As people look for ways to make new friends, here are some apps that may come in handy.

With loneliness and social isolation becoming more prevalent in recent years, people are increasingly seeking new ways to form platonic connections.

In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General even designated this issue as a public health crisis. Remote workers who miss the daily interactions of an office and young people who want to create adult social circles based on shared interests and hobbies are among those seeking meaningful friendships.

Thanks to online dating apps, there’s little stigma attached to finding connections online. This has welcomed a new wave of apps focused on fostering friendships and building local communities.

Appfigures estimates that more than a dozen locally-focused friendship apps in the U.S. have collectively generated about $16 million in consumer spending so far this year. Notable examples include Timeleft, Meet5, and BFF on Bumble. Additionally, these apps will receive approximately 4.3 million downloads by 2025.

These apps aim to offer a less awkward solution than approaching a stranger at the gym or local cafe, for example, 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 start a conversation.

From big names like Meetup to newcomers like 222, there are plenty of apps that cater to the growing demand for meaningful friendships. We’ve put together a list of things you should try.

222

App 222 is an iOS-only social event platform that facilitates in-person meetings by pairing groups of strangers based on personality test results. The app will send you invitations to nearby public social events, such as wine bars and comedy clubs. A screening process will then take place and selected participants will be notified on the day of the event. Bonus for those who are socially anxious: You are allowed to bring your plus-one.

This 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 established players to enter the friendship space, launching its friend find feature in 2016 before spinning off as a standalone app in 2023. The friend-making app recently underwent a major redesign, with a focus on facilitating group interactions and responding to users’ desire to expand their social circles.

BFF is free to download on iOS and Android devices.

Clicks

Clyx is another emerging app in the group-based social networking environment that focuses on discovering local events. The social platform helps users discover community events by integrating data from platforms like Ticketmaster and TikTok. Additionally, Clyx allows users to upload their own contact list, which helps them see which events their friends are planning to attend. The app also includes features that encourage you to connect with other users at these events.

Currently, Clyx only operates in two cities: Miami and London. However, there are plans to expand to other regions in the near future, starting with New York City and São Paulo. This app is available on the App Store and Google Play Store.

Les Amis

Les Amís is a friendship app built for women, transgender, and LGBTQ+ individuals that leverages AI to match users based on similar interests and encourage them to join local events like pottery classes, book clubs, and wine tastings. Matches occur every Monday, and users can chat and plan meet-ups 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 has a different paid membership model in different cities, with fees ranging from $70 in New York to 55 euros in Amsterdam.

Exchange meeting

The local event discovery platform has been around since 2002 and has helped millions of users connect with others who share the same interests. Users can participate in events. Join groups that cater to a variety of hobbies, professions, and social goals. Create your own groups and events. You can also chat with group members and post updates and photos from your gathering.

meet 5

This European community-building app was recently released in the US and is targeted at users 40 and older who want to meet new people in their area and participate in group activities like picnics, concerts, and hikes. Remarkably, there have been approximately 777,000 downloads in the US in a short period of time across the App Store and Google Play Store, according to Appfigures estimates.

pie

Pie is another new social app on the market. It features AI-driven quizzes designed to predict which users are compatible with each other. Each person who RSVPs to a Pie event will take a short personality assessment, and an algorithm will organize participants into groups of six and add them to a group chat within the Pie app, allowing them to interact with each other before the event.

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

Remaining time

Timeleft is a relatively new platform that helps you organize weekly dinner dates with groups of strangers. This 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 they only learn details like their occupation and zodiac sign the night before.

Dinner will be held on Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM at selected restaurants. 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. As for prices, they vary by country and restaurant. Users must prepay their tickets and pay for their own dinner and drinks.

wither friends

Wyzr Friends is an activity-based friendship app designed for adults 40 and older, including homeless people, divorcees, and others looking to connect with like-minded people. Users can give potential friends a thumbs up or thumbs down and arrange in-person activities based on shared interests, such as movies or hiking.

Available on iOS and Android devices in the US, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Philippines, Singapore, and Mexico.

motion

Mmotion is a newly launched friendship app that combines location tracking and social discovery to help users connect with people nearby and explore new bars and restaurants in their area. Once joined, users can join interest-based groups such as hiking, basketball, and art, view a map of active users, and send messages to users nearby. The app also highlights new locations on the map, so you can easily find restaurants and venues you want to try.

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

This story has been updated since publication.