Best apps to make friends in 2026
To make friends who share your interests near you, Serkle is the most direct app: you see who loves the same things around you, friends of friends first, for free and without any dating logic. Meetup is best for joining groups that run events, Bumble BFF for discovering profiles one by one, and Timeleft for dinners with strangers.
Each app has its own approach. Here's what each does best, as of November 2026, so you can pick the one that suits you. This comparison is written by the Serkle team; we tried to be fair to the others.
At a glance
| Serkle | Meetup | Bumble BFF | Timeleft | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The idea | Find people near you who share your interests | Groups and their events | Profiles to discover, from the Bumble world | Dinner with strangers picked for you |
| You start from | Your interests and friends in common | A group or an event | A profile | A personality test |
| Friends of friends first | Yes | No | No | No |
| Keep all your close ones in one place | Yes, on a private circle | No | No | No |
| Price | Free (optional Serkle+, $24 a year) | Free, with a paid plan (Meetup+) | Free, with paid options | Paid subscription |
Serkle: people like you, near you
Choose your interests (more than 900) and your city, and see the people around you who share them, starting with those you have friends in common with. Each profile shows only what you have in common. Write, then suggest a coffee. No swiping, no feed, no ads, and all your close ones stay organized on a private circle.
Best if you want to meet people like you at the pace of a friendship, and stay close to the ones you already have. More: Meet people who share your interests.
Meetup: join groups and their events
Meetup brings together groups around a topic (hiking, tech, languages…), whose organizers run events. It's great for joining group activities. You meet many people, though it's harder to see one specific person again.
Best if you're mainly after group events.
Bumble BFF: discover profiles, friendship edition
Bumble BFF is the friendship side of Bumble, the dating app. You discover profiles and chat when the interest is mutual.
Best if you like how dating apps work, applied to friendship.
Timeleft: dinner with strangers
Timeleft sets you up for dinner with a few strangers matched by a personality test, at a restaurant in your city. The meal isn't included in the subscription.
Best if you want a ready-made night out without choosing the people yourself.
In Tel Aviv and Paris
All four apps work in Paris. In Tel Aviv, Serkle speaks English, Hebrew and French, which helps expats and olim. Our guides: Make friends in Tel Aviv and Make friends in Paris.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best apps to make friends in 2026?
It depends on what you want. To meet people near you who share your interests, friends of friends first, Serkle is the most direct, and it's free. For group events, Meetup; for a ready-made dinner with strangers, Timeleft; for a dating-app style of discovery, Bumble BFF.
Is there an app to find people nearby who share my hobbies, not a dating app?
Yes: Serkle is built only for friendship and close ones: no swiping, no rating profiles. You choose your interests and see the people near you who share them.
What's a good alternative to Meetup or Bumble BFF?
Serkle: instead of groups or profiles to browse, you see directly the people near you who love the same things, and those you have friends in common with. Timeleft is another option for dinners with strangers.
Is there a free app to make friends?
Yes. On Serkle, searching for people, writing to them and meeting them is free. Meetup and Bumble BFF also have free versions, with paid options.
Updated on November 12, 2026
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