Finding new friends can be hard, especially in an age where everyone seems to make more connections online than they do in person. If you find your social life is lacking, you just moved to a new area or have just decided you need an upgrade in your current circle of friends, these apps might be just what the doctor ordered:
Meetup is a free app that allows you to input your interests and find others in your area who share your values. You can choose matches based on age, whether a person is a fan of a certain art form, or how they like to spend their free time – you’re bound to find others with the same common interests as you here!
This app is also free and allows you to connect with your neighbors, even if you never run into them in person. This private network lets you exchange information with anyone living near you and share everything from recommendations for your favorite restaurant to recent classified ads from the area.
Bumble is a free dating app that also offers the opportunity to search for new friends instead of a romantic encounter. You can find matches based on what you’re looking for and your interests, as well as how you like to spend your free time.
Peanut is a free app that connects moms to new mom friends. You can chat with others in the app, as well as plan a meeting with another mom you feel especially connected to. These mom groups are also great for recommendations and advice on how to care for your little one and yourself while you’re home with your kids.
Skout is also a free app that works like a dating app for friends by matching you with people looking for someone like you in their area. The cool thing about this app is you can use it to meet someone new in any area, even if you’re just visiting for a time. This is a great option for anyone who travels a lot but wants to meet people who have similar interests while they’re visiting the area.
This free app is ideal for finding arts and entertainment events near your location, whether you’re at home or just visiting an area. It’s a great way to see who’s attending what event, and it will let you know when your favorite artists are performing, too. You’re bound to meet people you like when you attend one of these events that you’re already interested in.
If you’re a dog owner, this free app is great for finding a local place to walk your pooch. Users can post pictures of their dogs, let others know where they’re going for a walk, and even chat with each other. If your doggie needs a playdate, this is probably the best app around!
This free app will help you discover a new bar or restaurant in your town or one you’re visiting, and you can easily meet other people you might get along with at the places that appeal to you.
Me3 is another free app that allows you to meet new people without the intimidating one-on-one setup. You’ll find others with similar interests and be grouped with two other people of the same gender, making chatting with and potentially meeting new people a little less daunting.
This app is also free, and a great option if you want to find people from all walks of life, all nationalities and all backgrounds. You can chat with new friends, share your interests via updates and peruse statuses from literally millions of people who you might want to eventually meet with you and spark up a new friendship!
Each of these apps has its own best applications, based on whether you’re looking for a friend, date or relationship, or simply want to find a new group to chat with. If you use an app to find a date, always watch for online scams from people that eventually try to get money from you or get you to meet in a secluded area. And always remember safety first: before meeting someone, check the criminal records of your newfound friend to make sure you’re not walking into a trap or about to be taken advantage of in some way!