There are more apps to make friends in 2026 than ever. But many lists online are three years old. They recommend apps that no longer exist and prices that are no longer right.
On 5 November 2026 we checked every app and format in the German App Store and on each provider's website: does it work in Munich? What does it cost? How does it work? Here is what we found, sorted by how the apps work.
Good to know: we are building our own app for spontaneous meetups in small groups, Spontaction. It does not launch until 2027, so it is not part of this comparison.
In short: For 18- to 30-year-olds in Munich, three options stand out in 2026. Timeleft puts you at a table with strangers, but needs a subscription. Meetup is free for attendees and has meetups every week, often in English. Bumble For Friends is good for 1:1 chats, but has not been updated in Germany since September 2025. Whatever app you pick, it gets you to the first meetup. Friendship only grows when you see the same people again and again.
- Want to start in a group? Timeleft or Meetup.
- Want to chat first, then meet? Bumble For Friends.
- Want no app at all? Socialhood or Socialmatch in Munich.
Which kind of app suits you?
Most apps work on one of five principles. Once you know what suits you, you save a lot of trial and error.
| Principle | How it works | Apps and formats |
|---|---|---|
| Group at a table | A small group is put together and you meet | Timeleft, Socialmatch |
| Swipe and chat | You swipe profiles, chat 1:1 and set up a meetup | Bumble For Friends |
| Groups and events | You pick a hobby or event and go | Meetup, Spontacts, GemeinsamErleben, Socialhood |
| Online first | You talk in livestreams and chats, meeting comes later | Yubo |
| Neighbourhood and travel | People in your area, or travellers who happen to be nearby | nebenan.de, Couchsurfing Hangouts |
A simple test: is small talk easier for you with one person than in a group? Then start with swiping. Do you talk more easily when there is a shared activity? Then groups and events are a better fit.
All apps compared
Prices from the German App Store or the provider's website, as of 5 November 2026. Many apps are free and make money with extras.
| App or format | Principle | Cost | In Munich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timeleft | Group at a table | Subscription from €18.49, food paid separately | Yes, every week |
| Bumble For Friends | Swipe and chat | Free, Premium from €9.99 per month | Yes |
| Meetup | Groups and events | Free for attendees | Yes, lots of events |
| Spontacts | Groups and events | Free, optional Premium | Yes |
| GemeinsamErleben | Groups and events | Free, with ads | Across Germany |
| Socialhood | Groups and events, no app | Sign-up free, some events members only | Munich only |
| Socialmatch | Group at a table, no app | €25 per evening | Yes |
| Yubo | Online first | Free, Power Pack €14.99 per month | Mostly online |
| nebenan.de | Neighbourhood and travel | Free | Yes |
| Couchsurfing Hangouts | Neighbourhood and travel | Verification €34.99 per year | Yes, mostly travellers |
Below you will find each option in more detail, with strengths and catches.
Group at a table: Timeleft
Timeleft is one of the best-known apps for meeting strangers. According to its website, it has over 4 million members in 52 countries. The idea: you answer questions about yourself, and the app seats you with people you might get along with. You have never met before.
In Munich there are several formats a week, mainly dinners on weekdays, plus coffee on Saturday and a walk on Sunday. According to Timeleft, there were 964 bookings in Munich in October 2026.
Good for you if you do not want to walk in somewhere alone. The group is small and everyone is new.
The catch: you cannot book without a subscription. In the German App Store prices start at €18.49. You pay for food and drinks on top. The app itself is English only according to the App Store, and the dinners run in German or English.
Swipe and chat: Bumble For Friends
Bumble For Friends is the friendship version of the dating app Bumble. It used to be called Bumble BFF. You swipe profiles, and if you both like each other, you can chat.
Good for you if you want to chat first and meet later. You can take your time to see who you click with.
The catch: the basic version is free. Premium costs €4.99 per week or €9.99 per month (App Store). The last update in Germany came on 22 September 2025. Since September 2025, there has been a new version with groups in the US, called BFF again, TechCrunch reports. It is not available in Germany yet.
A tip for swipe apps: after a few messages, suggest meeting up in a public place. Long chats without a meetup often fizzle out.
Groups and events: Meetup, Spontacts, GemeinsamErleben
These apps are about an activity, not one person. You pick what you want to do and meet people who want the same.
Meetup
Meetup is one of the best-known platforms for groups and events. In Munich there are lots of meetups every week, for example speed friending or after-work drinks (Meetup Munich).
Good for you if you do not want to pay. Meetup is free for attendees.
The catch: many Munich groups have English titles and are aimed at expats. That is great if that is what you are looking for. If you want to practise German or meet locals, check the group before you go.
Spontacts and GemeinsamErleben
According to its website, Spontacts is part of the GemeinsamErleben network. Members post activities like hiking, cinema or brunch, and others join. According to Spontacts, Munich is one of its most active cities.
Good for you if you want to make plans in German, for example to practise the language. Both apps are free, Spontacts has an optional Premium. GemeinsamErleben is funded by ads (gemeinsamerleben.com).
The catch: both apps are mainly in German, and the groups are very mixed, in age too. Check who has signed up for an activity before you go.
Online first: Yubo
Yubo works differently from the other apps. You meet people mainly in livestreams and chats, not necessarily from your city.
Since 1 November 2025, Yubo has been 18+ only (Yubo press release). Age is checked with a face scan.
Good for you if you like to talk online first. The catch: Yubo is not made for meeting up in Munich. Extras cost, for example, €14.99 per month (App Store).
Neighbourhood and travel: nebenan.de, Couchsurfing Hangouts
These two apps connect you with people nearby, in very different ways.
nebenan.de
nebenan.de connects you with people in your neighbourhood. According to heise, the platform has over 4.3 million users. There are local groups, a marketplace and neighbours helping each other. Free, and in German.
Good for you if you want to meet people right around the corner. The catch: it is often about helping and swapping things, not about friendship. Look for groups in your neighbourhood that meet regularly.
Couchsurfing Hangouts
With Hangouts you can see who nearby has time right now. The feature is still listed in the app description, and verification costs €34.99 per year.
Good for you if you love to travel yourself or like meeting people from all over the world. The catch: many are only in Munich for a few days. For friends who stay, it is less of a fit.
No app needed: evenings in Munich
Some formats in Munich do not need an app at all. You sign up on the website and go. Socialhood fits the groups and events type, Socialmatch the group at a table type.
Socialhood
Socialhood runs hosted "Happenings" in Munich, for example bouldering, pub quiz, padel or dinner. Some events are for one age group only, such as 18 to 26 (socialhood-munich.com).
Good for you if you want a set activity and someone who hosts the getting-to-know-you part. The catch: sign-up is free, but some events are for members only.
Socialmatch
At Socialmatch, about ten people meet in a bar and play a game together. Afterwards you swap contacts if you want to (socialmatch.de).
Good for you if you like a clear format: one evening, one game, new people. Rounds start at age 20. The catch: an evening costs €25 per person, the group is new every time, and the site is in German.
You will find more groups and meetups without an app in our guide How to Meet New People in Munich.
Apps you can skip
Many older lists recommend apps that no longer exist in that form or are not made for you. As of our check on 5 November 2026:
- Hey! VINA: vina.io redirects to a page selling the domain, and the app is no longer in the German App Store.
- Patook: patook.com can no longer be reached.
- Meet5: available in Germany, but aimed at people over 40 according to its App Store description.
What no app does for you
Every app here can get you to a first meetup. Friendship grows after that, with time.
Jeffrey Hall from the University of Kansas studied how much time together it takes (Hall 2018). It takes around 50 hours to become casual friends and over 200 hours to become close friends.
One evening gives you maybe three hours. If you meet new people every time, you start from zero again and again. That is why our rule of thumb works for any app:
- Stick with one group. Five times to the same Meetup group beats once to five different ones.
- Ask about next time. If you get along, ask straight away whether you will see each other again.
- Meet in public first. Café, bar or bouldering gym, never straight at someone's home.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app to make friends?
It depends on how you like to meet people. For a small group at a table, Timeleft fits. For free events, Meetup. For 1:1 chats, Bumble For Friends. In Munich, these three were the most active options we found on 5 November 2026.
Are there free apps to make friends?
Yes. Meetup is free for attendees, and so are GemeinsamErleben and nebenan.de. Bumble For Friends and Spontacts have a free basic version and paid extras. Timeleft, on the other hand, needs a subscription.
Does Bumble BFF still exist?
Yes. In Germany the app is called Bumble For Friends, and the last update came on 22 September 2025. Since September 2025, there has been a new version with groups in the US, called Bumble BFF again.
Which app is best if I am new to Munich?
Start with a format that repeats often. On Meetup you will find meetups every week, and Timeleft runs several evenings a week. Even more groups, courses and meetups without an app are in our Munich guide.
One app, one group, keep going
There are enough apps in 2026. What matters more than which app you pick is what you do next:
- Pick one app that suits your style: group, chat or event.
- Go back to the same group. With every meetup, a room full of strangers becomes a familiar one.
- Start this week. There are meetups on Meetup and Timeleft in Munich every week.
We start in Munich in 2027 with spontaneous meetups in small groups, where you can see the same people again. If you want to be there from day one: join the waitlist.
As of 5 November 2026. Prices come from the German App Store or the providers' websites and can change. Find out who is behind Spontaction on our About page. Something out of date? Write to us, contact details are in the imprint.