Best apps to make friends where you live (2026)
Updated: · Hellohood
In short
The best app to make friends in a new city is the one that gets you into the same small group again and again: Hellohood for small plans nearby, Meetup or Heylo for clubs, Meet5 or Timeleft for group meetups, BFF for one-to-one matching and InterNations for expats. For adults, groups work better than swiping.
Moving to a new city is exciting until the weekend comes and there is nobody to call. Making friends as an adult is harder than at school or university: there is no shared timetable, and everyone else seems to have their circle already. Apps can help — if you use them to get into real, regular meetups rather than endless chats.
We build Hellohood, so we put it first — but we checked every other app on this list against its official website or app store page (October 2026). Each one gets an honest “best for”, a real downside and its pricing model. This guide is about making friends where you live, not on a trip, and none of these apps is meant for dating.
1. Hellohood
Best for: Small group plans near home, any day of the week
A free map of small real-life plans around you: coffee, runs, football, hikes, board games, language exchange and day trips. Join in one tap and the group chat opens, or start a plan from one sentence and AI fills in the details. Use the city chat for questions and ideas; you only see people nearby after you check in yourself.
- Completely free: no paywall, no ads
- Friendship, not dating — group plans and city chats instead of swiping
- 18+, profile photo required, no cold DMs; women-only plans, and women can turn off messages from men
Watch out: It is new (it started in Munich in 2026), so many cities are still quiet — you may need to start the first plans yourself. · Price: Free
2. Meetup
Best for: Regular interest groups and clubs
Organisers run groups around hobbies, sports, languages, tech, careers and more, and you RSVP to their events. Going back to the same group every week or month is one of the most reliable ways to turn strangers into friends.
- Huge range of topics, especially in big cities
- Recurring events make it easy to see the same faces again
Watch out: Messaging other members directly and some extras need the paid Meetup+ subscription, and organisers can charge for events, with a Meetup service fee on top unless you have Meetup+. · Price: Free to join; optional Meetup+; some events paid
3. BFF (by Bumble)
Best for: One-to-one friend matching
Bumble’s friendship-only app: swipe through people nearby, match and chat. In the US, Canada and Mexico the new BFF app also has Groups with chats and a shared calendar (group discovery since February 2026); in other countries you get the Bumble For Friends app, which is mainly one-to-one.
- Platonic only — not a dating app
- Free, with no paywall
Watch out: Swipe, match, chat and then plan a meetup takes time, and it is easy to keep chatting without ever meeting. · Price: Free
4. Meet5
Best for: Group meetups in Germany and nearby countries
Meet5 is built around group meetups: you join or create a meetup with several people from your area — an activity, a drink or a meal — and get to know each other in person instead of chatting for weeks first.
- Joining and creating group meetups is free
- Groups take the pressure off the first meeting — not a dating app
Watch out: Private chat is only for Premium members, and it is focused on Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. · Price: Free; optional Premium
5. Timeleft
Best for: Being matched into a small group, zero planning
Answer a short personality quiz and Timeleft matches you with a small table of strangers — usually four to six people — for a dinner, drinks, coffee or a run, and picks the venue. Many cities also have women-only dinners.
- No planning: group and venue are chosen for you
- One monthly subscription covers as many events as you like that month
Watch out: There are no single tickets — you need a monthly subscription plus your own food and drinks — and you meet a new group each time, so friendships depend on you following up. · Price: Monthly subscription + your own food and drinks
6. Heylo
Best for: Run clubs, hiking groups and social clubs
Many local communities — run clubs, hiking groups, social clubs — use Heylo to post events, chat and collect payments. Find a club near you and you get its calendar and group chat in one place.
- Free for members
- Clubs meet regularly, so you see the same people again
Watch out: It is a tool for existing groups, so what you find depends on which clubs in your city use it, and organisers can charge event fees or memberships. · Price: Free for members; some clubs charge
7. InterNations
Best for: Expats and internationals
A community for people who have moved abroad, with official events and activity groups in many cities, plus forums and guides about expat life.
- Everyone is fairly new in town and open to meeting people
- Official events in many big cities
Watch out: Many events charge entry, and perks such as discounted tickets and priority access come with the paid Albatross membership; it is less useful if you want to meet locals. · Price: Free Basic; paid Albatross membership
8. Tandem
Best for: Language exchange with people in your city
Find people who speak the language you are learning and want to practise yours, chat by text, voice or video — and meet up for a coffee once you click.
- A built-in reason to talk — you help each other
- Text, voice and video chats are free
Watch out: It is mostly online and one-to-one, and the filters for finding people nearby are part of paid Tandem Pro. · Price: Free; optional Tandem Pro
9. Peanut
Best for: Mums and mums-to-be
A community app for women at every stage of motherhood — trying to conceive, pregnant or raising kids. Swipe to meet mums nearby, chat, and ask questions in the forums.
- Made for a life stage when friendships often change
- Forums for support beyond meeting up
Watch out: It is only for women around motherhood, and meeting up is mostly one-to-one, arranged by you. · Price: Free; optional Peanut Plus
10. Facebook groups
Best for: Neighbourhood, newcomer and hobby communities
Most cities have Facebook groups for newcomers, expats, neighbourhoods, sports or simply people who want to make friends, where members post meetups and questions. Search for your city plus “new in”, “expats” or “make friends”.
- Free and available almost everywhere
- Great for local tips and recurring meetups
Watch out: Quality varies: many groups are noisy or inactive, and there is little checking of who is posting. · Price: Free
Side by side
| App | Best for | Meet in groups? | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hellohood | Small group plans near home | Yes | Free |
| Meetup | Interest groups and clubs | Yes | Free + optional Meetup+ |
| BFF (Bumble) | 1:1 friend matching | Mostly 1:1; Groups in US/CA/MX | Free |
| Meet5 | Group meetups (DE, FR, BE, NL, LU) | Yes | Free + optional Premium |
| Timeleft | Matched dinners, drinks, runs | Yes (4–6 people) | Monthly subscription |
| Heylo | Run, hiking and social clubs | Yes | Free for members |
| InterNations | Expats | Yes (events) | Free + optional Albatross |
| Tandem | Language exchange | No, mostly 1:1 online | Free + optional Pro |
| Peanut | Mums | Mostly 1:1 | Free + optional Plus |
| Facebook groups | Local communities | Yes (posted meetups) | Free |
Tips for meeting people from apps
- Pick one or two regular things — a weekly run, a monthly board game night — and keep going. Friendships grow from seeing the same faces again, not from one great evening.
- Say yes early and often in your first months, even when you are tired; invitations tend to stop if you turn down the first few.
- After a good meetup, suggest the next one straight away — “same time next week?” is how acquaintances become friends.
- Meet the first time in a public place and ideally in a group, keep the chat in the app until you have met, and don’t share your home address.
- Use more than one app if your city is quiet, and if nothing fits, post your own plan — other newcomers are looking for exactly the same thing.
FAQ
What is the best app to make friends in a new city?
There is no single best app. For small group plans nearby, try Hellohood; for regular clubs, Meetup or Heylo; for group meetups in Germany and its neighbours, Meet5; for being matched at a dinner, Timeleft; for one-to-one matching, BFF; for expats, InterNations. Many people combine two.
Are there free apps to make friends?
Yes. Hellohood is fully free with no ads, BFF is free, Heylo is free for members and Facebook groups cost nothing. Meetup, Meet5, InterNations, Tandem and Peanut are free to start with optional paid upgrades. Timeleft needs a monthly subscription, and some clubs and events charge their own fees.
How do adults make friends after moving to a new city?
Repetition matters more than luck: join something that meets regularly, like a run club, a language exchange or a games night, and go back every week. Say yes to invitations, suggest the next meetup yourself and give it a few months — new friendships take time to grow.
Are friendship apps just dating apps in disguise?
The good ones are clearly platonic. Hellohood, BFF and Meet5 are built for friendship, and group plans keep the focus on the activity rather than on one person. Hellohood has no cold DMs and women-only plans, and women can turn off messages from men. Report anyone who treats it as dating.
Is it safe to meet people from friend apps?
Generally yes, with simple precautions: meet in public places, prefer a group for the first meetup, keep chats in the app, tell a friend where you are and leave if something feels off. Choose apps with photo requirements or verification, and report and block anyone who makes you uncomfortable.
Is Hellohood active in my city?
Hellohood works worldwide, but it is new — it started in Munich in 2026 — so many cities are still quiet. Open the map to see what is on nearby. If nothing is there yet, start a plan in one sentence or ask in the city chat; other newcomers are often looking for the same thing.