Best sites · Goal
The best dating and friendship apps let you say upfront that you want friends, not dates. Bumble’s free BFF app is the best mainstream option, Stitch suits over 50s, and Taimi, HER and Lex add LGBTQ+ community.
| Site | Fit for making friends | Overall | Best for | Free version | Paid from | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stitch | Over-50s who want company and activities, not just dates | Yes | ≈ $7/mo | Visit | ||
| Taimi | LGBTQ+ singles of every identity | Yes | ≈ $5.99/mo (Taimi’s own comparison) | Visit | ||
| HER | LGBTQ+ women and queer people | Yes | ≈ $14.99 (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Bumble | A big, well-moderated swipe app | Yes | ≈ $2.99 for Boost (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Hiki | Neurodivergent adults looking for friends or a partner | Yes | ≈ $19.95 for 1 week (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Lex | LGBTQ+ people who want community and friends as well as dates | Yes | ≈ $3.99 (US App Store) | Visit |
We rank for this audience, so the order follows the fit score. The overall rating reflects the site as a whole. How we score.
Fit for making friends · Overall rating 3.8
Best for: Over-50s who want company and activities, not just dates
A community for over 50s built around events, activities and companionship, mainly in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Romance is optional, and many members come for friendship.
Fit for making friends · Overall rating 3.9
Best for: LGBTQ+ singles of every identity
An LGBTQ+ app where friendship and a social feed sit alongside dating. A good way to meet people in your community without the pressure of a date.
Fit for making friends · Overall rating 4.1
Best for: LGBTQ+ women and queer people
Communities and events for queer women and non-binary people alongside matching. Many members use it to find friends in a new city.
Fit for making friends · Overall rating 4.2
Best for: A big, well-moderated swipe app
Bumble’s friendship side now lives in a separate app called BFF, which Bumble says is completely free. It adds Groups for meeting people around shared interests.
Fit for making friends · Overall rating 3.8
Best for: Neurodivergent adults looking for friends or a partner
Built for autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent adults. You signal friendship with a smile instead of a heart, so everyone knows what you want.
Fit for making friends · Overall rating 3.7
Best for: LGBTQ+ people who want community and friends as well as dates
Text posts for queer friends, activity partners and community. Post what you’re looking for, from a climbing buddy to a book club.
Some apps are built for both, so you don’t have to choose between dating or friendship apps. That helps if you’re open to either or want to be clear which one you’re after:
You’re not unusual for wanting friends from an app: in Pew Research Center’s 2022 survey, 25% of recent online daters said making new friends was a major reason they used dating platforms (Pew Research Center, 2023).
Bumble moved its friendship feature out of the dating app and into a separate app called BFF. According to its App Store listing, every feature is free, with no paywalls. You can match one-on-one with people who share your interests and join Groups built around a hobby or activity. Tinder has no friendship mode: its group feature, Tinder Social, closed in 2017, so BFF is the closest thing to swiping for friends.
Say clearly that you are looking for friends, for example “new to the city, looking for hiking buddies”, so nobody mistakes it for a date. Suggest something specific and low-key for a first meet: a walk, a class or a coffee. Fill in your interests so people with the same hobbies find you.
Group activities make first meetings easier and safer. The usual rules still apply: meet in public and never lend money to someone you have just met. Our scam guide covers friendship scams too.
We ranked sites on match quality, features, value, safety and ease of use, and weighed how well each fits this audience. See how we rate dating sites.
The best dating and friendship apps depend on your stage of life. Bumble’s BFF app is the best mainstream choice and is completely free. Stitch suits over 50s who want companionship and activities, and Taimi, HER and Lex suit LGBTQ+ people who want community as well as friends.
Yes. Bumble’s separate BFF app works like a dating app for friendship: you match one-on-one with people who share your interests and can join Groups. Every feature is free, according to its App Store listing. Tinder itself has no friendship mode; its group feature closed in 2017.
Mostly, yes. Bumble’s BFF app says every feature is free, and Hiki, Taimi, HER and Lex all have free versions with paid extras such as seeing who liked you. Stitch lets you join public events and reply to messages for free, but member-only events and full chat need a paid membership.
Some are designed for both. Hiki lets you signal friendship instead of romance, and Taimi and HER combine dating with community features and events. On a regular dating app, say clearly in your profile that you want friendship, or you’ll mostly get dating matches.
Say clearly on your profile that you want friends, not dates, and use apps built for it, such as BFF, Hiki or Stitch. Suggest a specific, low-key plan for a first meet, such as a walk or a class, and try group activities, which take the pressure off both of you.