Apps Aim to Help People Make New Friends

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Loneliness and social isolation are increasingly recognized as significant public health issues. In response, a surge of apps focused on fostering platonic friendships, rather than romantic relationships, have emerged. These 'friend-tech' platforms utilize features like personality assessments, AI-driven matching, and group activities to help users connect with compatible potential friends. While some apps target specific cities, the trend reflects a broader desire for more organic and authentic social connections.

Why it matters

The rise of friend-tech apps highlights the growing awareness of loneliness as a public health concern, with the U.S. Surgeon General labeling it an 'epidemic.' These platforms aim to provide structured ways for people to expand their social circles and forge meaningful friendships, which can have positive impacts on individual and community well-being.

The details

The friend-tech space has seen the emergence of over a dozen apps that have collectively generated around $16 million in consumer spending in the U.S. so far in 2025, with 4.3 million downloads. Many of these apps, like Pie, Wyzr Friends, and 222, use personality assessments or AI-driven matching to connect users based on compatible interests. Other platforms, such as Clyx and Mmotion, focus on integrating data from event platforms and location tracking to facilitate in-person meetups. Some apps, like Les Amís, cater to specific demographics, while others, like Bumble's BFF feature, are adaptations of existing dating apps.

• The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory on the public health impacts of loneliness in 2023.
• Bumble launched its standalone BFF app in 2023 after initially offering a friend-finding feature in 2016.