8 Apps To Make Friends That Feel Real, Even When You're Busy

Life gets busy, but making friends doesn't have to be hard. With apps like Bumble BFF, Meetup, Yubo, and Hey! VINA, connecting with new people who share your interests is easier than ever. And with Headway, you can boost your conversation confidence and personal growth through daily micro-learning, helping turn casual chats into meaningful friendships.

Whether you've just moved to a new city, hit a life milestone, or simply want to expand your social circle, these apps make it simple to meet like-minded people without the pressure of dating apps. Many are free, easy to use, and available on iOS and Android — from swiping on potential friends to joining group chats or meeting in real life.

Take your friendships to the next level — download Headway today and turn every connection into a chance to grow and thrive.

Best apps to make friends: Top five picks

1. Bumble BFF: Swipe right to meet new friends and find your next best friend.

2. Meetup: Participate in local events and join groups to connect with others who have shared experiences. Join local events and groups to connect.

3. Yubo: A social app for Gen-Z to meet new friends through live streams and chats.

4. Slowly: Build meaningful connections with pen-pal style messaging.

5. Headway: Boost confidence with micro-learning that sparks honest conversations.

The best apps to make friends in 2025: Take a closer look

Nowadays, friendship apps have made meeting new people so much easier. To make friends, choose the app whose model appeals to you the most: a swipe-based Bumble BFF or a community-centered Meetup. 

This list includes some of the best apps for making new friends. Additionally, Headway is a unique tool that nurtures your confidence and gives you conversation ideas to enrich your social circle with more genuine friendships. 

1. Bumble BFF: Swipe right on new friendships

• Best for: Anyone moving to a new city, navigating a life change, or simply expanding their social network.

• Safety measures: Two-step verification, report and block tools, privacy settings, and AI spam detection.

• Core feature: A swipe-right matching process similar to a dating app, but focused on friendships. The new Bumble BFF relaunch also adds community events and group chat features, making it easier to hang out IRL.

• Community: Millions of users worldwide; consistently ranked among the best apps in the lifestyle and social categories.

• Pro tip: Add your Spotify and Instagram links while finishing setting up your Bumble BFF profile. Bonding over shared interests increases the chances of genuine, long-lasting connections.

2. Headway: An app to spark conversations and self-growth

If you like apps that help you make friends, but want an extra edge, Headway is your secret weapon.

• Best for: Anyone who wants to feel more confident in conversations and create meaningful friendships.

• Safety measures: Report and block options, strong data protection, privacy-compliant.

• Core feature: Concise, easy-on-the-eyes summaries of bestselling non-fiction books, available in audio or text format.

• Community: Over 50 million users, earning it one of the top-ranked micro-learning multi-platform apps.

• Pro tip: Download Headway today to access a vast collection of witty, smart socializing ideas; learn how to break the ice with new friends with ease and fun.

3. Meetup: Shared activities to help you connect 

• Best for: People who prefer face-to-face connections through hobbies and similar interests.

• Safety measures: Report inappropriate behavior, group-specific safety guidelines, and profile visibility controls.

• Core feature: With hundreds of thousands of groups, Meetup makes it simple to join or create events around everything from poetry reading to coding. Over 100,000 events help users meet new people and grow their social circle weekly.

• Community: Over 60 million members worldwide, placing it one of the largest social apps for real-life interactions.

• Pro tip: Do not just browse groups; reply and be present in person, as this is how real, deep, meaningful connections really happen.

4. Yubo: A live social app for Gen Z

• Best for: Outgoing Gen Z users who love live streams, video chats, and global friendships.

• Safety measures: Age verification, AI and human moderation, report/block, customizable privacy settings.

• Core feature: Swipe to connect with potential friends who share your hobbies or pursuits, then join group chats and video rooms for authentic interactions.

• Community: Tens of millions of active users across iOS and Android systems; highly rated on the App Store and Google Play.

• Pro tip: By staying active in live streams and group chats, you will quickly increase your chances of meeting like-minded people and expanding your social network.

5. Slowly: Going slow to nurture real connections

• Best for: People looking for sincere friendships with whom they can talk about meaningful subjects, as opposed to the superficial buzz of social media platforms.

• Safety measures: Report/block options, privacy-protected messaging, a rule to stay respectful in every interaction.

• Core feature: Pen-pal style messaging where letters take hours or days to arrive, encouraging patience and depth.

• Community: Recognized by Google Play as a "Best Hidden Gem" and loved for its unique approach to building meaningful connections.

• Pro tip: Write thoughtful letters and embrace the slower rhythm. It's perfect for creating long-term friendships.

6. Peanut: Friendships for women and mothers

• Best for: Women navigating motherhood, pregnancy, or new life stages.

• Safety measures: Identity verification via phone/email, report/block, adjustable privacy settings.

• Core feature: A safe social app where women connect, share advice, and arrange in-person meetups like playdates.

• Community: Millions of active users worldwide, with a strong reputation as a supportive friendship app.

• Pro tip: Be open-hearted and sincere when telling your life story. Keep your boundaries, but don't put too many walls. If your potential friend is asking you something, be mindful not to "overshare" or "undershare." 

7. Nextdoor: Befriend your neighbors

• Best for: Anyone who wants to meet new friends and neighbors locally.

• Safety measures: Address verification, report/block, neighborhood-specific privacy controls.

• Core feature: Local forums, safety updates, and community events designed to help you meet new people IRL.

• Community: Used in thousands of neighborhoods across the globe.

• Pro tip: Engage in neighborhood discussions or attend local events; "transfer" online friends into the real world.

8. RealU: Friendship that feels like home

• Best for: People tired of censored or information-overdosed social media, those looking for genuine friendships.

• Safety measures: Report/block tools, encrypted data protection, privacy-compliant policies.

• Core feature: Interactive prompts emphasizing the value of honesty and vulnerability in every talk or text.

• Community: A growing social network designed for deeper, meaningful connections.

• Pro tip: Be genuine in your responses — authenticity is the quickest way to connect with your kindred spirits and build new friendships.

Whether you're looking for a great app to meet new people, a user-friendly platform to grow your social circle, or ways to strengthen your mental health through meaningful connections, these friend-making apps offer something for everyone. 

Combine them with tools like Headway, and you'll have both the confidence and conversation skills to turn potential friends into lasting, genuine friendships. 

Stay safe when making friends online (!)

Making friends online is exciting — and it can be 100% safe if you follow a few simple rules.  

1. Choose the safest apps: No reporting tools, verification, and strong privacy settings? Skip the app and move on.

2. Protect your info: Keep personal details private. Don't share your address, workplace, or financial information. Stick to in-app messaging until you really trust someone.

3. Meet in public: For your first meetups, go to coffee shops, parks, or daytime events — and let a friend know where you're headed.

4. Trust your instincts: If something seems off for you, pause, block, or report "suspicious profile" — it's always okay to prioritize your safety.

Follow these basics, and enjoy turning your online chats into happy, safe friendships in the real world!

A fun quiz to find your ideal friend-making app

Ready to discover which friendship, paid or free app, is your perfect match? Answer these 10 yes-or-no questions to find out how to meet new friends, grow your social circle, and build genuine friendships, all while having a little fun.

Learn more about building relationships with Headway 

Building genuine friendships in a world dominated by the hustle and digitalization comes with inevitable challenges. 

Social media and apps to make friends will open your doors to more possibilities for meeting new people who have something in common with you. But once your digital connection becomes real, it's important to focus and put extra effort into it.

The more you explore your interests, embrace who you are, and grow, the easier it becomes to reach out, stay curious, and connect with friends who really "get" you. Friendship apps are just the first step — your confidence and openness do the rest.

With Headway, you're not just using an app — you're becoming the kind of friend who pours their hearts into real-life friendships, connections, and relationships.

Download Headway to grow confident and acquire more social capital. The platform's daily insights offer fresh topics and ideas, making connecting with others easier. It reshapes casual chats into real friendships full of fun and, when needed, seriousness.