified address
- Good fit if
- you want to find the local walking group, garden swap or block party.
- Skip it if
- you care more about shared interests than a shared zip code.
Pen pals abroad
Slowly
Letters take hours or days to arrive, depending on the real distance between you. The delay changes the tone: people write longer, more thoughtful messages instead of quick chat.
- Cost
- Free with up to 100 active friends. Plus raises it to 200; the US App Store lists US$7.99, US$8.99 and US$42.99.
- Age
- Apple rates it 16+
- Where
- Worldwide, many languages
- Good fit if
- you enjoy writing and would count a friend in another country.
- Skip it if
- you want to meet someone this month or prefer quick messages.
Moms meeting moms
Peanut
Swipe to meet moms nearby, chat after a match, and join Groups for the questions you would rather not post on your main accounts. Peanut says more than 5 million women have joined.
- Cost
- Free to download; optional Peanut Plus and boosts, priced by country
- Age
- Apple rates it 18+; selfie verification for every profile
- Where
- Mainly US, UK and Australia
- Good fit if
- you are in a stage of motherhood and want other moms nearby.
- Skip it if
- you are not a mom. Dads and non-parents do better in general local groups.
Friends through a hobby
Discord, Reddit and Facebook Groups
Many adult friendships start in a community built around something else. Discord suits recurring voice chats and games. Reddit has friend-finding, city and hobby subreddits, where commenting regularly works better than a one-off post. Facebook Groups often host local newcomer and parent groups. Our guide to making friends online as an adult covers moving from a public thread to a private chat.
- Cost
- Free
- Age
- 13+ on all three, so check who a community is for
- Where
- Online, plus city and neighborhood groups
- Good fit if
- you have a game, craft, city or podcast you would happily talk about every week.
- Skip it if
- you want an explicit one-to-one introduction. Communities reward regulars; they rarely introduce you.
Help with the first conversation
ValuePair
This is our app, so weigh this entry accordingly. You answer questions about your values and mark what matters most. ValuePair then introduces one compatible person at a time. You both answer the same 14 questions, and each answer stays hidden until you have both answered. Photos stay blurred until you both choose to continue. The no-swipe friendship app guide and the FAQ explain how it works, or you can create your values profile and try it.
- Cost
- Free, with no ads. Matching and chat stay free; any future Premium only adds optional convenience features.
- Age
- 18+
- Where
- Worldwide by default, optional distance limit. Web, Android, and iPhone via TestFlight.
- Good fit if
- you get matches but watch the chat die after two messages.
- Skip it if
- you want someone nearby this week, a group, or to pick from profiles. The pool is still small, so introductions can take a while.
Still unsure? Ask yourself four questions
- Must they live nearby? Yes: Meetup, BFF, Timeleft or Nextdoor. Online counts: add Slowly, communities or ValuePair.
- Group or one person? Groups make the first meeting easier; one-to-one gets deeper faster.
- Where do you stall? Finding people: a discovery app. The first conversation: something with structure or an activity.
- How much time do you have? Every app only creates the chance. Friendships come from seeing the same people again.
Two apps with different strengths, one for local activity and one for conversation, is a sensible combination.
What no friend app can do for you
An app makes the introduction, not the friendship. Jeffrey Hall's research on time and friendship linked closer friendships with more shared time, especially leisure time. It studied recently relocated adults and first-year students and sets no required number of hours. The practical takeaway: plan the second meeting before the first one ends.
Questions people ask about friend apps
Is there an app just for friends, not dating?
Yes. BFF, Timeleft, Slowly and Peanut are built for friendship, and Meetup is organized around activities. Some apps, including ValuePair, let members choose friendship, dating or both, and only introduce people whose intentions fit.
What is the best free app to make friends?
Meetup, Nextdoor, Discord, Reddit and Facebook Groups are free for most people. Among dedicated friend apps, Bumble says BFF currently has no paid tier, Slowly and Peanut are free with optional upgrades, and ValuePair's matching and chat are free for good. Timeleft is a paid subscription.
Are friend apps safe?
As safe as the habits you bring. Prefer apps with blocking, reporting and verification, meet in public, and leave any conversation that pushes for money, private photos or personal details. Be careful on platforms that admit teenagers alongside adults.
Do people really make friends on these apps?
Some do, and many give up after a few quiet matches. People who succeed treat the app as a way to find someone to see again, not as the friendship itself.
Sources and editorial note
Checked October 10, 2026. Bumble: BFF regional changes, making friends on BFF, BFF Premium, BFF terms. Meetup: Meetup+ features, member messaging, age requirement. Timeleft: dinners and pricing, plan options. Slowly: letter delivery, friend limits, App Store listing. Peanut: App Store listing. Nextdoor: address verification. Discord: age requirements. Reddit: minimum age. Facebook: minimum age.
Member counts are each company's own claims. ValuePair publishes this guide and is not a neutral reviewer; no company paid to be included. Spotted something out of date? Tell us through the contact page.