At this stage, many of us have tried online dating. In fact, in 2021, 323 billion people all over the world (Opens in a new tab) used dating apps as their main avenue of meeting new people. It’s now the go-to method for finding romantic partners and the first port of call for most when seeking a new relationship, but the apps might not be 
top-of-mind for finding new friends.
Apps for finding friends are out there, though. There are now a bunch of apps designed to help people make friends. From Bumble’s ‘BFF‘ means which was the first to really go mainstream, to Peanut which helps mums make friends, to Patook (Opens in a new tab) , Wink (Opens in a new tab) , and Swipr (Opens in a new tab) , there are multiple online platforms for people to find the right friendships for them.
Loneliness in young people has increased over the last few years, with 40 percent of 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK reporting effect alone (Opens in a new tab) „very often“. In total, 45 percent out-of people become sporadically, either or usually alone (Opens in a new tab) in England. This could be, in part, to the difficulty of forming new friendships as an adult without the help of apps. A reality most people face in their 20s is that friendships are hard to come by when they’ve not been somewhat „assigned“ to you – the way friendships occur when you’re younger, because of school and clubs. It’s something we don’t realise is difficult until we’re in the pits of it.
Jessica Alderson from dating app Thus Synced (Opens in a new tab) tells Mashable that adults can find it hard to make friends for a variety of reasons. Adults typically have less free time between work and other obligations, finding it less easy to try new things and meet friends in new environments. Many people also typically worry about rejection and being vulnerable (a pretty key component to forming any kind of relationship) so it can be hard to put ourselves out there and find someone we click with.
It’s no wonder, then, that, according to a press release shared with Mashable by Bumble, the BFF mode saw a 44 percent rise in women searching for new friends, and a 83 percent rise in men. This yearning for friendship can also be seen in Facebook Groups like Truly Twenties – a group made for people in their 20s forming friendships online – which formed just two years ago and has already gained more than 66,000 players. (Opens in a new tab)
These types of applications is filling a space in our lives, but they feels awkward and you can unnatural in the beginning, with the structure out of an online dating app effect such as for instance a romantic otherwise shallow environment. It take some really serious getting used to.
Friendship programs, otherwise relationships programs which have a great platonic, personal parts, shall be an ideal way to have adults to make members of the family. One of the better reasons for appointment some body due to this type of programs is you can end up being reasonably sure they are looking for relationship too. In a sense, it cut the bullshit in a sense relationships software try not to. Many individuals lurk toward matchmaking applications having many different aim that is certainly hard to find – most are just looking to own a pencil friend or a little while out-of recognition rather than anything else – but the majority individuals into the friend-based software were there for example need: that they had such as for instance a new pal.
30-year-old Advertising director Jo put Bumble BFF after thinking of moving Manchester to put by herself available to choose from and come up with brand new household members. „Besides with you to best friend exactly who already lived in the town and my work colleagues, I did not see other people, so i wished to are able to make friends,“ she tells Mashable.