Friendship apps generate approximately $16 million in U.S. spending

The market for friendship-focused applications is expanding as users seek to address loneliness and social isolation. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General—the top public health official in the United States—labeled loneliness and social isolation a public health crisis. In response, a growing ecosystem of platforms is targeting platonic connections rather than romantic ones. According to data from Appfigures, over a dozen local-focused friendship apps have generated approximately $16 million in consumer spending in the U.S. in 2025. Additionally, these friendship apps have garnered approximately 4.3 million downloads in 2025. Bumble, for instance, launched its friend-finding feature in 2016.

A range of platforms is emerging to serve specific demographics, including neurodivergent adults and individuals who feel socially anxious. These platforms monetize through curation fees, tickets, and subscriptions, offering structured environments to meet new people:

• 222: An iOS-only social events platform that pairs strangers for in-person meetups based on personality tests. To assist users who feel “socially anxious,” the app allows them to bring a plus-one. It charges a $22.22 curation fee or a monthly subscription.
• Meet5: A European community-building app that recently launched in the U.S., securing around 777,000 U.S. downloads.
• Synchrony: Launched in March 2026, this platform is tailored for “neurodivergent” adults. It features interest-based matching, two-step identity verification, and an optional AI communication tool. It charges a monthly subscription of $44.99.
• Les Amís: A friendship app for women, transgender, and LGBTQ+ individuals. It matches users for local events in European cities—including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid, Paris, and Stockholm—and U.S. cities like Austin and New York, with plans to expand to Boston, Miami, and Los Angeles.
• Clyx: A group-based social networking app for local events currently operating in Miami and London, with plans to expand to New York and São Paulo.
• Wyzr Friends: An activity-based friendship app for adults, available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Ireland, the Philippines, Singapore, and Mexico.
• Timeleft and Pie: Timeleft organizes weekly dinner dates with groups of strangers, while Pie uses an AI-driven personality assessment to group attendees in Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco.
• Washed Up and Mmotion: Washed Up serves the Los Angeles area with group meetups tied to specific events, and Mmotion blends location tracking with social discovery in New York City.
• Meetup: The local event-discovery platform has been around since 2002, helping users connect with others who share similar interests.

Why it matters

As loneliness and social isolation have become more prevalent, a new wave of apps is emerging to help people form platonic connections, generating millions in consumer spending. This shift indicates that the monetization of platonic relationship-building is becoming a viable sector alongside traditional online dating.