Friendship apps in New York compared: Bumble BFF, Meetup, Timeleft and Simurgsu

• Swipe and chat: you browse profiles, match, then message until someone suggests meeting. BFF by Bumble works this way.
• Groups and events: you join interest groups and turn up to their events. Meetup is the best-known example.
• Dinners with strangers: you answer a few questions and are seated with a small group at a restaurant. Timeleft is the best-known example.
• One-to-one introductions: a service suggests a few people and helps you meet them individually. This is Simurgsu’s approach.

Apps change their features and prices often, so check each one’s current details before you sign up.

Bumble’s friendship mode now lives in its own app, BFF, separate from the dating app. You make a profile, swipe through people nearby and chat with your matches; newer versions add group chats and ways to plan hangouts.

Good for people who are comfortable with dating-app mechanics and want a large pool to browse. The hard part is the same as on dating apps: many matches never become a conversation, and many conversations never become a plan. Someone has to suggest a specific time and place.

Meetup is a directory of groups organized around an interest — hiking, board games, languages, tech, writing — each running its own events. In New York there is a group for almost anything.

Good for repetition. A group that meets every week gives you the repeated time friendship needs, which makes it a strong option if you commit to one. The hard part: large events can feel like a room full of strangers, and quality varies a lot from group to group.

Timeleft seats you with a handful of strangers at a restaurant, usually on a set evening of the week, after you answer a short questionnaire. You pay for the ticket and for your own meal.

Good for a low-commitment night out and the fun of not knowing who you will meet. The hard part: each dinner is a new group, so seeing the same people again is up to you, and a lively table of six is not everyone’s idea of a relaxed evening.

Simurgsu is a private friendship membership for Manhattan and nearby Brooklyn. You choose the kind of evening you want — a calm dinner, quiet company, or a museum or show — and it suggests up to three people a week who chose the same, each with a reason you both agreed to share. You start with a five-minute audio or video call, then each decide privately whether to meet.

Every member verifies their identity before they can see anyone, there are no public profiles or swiping, and it is for friendship, not dating. Membership is $39.99 a month, and women receive complimentary membership during launch.

Good for people who prefer one person at a time and want the step from hello to a plan made easy. The hard part: it covers a smaller area than the big apps, and it is a paid membership.

• If you like browsing and chatting before you meet: BFF by Bumble.
• If you want a weekly routine around a hobby: a Meetup group you commit to for two months.
• If you want an adventurous night out with new faces: Timeleft.
• If you would rather meet one person at a time, after a short call: Simurgsu.

Many people combine two: one recurring group for repetition, and one way to meet people individually. Whichever you choose, the habits that turn a first meeting into a friendship are the same; read how to make friends in New York as an adult.

Meet in a busy public place, arrange your own way home, and tell someone where you will be. Keep your number and address private until you are comfortable. Our guide to meeting someone new safely covers the rest.

Bumble, BFF, Meetup and Timeleft are trademarks of their respective owners. Simurgsu is not affiliated with any of them. Details were checked in October 2026.