InterNations vs RealRoots

Pricing

Both InterNations and RealRoots fall in the $$ price range. InterNations: Free basic membership; paid plans vary by location and subscription period. RealRoots: Membership required; pricing varies by city.

Format & matching

InterNations uses groups of Varies, compared to RealRoots’s Small groups, and InterNations relies on interest-based matching while RealRoots uses algorithm-based matching.

How they work

InterNations: Sign up and set your city — InterNations has communities in over 420 cities worldwide. Browse upcoming events near you, from casual drinks to cultural outings to professional networking nights. Join interest-based groups (hiking, photography, new parents, whatever you're into) to find people on your wavelength. RSVP to events and show up — most are organized by volunteer community ambassadors. You can also post in forums, send messages, and connect one-on-one with people nearby.

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

InterNations: Enormous reach — 420+ cities means it works almost anywhere in the world. Events are well-organized and span professional, social, and cultural categories. Interest-based groups let you find your niche within a large community. Strong for professional networking alongside social connections. Free tier is genuinely usable for browsing events and groups.

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

InterNations: Paid membership is required to message people or see who's attending events. Skews older and more professional — not the place for a rowdy night out. Event quality depends heavily on local ambassadors, which varies by city. The interface feels more web-era than modern app-first.

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 InterNations: InterNations is the 800-pound gorilla of expat networking. If you've moved abroad and want to meet people who understand the experience of navigating a new country, this is the most reliable option by sheer scale. The events are the real draw — well-organized, usually at interesting venues, and consistently attended. The downside is that the free tier feels like a teaser, and the paid plans aren't cheap. It also leans more professional-networking than casual-hangout, so if you're looking for a party, look elsewhere. But for building a real social foundation in a new city abroad, InterNations is hard to beat.

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.