The short answer
If you want women-only and you’d rather someone else did the planning, RealRoots is the most structured option, at $289. If you want a free app and don’t mind it being open to everyone, Bumble’s BFF is the obvious first download. For a members-only women’s community with events, try girlgroup. If you’re a mom, try Peanut. Meetup is free and good for showing up to the same group every week.
The app matters less than what you do in the two weeks after you download it, so the second half of this page is about that.
Women-only or open to everyone?
This is the first choice to make, because it changes how the apps work. Women-only apps check who joins. Gofrendly is for anyone who identifies as a woman and is over 18. RealRoots is for cis and trans women 21 and over, and its queer groups also welcome nonbinary people. girlgroup has a person review every application. Peanut is built around motherhood.
BFF is a friendship-only app, but it isn’t women-only. That gives you a bigger pool, but you’ll want to set your profile up so it’s clear what kind of friends you’re looking for.
The six options
Each line below comes from the app’s own listing or website, checked October 22, 2026. Prices are US prices and can change.
- RealRoots (women 21+, US, Canada and UK cities): fill out a questionnaire, get matched with a group of women, and meet in person with a trained guide. You then meet six more times, weekly, plus one-on-one pairings. $289 covers the series and a year of member events, clubs and a forum. If you don’t make a connection you’re excited about, you get a free rematch.
- BFF by Bumble (18+, open to all): free with no upgrades. Profiles have Interest Tags and Photo Prompts, you can chat one-on-one or join Groups that plan hangouts, and every match is selfie-verified.
- girlgroup (women, application required): find or host events, called ‘happenings’, plus a feed and chat. After you’re approved, it costs $19.99 a month, $44.99 for 3 months or $99.99 a year.
- Peanut (moms): swipe to meet local moms, chat, and join groups. Profiles are selfie-verified. It’s free, with optional Peanut Plus at $8.99 to $29.99.
- Gofrendly (women 18+): matches, activities, groups and messaging. It’s free to download, with memberships from $2.99. The US listing has only 17 ratings, so check whether anyone near you uses it.
- Meetup (open to all): joining and RSVPing to unlimited groups and events is free. Meetup+ adds things like seeing who else is going.
Who should pick which
Go by your week, not by the app store ranking.
Apps to make friends as an adult: the full comparison
- 21 or older, busy, and willing to pay so it actually happens: RealRoots.
- Want to try something tonight for free: BFF. Join one Group with a hangout this month.
- Want a vetted community and like hosting: girlgroup. Check it’s active in your city first.
- Pregnant or have young kids: Peanut. Other moms on your schedule beat any general app.
- Already into running, hiking or books: Meetup. Look for a small group that meets weekly.
- Open to friends of any gender and want a real conversation fast: HMU.
How to make female friends once you’ve downloaded one
Every one of these apps leaves you at the same point: a woman you’ve barely met and a chat that could go either way. Make the first invitation small, specific and easy to say no to. Hall’s research at the University of Kansas found it takes about 50 hours together to become casual friends, so aim for a second meetup, not a perfect first one.
How to plan a low-pressure first hangout
- “You mentioned the farmers’ market. I go most Saturdays around 10. Want to meet at the coffee stand?”
- “I’m going to the pottery drop-in Thursday at 7. Come throw a lopsided bowl with me?”
- After a good first hangout: “That was fun. Same time next week? I’ll pick the place.”
Mistakes that waste the first month
Spreading yourself thin is the most common one. Five apps and twenty chats leads to twenty conversations that all fade. Pick one app and one recurring thing, and give them both a month.
The second is waiting for chemistry before you make a plan. With friends, chemistry usually shows up around the third meeting, not the first message. The third is skipping group events because they feel awkward. A happening, a Group or a guided meetup gives you something to talk about besides yourselves.
Where HMU falls short
HMU isn’t a women-only app, and some people on it are dating. People use it for friendship, dating or both. If you want a space with only women in it, any of the women-only apps above will suit you better. HMU also has no groups or hosted events, so it can’t give you RealRoots’ weekly structure or girlgroup’s happenings.
Where it can help is the first conversation. Meet Now pairs you with one person for five minutes with the same opening prompt, and the chat continues only if you both choose Keep. Say early that you’re looking for friends, and remember you can report or block anyone. HMU is free, with 3 Meet Now introductions a day and optional HMU Premium.
Related articles
- Apps to Make Friends as an Adult: An Honest Comparison — BFF, Meetup, Timeleft, 222, Yubo, and HMU compared by how you actually meet people, what it costs, and who each one suits.
- Best Apps to Make Friends in a New City, by Week — Nextdoor, Meetup, BFF, Timeleft and HMU each fit a different stage of a move. Which to install first, what each costs, and who should skip which.
- How to Make Friends in Your 40s: Start With Who You Know — Midlife is when loneliness peaks. How to make friends in your 40s by reviving old ties, hosting, and finding people at your stage, with exact messages.
- How to Meet an Online Friend in Person (Safely) — How to bring up meeting, check they’re real, plan a safe first meetup, and handle the awkward first hour, so an online friend becomes a real-life one.