Best Apps to Make Friends in 2026 (Not Dating Apps)

Last updated: 19 October 2026. No affiliate links. ZONDI is our own app; we say so where it appears and hold it to the same standard as the others.

Quick answer: The best app to make friends depends on how you like to meet people. Meetup is best for recurring interest groups, Bumble For Friends for profile-based matching and friend groups, Timeleft for dinners with strangers, InterNations for expats and Peanut for women and new moms. Activity-first apps like ZONDI (our own app) suit spontaneous plans with people nearby, such as a coffee or a walk later today. Whichever you choose, friendships come from showing up more than once.

Key Takeaways

• Match the app to your goal: Meetup for recurring hobbies, Timeleft for structured dinners, InterNations for expat communities and activity-first apps like ZONDI for same-day plans.

• Look for active local users, clear safety tools and a format that moves you from messaging to meeting quickly.

• Suggest a specific, public activity such as a coffee, a walk or a class instead of chatting for weeks.

• Plan to meet more than once. Research by Jeffrey Hall at the University of Kansas suggests it takes around 50 hours together to go from acquaintance to casual friend.

• Check what is really free: some apps limit messaging or event access unless you pay.

Making friends as an adult is harder than it sounds, especially after a move. Work, routines and scattered social circles leave little room for the chance encounters that made friendship easy at school. Friendship apps try to fill that gap, without the romantic pressure of dating apps. Whether you have just moved to a new city, live abroad as an expat or simply want someone to grab a coffee with, this guide compares the main options in 2026 so you can find the one that fits how you actually like to meet people.

How We Picked These Friendship Apps

We looked for apps that help people build platonic friendships rather than quietly steering them towards dating or networking. Each app was assessed on the same criteria:

• Primary purpose: is the app built for friendship, or is friendship a side feature of a dating or professional network?

• Safety: verification, reporting and blocking tools, and moderation.

• Format: one-to-one matching, small groups, recurring events or spontaneous plans.

• Audience fit: newcomers to a city, expats, new parents, language learners or anyone who wants low-pressure plans.

• Cost: whether the core friend-finding feature works for free or needs a paid plan.

• Reach: where the app is active. Some are global; others, including ZONDI, are only live in a few places so far, and we say so.

We based this guide on official app store listings, the apps' own help pages and independent hands-on reviews, and we link to our sources at the end. No app paid to be included. ZONDI is our own app, so we describe its limits as plainly as the others'.

Quick Comparison: Friendship Apps at a Glance

Friendship apps fall roughly into four groups: structured in-person meetups, interest-based groups and events, algorithm-driven matching and spontaneous activity discovery. Knowing which group an app belongs to tells you how quickly it gets you from download to an actual conversation.

The format matters more than it looks on paper. Because friendships grow through time spent together, recurring groups and in-person formats tend to work better than apps built only around messaging.

Cost is the other thing to check early. Several apps are free to download but put key functions behind a paywall. Meetup is free to join and attend, but direct messages with other members need a Meetup+ subscription, and organisers pay to run groups. Timeleft charges for your seat through a single ticket or a subscription, and you pay for your own food and drinks at the restaurant.

The Best Apps to Make Friends in 2026

ZONDI: Best for Spontaneous Activities With People Nearby

ZONDI is our own app. It works from the plan outward: you pick an activity such as coffee, drinks, a hike, padel or a city walk, then see people nearby who want to do the same. You can join an existing meetup or create your own with a place and time, sort out the details in the chat and meet in real life. It is not a dating or swipe app; the activity is clear from the start, so everyone knows what to expect.

ZONDI is free and works in eight languages. Profile verification is optional and verified members get a badge, other members never see your exact live location, and Report and Block are always available. It is available on iOS, Android and on the web at zondi.app.

Limits: ZONDI is live in Malta, with early access in Valencia, Barcelona and Limassol, and its community is far smaller than Meetup's or Bumble's. It is a good fit if you live in or are visiting one of those places and like last-minute plans; elsewhere, one of the global apps below will give you more people to meet.

Bumble For Friends: Best for Profile Matching and Friend Groups

Bumble For Friends grew out of the BFF mode in Bumble's dating app and is now a separate app built only for platonic connections. You swipe through profiles, and once you match, either person can send the first message. Bumble has since refocused the app on groups and communities, so you can also join or create groups around shared interests instead of relying only on one-to-one matches.

It is free, with an optional premium subscription. Expect to be patient at first: reviewers who tested it for several weeks found that only a small share of matches turned into conversations and meetups, but those that did often led to real friendships.

Meetup: Best for Recurring Interest Groups

Meetup has been around since 2002 and, according to its app store listing, has more than 60 million members in groups worldwide. You join groups built around a hobby, from hiking and board games to tech and language exchange, and RSVP to their events. Joining and attending free events costs nothing. Free members can message organisers and use event comments, while direct messages with any member and full attendee lists come with the paid Meetup+ subscription.

Meetup works best when you go back to the same group several times. One event rarely makes a friend; the third or fourth one often does.

Timeleft: Best for Dinner With Strangers

Timeleft skips profiles altogether. You answer a short personality quiz, book a seat, and the app places you at a table with a small group of strangers, usually six people in total. It chooses the restaurant and reveals the details shortly before the event. Dinners traditionally take place on Wednesdays, and Timeleft has added other formats such as coffees, runs and drinks in some cities. Women-only dinners are available in selected cities.

You pay for your seat with a single ticket or a subscription, with prices that vary by city, and you pay for your own food and drinks on the night. If the dinner goes well and the interest is mutual, you can keep chatting in the app afterwards.

Peanut: Best for Women and New Moms

Peanut connects women through pregnancy and motherhood, using swipe-style matching to find local mom friends rather than dates. The company says more than 5 million women use it. Selfie verification and an incognito mode for sensitive questions support a safer, more supportive community. Peanut is free, with an optional Peanut Plus subscription.

InterNations: Best for Expats

InterNations is built around expat life, with local communities and regular events in cities around the world. Basic membership is free, and an optional paid membership adds extra features and event access. If you have just moved abroad, a local InterNations community gives you a ready-made starting point instead of searching for scattered expat groups.

Nextdoor: Best for Meeting Neighbours

Nextdoor verifies members by real name and address before giving them access to a local feed of neighbourhood news, groups and events. The company says more than 110 million verified neighbours use it, and it reports that about one in three US households is on the platform. Interest groups, from pickup games to gardening, can turn a neighbourhood into a source of regular meetups. Nextdoor is only available in certain countries, so check whether it covers your area.

HelloTalk: Best for Language Exchange Friends

HelloTalk pairs language learners with native speakers for text, voice and video chats, and offers voice rooms for live group practice. The company says it has more than 70 million users. A shared goal gives conversations a natural structure, and language partners in your own city can easily become coffee friends. HelloTalk is free, with an optional VIP subscription.

Discord and Local Reddit Communities: Best Free Option for Niche Interests

Discord servers and city subreddits remain the free option for very specific interests. Servers built around a game, a hobby or a city host ongoing chat, and many local subreddits organise their own meetups. Neither screens members the way Peanut or Timeleft do, so take a little more time to get a feel for a group before meeting anyone in person.

Which Friendship App Should You Choose?

The right choice depends less on the app's marketing and more on your situation. In a month-long test of friendship apps in Indianapolis, a Fodor's writer found that the best app depended on her circumstances rather than on features alone.

If You Just Moved to a New City

Start with Meetup. Recurring groups give you a standing invitation: the group meets whether you come or not, so you can show up when you are ready and see the same faces again. In the Fodor's test, the first Meetup dinner brought together people across three generations, several of whom had been attending events for years. Nextdoor is a good addition if it is available where you live.

If You Want Coffee Without the Dating Vibe

Bumble For Friends is built for exactly this, although it takes patience: the Fodor's tester had 21 matches over six weeks, which led to five ongoing conversations and three in-person meetups. If you prefer to skip matching and go straight to the plan, an activity-first app lets you join or post a specific coffee meetup instead.

If You Prefer Last-Minute Plans Over Scheduled Events

Choose an app built around same-day activities rather than events planned weeks ahead. In cities where it is live, ZONDI (our own app) lets you post a specific plan such as "coffee at 4?" or join one that someone nearby has already created. In bigger cities, browsing Meetup for events happening later the same week can also turn up last-minute options.

If You Are an Expat or Digital Nomad

InterNations gives you an expat community from day one, and HelloTalk helps you meet locals through language exchange. For activities with people around you, Meetup works almost anywhere, while ZONDI covers Malta and its early-access cities. If you are travelling rather than settling, our guide to the best apps to meet people while traveling covers apps built for life on the move.

How to Turn App Matches Into Real Friendships

Matching with someone solves only half the problem. Turning a match into a friend takes a few deliberate steps.

Suggest a Concrete Activity, Not Endless Chat

Skip weeks of texting and suggest something specific, such as a coffee followed by a bookshop browse or a visit to a museum exhibition. A short, activity-based plan feels much less like an interview than sitting across from a stranger. Between meetups, a quick message or voice note keeps the connection going without forcing constant conversation.

Meet in Public and Keep It Low-Pressure

Choose a neutral public place such as a café, park or museum, where either of you can leave when you want. Daytime plans usually feel more relaxed than evening ones. Expect a little awkwardness: there is no script for a first friend date, and that is normal.

Show Up Again: Repetition Builds Friendship

One meetup rarely makes a friendship. Hall's research suggests it takes around 50 hours together to move from acquaintance to casual friend, and considerably more to become close friends. Recurring plans, such as a weekly class, a running group or a regular coffee, add up those hours naturally. Follow up after a good meetup and suggest the next one before the moment passes.

Conclusion

The best friendship app is the one that fits your situation: Meetup if you are new in town, Bumble For Friends for one-to-one matching and groups, Timeleft for a structured dinner, InterNations for expat life, Peanut for new moms and activity-first apps like ZONDI for spontaneous plans where they are available. Downloading an app is only the first step. Suggest concrete plans, meet in relaxed public places and keep showing up. Pick one app, give it a few weeks and let the friendships grow.

Looking for more? See our guides to the best apps to meet people in Malta and how to meet locals when traveling.

FAQs

Which apps can I use to make friends without dating?

Bumble For Friends focuses on platonic matching, Meetup connects people through shared interests, Timeleft arranges dinners with strangers and ZONDI (our own app) helps you find nearby people for specific activities.

What is a good friendship app after moving to a new city?

Meetup is a good starting point because recurring local groups give you regular chances to meet the same people. If you have moved abroad, InterNations is another option.

Are there free apps for making friends?

Yes. ZONDI, Nextdoor, Discord and local Reddit communities are free. Bumble For Friends, Peanut, HelloTalk and Meetup can be used for free, with optional paid features. Timeleft requires a paid ticket or subscription.

How can I stay safe when meeting someone from a friendship app?

Meet in a public place, keep the first meetup short, tell someone you trust where you are going and plan your way home. Use verification, reporting and blocking tools where the app offers them.

How do I turn an app match into a lasting friendship?

Suggest a specific activity instead of chatting endlessly, follow up afterwards and plan to meet again. Regular time together builds friendships far more reliably than a single meetup.

Sources

• Bumble — Bumble For Friends

• Google Play — Bumble For Friends

• Meetup Help Center — Meetup+ membership

• Google Play — Meetup

• Timeleft Help Center — How Timeleft works

• App Store — Peanut

• Nextdoor — About

• HelloTalk — About

• Fodor's — I tested 4 friendship apps for 30 days in Indianapolis

• TIME — How to use friendship apps