It used to be that making new pals was as easy as recess in the schoolyard. Adulthood, however, poses its own obstacles to finding your ride or die—the least of which are crammed schedules, parental duties, and not wanting to leave your comfort zone, especially if you're an introvert.
If you've moved to a new town or city, making connections with others in your new locale is an important part of helping you settle down and thrive in your new life. Many of us forge lasting friendships through our jobs, but with so many companies offering full time work-from-home options, this is another strong buddy-building avenue at risk. These platonic relationships can be so vital. Just as dating apps have helped to solve the dilemma of finding love in the digital age, apps to make friends are working to fill another void.
For those looking for a new workout buddy or kindly neighbor to get coffee with on the weekends, try Bumble BFF. Dog lovers can find companions on Pawdates. Avid readers can get an online book club started with like-minded people around the world using Skout. Or, take a quick survey on the app Friender to help match you with a potential new BFF. Options abound, so read on for the best friendship apps that can both help you expand your network and find the Gayle to your Oprah (or vice versa). Bonus: Most of them are free.
Meetup
A simple way to join a like-minded social circle, Meetup matches people based on their shared interests. Read: female programmers, barhoppers, and even nature photographers. Themes range from general (Free Comedy and New Friends NYC) to niche (Southern California Bulldog Crew), and you can search by demographic, so you don’t land at a happy hour with a bunch of 20-somethings—unless you want to!
Cost: Free
Yubo
If you like to take your time getting to know new people before jumping into a friendship, Yubo might be for you. Yubo is a social live-streaming platform that lets you swipe to find new friends, chat with them in the app, hang out in shared livestreams, and explore different interest groups.
Cost: Free
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Peanut
Your kids’ calendars are packed with playdates and social gatherings, but moms need friends, too. Enter: Peanut, an app created with mamas in mind. An easy way to meet mom friends, seek parenting advice, and join mom-versations, the app suggests women with similar-age children in your neighborhood with the nearly universal swiping method. But that's not all: Peanut also has communities of those who are navigating fertility and menopause, with a goal to connect women of all ages with like-minded individuals.
Cost: Free
Bumble BFF
The female-centric Bumble dating app burst onto the scene in 2014. Since then, the company has launched Bumble BFF mode as a way for women to meet women simply wanting friends. And though the swipe-happy app is a hit with younger millennials, there are success stories belonging to those born before the early ’80s. For professionally minded networking, check out Bumble Bizz too.
Cost: Free
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Wink
Wink is a friendship app that connects users to potential friends both locally and around the world. If you're looking for a resource that is dedicated to serving friendships only, Wink is for you. First, you create a profile, featuring a host of personal photos and details on your interests, preferences, likes, and dislikes. From there, you'll be able to explore other users on the app, and simply swipe to start a conversation. You can easily send a message, photos, gifs, and more through the app's messenger feature, too.
Cost: Free
LMK
If texting isn't really your thing, give LMK a try. LMK helps you connect with potential friends who share similar interests beyond just sending a quick message: With LMK, you can share voice messages and join talk-based Audio Room conversations with multiple people. With LMK, you can also even watch YouTube videos together as a shared experience.
Cost: Free; premium plans start at $4.99 per month for a 6-month subscription
