Bumble BFF vs Meet5

Pricing

Both Bumble BFF and Meet5 fall in the Free price range. Bumble BFF: Completely free — no paywalls, no premium tier. Meet5: Free for all activity features; Premium subscription for private chat, priority access, and extras.

Format & matching

Bumble BFF uses groups of 1:1 and groups, compared to Meet5’s 5+ per activity, and both use interest-based matching.

How they work

Bumble BFF: Download the standalone BFF app (separate from the Bumble dating app) and create a profile with your interests, a bio, and photo prompts that show your personality. Verify your identity with a selfie. Browse profiles of people nearby and swipe right on anyone you'd want to be friends with. If you both swipe right, you're matched and can start chatting. Beyond 1:1 matches, you can join or create Groups based on shared interests — think book clubs, running groups, or brunch crews. Groups have their own chat, posts, and even video calls to help you plan IRL hangouts.

Meet5: Download the app, create a profile, and select your region to see available activities near you. Browse events by category — hiking, dining, parties, sports, culture, games — or use filters to narrow it down. Join an activity that interests you, and you'll be added to a group chat with other participants so you can coordinate before the event. You can also create your own activities and invite others. After the event, mark people you clicked with as favorites and invite them to future activities. The more you attend, the more tailored your invitations become.

What to love

Bumble BFF: Completely free with no paywalls — every feature is accessible without paying. Massive user base from Bumble's brand recognition means more potential matches nearby. Groups and community features go beyond 1:1 matching into real friend circles. Photo verification on every profile reduces catfishing and spam. Interest tags and photo prompts make profiles feel more personal than a generic bio.

Meet5: Activity-based format takes the pressure off — you're there to do something, not just make small talk. Massive user base (2.5 million+) means plenty of events to choose from in supported regions. All core activity features are completely free. User verification process keeps the community legitimate. You can create your own events, not just join existing ones.

Reality check

Bumble BFF: The swiping mechanic still feels borrowed from dating — some people find it awkward for friendship. Conversations can fizzle fast since there's no built-in reason to actually meet up. The 2025 relaunch is still relatively new, so Groups can feel empty in smaller cities. No structured events or activities — you have to organize meetups yourself.

Meet5: User density in the US is still growing compared to established European cities. Premium features (private chat, seeing who favorited you) require a subscription. Event quality depends entirely on who creates them — no curation or facilitation. The app interface can feel cluttered compared to more polished competitors.

Søren's take

On Bumble BFF: Bumble BFF has the biggest advantage any friendship app can have: name recognition. Almost everyone has heard of Bumble, which means the user base is enormous. The 2025 relaunch with Groups is a smart move — pure 1:1 swiping for friends always felt slightly off, and the community layer gives you a reason to keep coming back. The fact that it's entirely free is remarkable. The catch? It still lacks the structured, get-you-out-of-the-house push that apps like Timeleft provide. You'll need to be proactive about turning matches into real-life hangouts.

On Meet5: Meet5 takes the opposite approach from algorithm-matched dinner apps: instead of assigning you a table, it gives you a menu of activities and lets you choose your own adventure. That freedom is both its strength and weakness — you'll find everything from hiking trips to board game nights, but the quality is entirely user-generated. The 2.5 million users and half a million completed activities prove the model works. Now that it's available in the US alongside its established European base, it's one of the best free ways to meet people through shared interests wherever you are.