What is the difference between Butter and RealRoots?

Butter is a friendship app that uses manual / self-select matching with groups of Varies, priced at Free (Free to use; you cover any activity costs), available in 0 cities. RealRoots is a friendship app using algorithm-based matching with groups of Small groups, priced at $$ (Membership required; pricing varies by city), available in 0 cities. Key differences include their matching approach, pricing model, and city coverage. Butter's strengths: You choose the activity, so every meetup is something you actually want to do. RealRoots's strengths: Six-week format builds real friendships — not just surface-level connections from a single meetup.

Which is better, Butter or RealRoots?

It depends on what you're looking for. Choose Butter if you prefer manual / self-select matching, Varies groups, and on-demand events — Create a plan, pick who joins, and go do it.. Choose RealRoots if you prefer algorithm-based matching, Small groups groups, and weekly events — Six weeks of guided hangouts with the same women.. Both are available as IRL social apps. Compare pricing (Butter: Free, RealRoots: $$) and city availability on Søren to find the best fit for meeting people in real life.

Butter

RealRoots

Butter vs RealRoots

Butter and RealRoots are both friendship apps that help you meet people in real life, but they take different approaches. Here’s how they stack up across pricing, format, cities, and more.

Side-by-side comparison · Updated 2026

At a glance

Butter RealRoots

CategoryFriendshipFriendship

PriceFree — Free to use; you cover any activity costs$$ — Membership required; pricing varies by city

Group SizeVariesSmall groups

MatchingManual / Self-selectAlgorithm-based

Frequencyon-demandweekly

Age Range—21+

PlatformsiOS, AndroidiOS, Android

Cities0 cities0 cities

Pricing

Butter is priced at Free (Free to use; you cover any activity costs), while RealRoots comes in at $$ (Membership required; pricing varies by city).

Format & matching

Butter uses groups of Varies, compared to RealRoots’s Small groups, and Butter relies on manual / self-select matching while RealRoots uses algorithm-based matching.

How they work

Butter: Download the app and create a profile. Browse plans others have posted — anything from dinner parties to run clubs to coffee catch-ups — or host your own by setting the activity, time, and location. When someone wants to join your plan, they send a request and you decide who to accept. Show up, do the thing, and meet people who are genuinely into the same stuff. After the plan, you can stay connected through the app or just show up to the next one.

RealRoots: Download the app and complete a five-minute personality assessment with Lisa, RealRoots' AI coach. The system matches you with a small group of women in your city based on personality, interests, and life stage. A trained guide facilitates your first hangout so nobody has to carry the social weight alone. You meet the same group weekly for six weeks — the repeated contact is the whole point. After graduating, you join a community with weekly events and can stay connected with your group or meet new ones.

What to love

Butter: You choose the activity, so every meetup is something you actually want to do. Host-picks-guests model means more intentional, higher-quality connections. Alcohol-free plans are a first-class option, not an afterthought. Free to use with no subscription paywall. Covers a wide range of activities beyond just dining.

RealRoots: Six-week format builds real friendships — not just surface-level connections from a single meetup. Trained guides facilitate every hangout so it's never awkward or one-sided. YC-backed with 150,000+ friendships made — serious traction and investment. Available on both iOS and Android. Graduate community with ongoing events means the friendships don't dead-end after six weeks.

Reality check

Butter: Currently limited to Melbourne — most people can't use it yet. Only four screenshots on the listing, so the app experience is a bit opaque. Success depends heavily on local user density and active hosts. No algorithmic matching — you have to browse and self-select.

RealRoots: Women only — not an option for men or co-ed groups. Requires a multi-week commitment upfront, which can feel like a lot. City availability is expanding but still limited in smaller metros. Pricing isn't transparent — you have to sign up to see costs.

Søren's take

On Butter: Butter is doing something refreshingly different: instead of matching you with strangers and hoping for the best, it lets you build plans and invite people into them. The host-selects-guests model gives you real agency, and the focus on alcohol-free and activity-based plans feels genuinely modern. The catch is that it's Melbourne-only for now, so unless you're there, you're on a waitlist. If you are in Melbourne and tired of apps that promise connection but deliver small talk, Butter is worth a serious look.

On RealRoots: RealRoots solves the biggest problem with friendship apps: one coffee date doesn't make a friend. By committing you to six weeks with the same group and putting a trained guide in the room, they've essentially productized the way real friendships actually form — through repeated, low-stakes contact over time. The women-only focus is a deliberate choice that creates a specific kind of safety and openness. The 4.8-star rating with nearly 1,000 reviews and YC backing suggest this isn't a gimmick. If you're a woman tired of friendship apps that go nowhere, this is the one to try.