Les Amis vs Midnight Runners

Pricing

Both Les Amis and Midnight Runners fall in the Free price range. Les Amis: Free to join; optional credit purchases for premium experiences. Midnight Runners: All events are completely free.

Format & matching

Les Amis uses groups of Varies, compared to Midnight Runners’s 20-100+ per event, and Les Amis relies on interest-based matching while Midnight Runners uses manual / self-select matching.

How they work

Les Amis: Download the app and create a profile — all users go through a verification process to keep the community women-only. Browse upcoming events in your city, from pottery classes and wine tastings to outdoor hikes and dinner parties. RSVP to anything that catches your eye. You can also join interest-based groups to find women who share your hobbies and start chatting before you ever meet in person. Show up to the event, meet your new people, and follow up through private messaging in the app.

Midnight Runners: Head to the Midnight Runners website and find your city's page. Each city has its own Instagram and community hub where upcoming events are posted. Events are managed through the free Heylo app — download it and join your city's Midnight Runners group to RSVP. Show up in running gear (some events offer bag drop, check beforehand), and you'll join a 5-10km bootcamp run with music, exercise stops, and a cool-down. No pace pressure — all fitness levels are welcome. Events typically run weekly, with occasional party runs and special events.

What to love

Les Amis: Women-only space creates genuine comfort and safety. Curated offline events take the planning burden off you. Verified profiles mean less spam and more real people. Available across 12 cities in Europe and the US. Interest-based groups let you find your people before meeting IRL.

Midnight Runners: Completely free — no membership fees, no hidden costs, ever. Active in 18 cities worldwide, so you can join runs while traveling. Music and exercise stops make it feel more like a party than a workout. Volunteer-led with 240+ crew captains who genuinely care about community. All fitness levels welcome — no pace requirements or experience needed.

Reality check

Les Amis: Women-only means you can't bring male friends or partners. Event availability varies heavily by city — Barcelona and Amsterdam have the most. Premium experiences cost extra credits on top of the free tier. Still relatively small community in newer cities like Austin and New York.

Midnight Runners: No dedicated app — event management happens through Heylo, a third-party platform. Event availability depends on local volunteer crew captains, so some cities are more active than others. Large group sizes mean less intimate social interaction compared to smaller dinner clubs. Primarily running-focused — if you don't enjoy running, the social side alone might not be enough.

Søren's take

On Les Amis: Les Amis nails something most friendship apps get wrong: it leads with real events, not endless chat threads. The women-only angle isn't just a filter — it fundamentally changes the vibe. Women show up more open, more relaxed, and more willing to actually exchange numbers. The European city coverage is strong (Barcelona and Amsterdam especially), though the US expansion is still early. If you're a woman in one of their cities and you're tired of trying to make friends through dating app side features, Les Amis is the real deal.

On Midnight Runners: Midnight Runners is one of the most impressive community-building stories in fitness. The fact that it's entirely free and volunteer-run, yet operates in 18 cities with consistent quality, is remarkable. The experience is genuinely fun — portable speakers, choreographed stops, and a post-run social vibe that naturally builds friendships. If you're in a city with an active chapter, just show up once. You'll know immediately if it's for you.