Apps to Make Friends: What Actually Works
By raW Insights, 2026-10-08
There are a lot of apps to make friends, and they don’t all work the same way. The type of app matters more than the name on it.
Friend-matching apps
These work like dating apps for friendship. You build a profile, usually with photos, and swipe or get matched one-to-one. Boo, for example, matches people by personality type. They suit people who like one-to-one introductions, but a profile can feel like an audition.
Event and group apps
Apps like Meetup help you find in-person groups and events around an interest. They are great if you want to meet people face to face and have time for regular events.
Community and group chat apps
Community apps, like Discord servers, organize conversation around topics. You get to know people through repeated group conversation instead of a profile.
Anonymous social apps
Anonymous social apps let you take part without your real name or photo. That can make it easier to be honest, which is often how real connection starts.
An anonymous-first social discovery platform. raW combines anonymous polls with anonymous communities and group chats, so you meet like-minded people through what you think, not how your profile looks. Coming from Boo? See how raW compares as a Boo alternative.
How to choose
Ask yourself three things: do you want one-to-one introductions or group conversation, do you want to meet in person or online, and how comfortable are you putting your face and name on a profile? Your answers point to the right type of app.
The best app to make friends is the one you’ll keep showing up in.
Read next: Anonymous Social Apps: How They Work and Why People Use Them
Frequently asked questions
What are the best apps to make friends?
It depends on how you like to meet people. Friend-matching apps suit one-to-one introductions, event apps suit in-person meetups, community apps suit group conversation, and anonymous social apps suit people who want to stay private while they connect.
Are there apps to make friends without photos?
Yes. Anonymous social apps like raW let you take part under a username and avatar, without a real name or personal photo.
What is a good Boo alternative?
If you want to meet like-minded people without a personality test or profile photos, raW is an anonymous-first alternative built around polls and communities rather than matching.