Do you remember the good ‘ol days when all it took was an inside joke during recess, a few debate trips together, or a sports team to link you up with your ride-or-die bestie?
One who could fend off haters with one stern look, get all your corny a** cat jokes, and stay up all night with you as you mourned the end of a toxic relationship?
Yeah, those were some incredible moments.
Today, as a 20- or 30-something-year-old, making friends require you to have a Ph.D. in sociology or a celeb-stamped extrovert resume. Between crammed schedules, parental obligations, and not willing to leave your well-curated comfort zone (hello, fellow introverts), making friends becomes another task no one’s willing to tick off their list. Not to mention its anxiety-triggering effects.
Luckily for us, just like the scientists helped solve the love-searching dilemma with dating apps, today, there are friendship apps to help you find and vet your next bestie.
Whether you just moved cities and are looking for a new workout buddy or need someone to share your conspiracy theories with, these apps can help expand your network, find the Jones to your Maya or the Gayle to your Oprah, all without having to leave the comfort of your bed.
Bonus: most of them are completely free!
For Babes Who’ve Moved To A New City – Hey! VINA
Coined the “Tinder for (girl) friends” Hey! VINA provides Black women with a platform to meet like-minded babes who share their interests and make their 1000 miles of moving away from family and toxic ex-friends worthwhile.
And like Tinder, the app allows you to swipe left and right on potential besties based on proximity, mutual pals, and quiz data. Yes, Hey! VINA provides quizzes and articles that empower women to choose community over competition and encourage them to live their best life with the best people.
Once you match with a likely best friend, the app also suggests incredible meetup spots like a wine bar, wholeness-marketing gym, or diverse-food-cultures-serving restaurant. It’s all about helping you meet your tribe wherever you are!
- Cost: Free. VIP subscriptions start from $6 a week
- Platform: Android, iOS
For Content Creators Looking To Expand Their Network – EventBrite
If you’re looking for a Blankets & Wines type-of-vibe, or a creators’ brunch, EventBrite should be the app of your choice. It’s free and helps you find culturally-inclusive events. You can literally find crazy-good events by just typing “Black Women,” “Black Men,” “Natural Hair,” “Dancehall,” “Afrobeats,” or even “Africa!”
- Cost: Free (you can incur charges based on your event preference, though)
- Platform: Android, iOS
For The Brunch-Loving Girlies – Brown Skin Brunchin
For 30-something-year-old BFFs Lillian Jackson and Melissa Mason, navigating friendships as an adult seemed like solving a calculus equation. And things got worse when Lillian relocated in 2014, a move that almost crippled their social life.
So, after various attempts trying to forge friendships with colleagues, Jackson birthed Brown Skin Brunchin’, an online platform and app designed to help Black women foster genuine friendships through something we all love and live for – drinking mimosas at brunch!
Today, through the app and scheduled events, the company has helped thousands of women expand their personal and professional circles. So, if you’re searching for ideas of how to brunch like a boss babe or who to brunch with, be sure to download the Brown Skin Brunchin’ app ASAP!
- Cost: Free
- Platform: Android, iOS, Mac, PC
For Younger Millennials and Gen-Z’s Looking For Relatable Convos – Bumble BFF
Just like Bumble has helped you find the yin to your yang, Bumble BFF can help you find the Gia to your Erika (any Boo, Bitch! fans in the house? No? Never mind.). A quick swipe and the app will open the door to a new potential life-long friendship.
And if you’re a doubting Jane, the thousands of successful Bumble BFF stories online can offer you irrefutable proof that the app is worth a try.
For career-minded networking, check out Bumble Bizz, too!
- Cost: Free
- Platform: iOS, Android
For The Skeptics & Cynics – Yubo
Most friend apps have similar features to dating apps (swiping on each other, private messages, etc.), but what makes the Yubo app unique is its catfish-free design.
When you make a connection, the app allows you to chat via live video (like FaceTime but without phone number sharing). This ensures you’re chatting with the real Kendra and not the “over-filtered version” and helps alleviate some of your social anxiety jitters.
- Cost: Free
- Platform: iOS, Android
For Creatives (Knitting Obsessed/Book Lovers) – MeetUp
If you’ve been looking for “knitting at a bar” friend groups or “books over wine” social circles, MeetUp will be your best friend. The friendships-matching app links people based on their interests and offers 24 categories of events to select from (bar hopping, foodie meetups, photography, religious beliefs, etc.). It’s like EventBrite but slightly more fun.
All you have to do is choose the dates you’ll be available for a meetup, select your favorite theme (think free comedy or southern California bulldog crew) and then sit back and watch the app work its friend-matching magic.
Just A Tip: Ensure to be specific about your interests so you don’t land at a Tequila-filled happy hour with a bunch of Tekashi 6ix9ine-crazed fans – unless you want to!
- Cost: Free (but you can be charged based on the event chosen)
- Platform: iOS, Android, PC, Mac
For Moms Looking To Have Mommy Playdates – Peanut
Your babies’ calendars are always packed with sports tryouts, sleepovers, and weekend playdates, but moms need fun, too. Cue in: Peanut, a friendship app designed to help moms find other moms looking to relax, enjoy some margaritas, and have mom-versations with other moms.
And like Tinder, the app suggests women from the same proximity, similar-aged kids in your neighborhood, and similar interests and hobbies. But that’s not all. The app also includes communities of Queens navigating fertility, post-partum depression, and menopause, so they can lean on each other and safely exchange stories.
- Cost: Free
- Platform: Android, iOS
For Party Lovers Looking To Host Their Next Block Event – Nextdoor
If you moved into a new neighborhood and find it challenging to connect with new people (a definite modern-day problem), Nextdoor keeps you in the know about everything happening nearby – from block parties to yard sales and even car break-ins.
It’s not the traditional “Hey, we brought you some pie to welcome you to the neighborhood,” but it serves the same purpose. Ease your integration with the community.
However, the only way to become a member of your neighborhood’s online chat group is to show proof of residence so all your neighbors’ addresses and identities are verified.
- Cost: Free
- Platform: Android, iOS
For The “Texting Isn’t Really My Thing” Babes – LMK
Come with us extroverts, because this adulthood friend-finder app is about to become your favorite widget app. Instead of sending DMs and constantly hitting your keyboard, LMK offers you a variety of modes to connect with others – voice chats and audio rooms.
Oh, and did we mention that LMK comes with a call timer? Yup. If you’re done with the call, the app ends it for you, meaning no awkward goodbyes and nervous smirks if you’re not clicking – unless you opt to extend yours, of course!
- Cost: Free. Premium plans start from $5 per month for a 6-month subscription
- Platform: iOS, Android
