Best sites · Goal
Loneliness is not only about romance. These services help adults meet friends, activity partners and community — some alongside dating, some instead of it.
| 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 | ≈ $15/mo | Visit | ||
| HER | LGBTQ+ women and queer people | Yes | ≈ $15/mo | Visit | ||
| Bumble | Women who want more control | Yes | ≈ $15/mo | Visit | ||
| Hiki | Neurodivergent adults looking for friends or a partner | Yes | price shown in the app | Visit | ||
| Lex | Queer, trans and non-binary people who prefer words to photos | Yes | ≈ $10/mo | 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 — romance optional.
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.
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, not just matching.
Fit for making friends · Overall rating 4.2
Best for: Women who want more control
Bumble’s friendship side is now the separate BFF app in the US, Canada and Mexico, and BFF mode elsewhere.
Fit for making friends · Overall rating 3.8
Best for: Neurodivergent adults looking for friends or a partner
Neurodivergent adults can signal friendship with a smile instead of a heart.
Fit for making friends · Overall rating 3.7
Best for: Queer, trans and non-binary people who prefer words to photos
Text posts for queer friends, activity partners and community.
Say clearly that you are looking for friends — “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, a coffee.
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 — see our scam guide, which 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. Read our full testing methodology.
It depends on your stage of life: Stitch for over-50s, Bumble’s BFF for a mainstream option, Taimi and HER for LGBTQ+ community.
In the US, Canada and Mexico it has become a separate app called BFF; elsewhere BFF mode inside Bumble continues for now.
Some, like Taimi, HER and Hiki, are designed for both; on others, say clearly in your profile that you want friendship.