We take it for granted now, but apps to meet people weren’t always so popular among singles. When I was fresh out of college and working in a new city, I pretty much had to fend for myself in the friend and romance department.
I was working for a newspaper in a city two hours from home. I’d never been to the area or knew what there was to do, so I felt pretty anxious. Other than my co-workers, I didn’t know anyone, and I really missed my friends and family. It was a lonely experience, but after a couple of weeks, I found my footing and built a solid group to spend time with regularly. Looking back, though, what I really needed was an easier way to meet people.
If you’ve moved to a new city, you don’t have to struggle for weeks trying to make new friends like I once did — all you have to do is download an app. We’ve found the 11 best apps that take all the work and stress out of meeting people. And, even more good news, they’re all free.
1. Match
While Match is primarily a dating app, you can meet all kinds of people looking for various forms of companionship here, and their comprehensive search features (e.g., sort not only by type of connection but also age, location, and more) make it easy to do so. Now available for free via The App Store and Google Play, Match has been around since the ’90s and has created more relationships and marriages than any other dating service, so you’re in good hands.
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3. Green Singles
If you’re a vegetarian, nature lover, spiritual guru, or just a conscientious person in general, Green Singles is one of our favorite sites for meeting people who have similar beliefs and lifestyles. One success story, from Kathy and Stephanie, says, “We have found that our values are amazingly very similar and form the basis for what we both feel is a deep soul-level connection. Thank you for providing this service and helping us find each other! We truly feel a deep emotional, spiritual, and physical connection and every day marvel at our finding each other.”
4. Loveship
Part dating site, part social media network, Loveship.com brings you the best of both worlds in terms of meeting new people, especially if you’re super busy with work, family, and other life commitments. It’s 100% free for singles and couples to register, fill out a profile, add photos, view profiles of other members, search for and receive matches, and send and receive messages. Loveship also has their own magazine full of helpful tips, fun feature articles, and research-based pieces.
5. CitySocializer
Locals usually know the very best parts of where they live, and Citysocializer helps you tap into that insider knowledge. You just create an account, pick a social event that fits your interests, and head out to meet like-minded people who can introduce you to what the city has to offer. The app is active in New York, London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, and more than 30 other cities, with even more locations on the way.
6. Nextdoor
If you’ve just moved to a new neighborhood and would like to get to know your neighbors better, you don’t have to go door to door, you can simply download NextDoor. This social app connects neighborhoods in private social networks and gives them the chance to exchange community news and information in a safe, friendly space. And it’s completely free to use. NextDoor has united over 201,000 neighborhoods across the U.S., and yours could be next! Open the door to romance with this app.
7. Smeeters
Besides having a unique name, Smeeters is unlike the typical dating sites and social networks out there. Here’s how the app works: 1) Sign Up. 2) Prepay for the First Round of Drinks. 3) Invite a Couple of Friends 4) Meet at Smeeter’s Pre-Determined Location. Smeeter’s goal is to encourage people to step outside of their comfort zones and say goodbye to the boring routines they’ve gotten stuck in, so “if you feel like you’re lacking a little magic in your world, join our community and add some spice to your life!”
URL: https://www.smeeters.com/
8. Hey! VINA
Hey! VINA was founded in 2015 with a mission to bring together amazing women “for fun, for work, for life.” The team behind the app believes we’re all companions, not competition, which is why they say “you *can* sit with us,” a playful nod to the famous “Mean Girls” quote. Download Hey! VINA for free today and start connecting with incredible people. One new friend can make a real difference in your life, whether that means helping you land a job, introducing you to your future partner, or simply being there through the highs and lows.
URL: https://www.vina.io/
9. Meet My Dog
Meet My Dog is “a fresh breed of social app,” one that actually gets you off your phone and into the real world, and the best part is you get to do that with your furbaby! With this free, GPS-based app, you make a profile (telling people about yourself and your dog), find fellow pet lovers nearby, and then check in at places so they can easily join you. You can also use Meet My Dog’s private messaging feature to set up fun one-on-one play dates.
10. SupperClub
Foodies and social butterflies alike will love SupperClub, an app that’s equal parts food and friendship. You can either start your own supper club group or join one that someone else has already created. And there’s even more to enjoy. SupperClub lets you keep all your food gatherings organized in one place and share photos from those experiences with your followers afterward. It’s a fun, easy way to meet new people!
11. Meetup
Meetup wants us to do more of what we love with more like-minded people — because they believe when we do so, “we’re at our best.” And the site gives you all the necessary tools to make that happen, including numerous filtering options and a convenient app. Meetup has more than 29 million members in 178 countries and 262,800 groups and facilitates 575,400 monthly events, so you’ll never run out of things to do and people to get to know.
Expand Your Social Circle With a Meet People App!
Whether you’ve recently moved to a new city or you’d just like to expand your social network, getting to know different people is always a good thing. It can help you expand your horizons and learn new things about others — and even yourself. Thanks to the mobile world, you don’t have to run all over town attending every event and breaking the bank to make friends — that’s what these awesome people-meeting apps are for!
Join any of the apps on this list to up your social game and forge deep relationships in your hometown. Best of luck!
