Best Apps to Make Friends While Solo Traveling

Updated for 2026 — Accurate as of February 2026.

The loneliest moment of my solo travel career was not in a remote village or a foreign country. It was sitting in a bustling hostel common room in Bangkok, surrounded by groups of friends who had all met each other the day before, while I scrolled my phone alone on the couch pretending I was busy. I had traveled alone for two weeks, and the novelty of solitude had worn thin. I wanted a conversation. I wanted someone to share a meal with. I wanted a friend.

That night, I downloaded three apps, and by the next morning, I was sharing breakfast with a Canadian teacher who had been solo traveling for six months. We hiked together for three days and still text each other regularly. That Canadian teacher is now one of my closest friends, and we met because an algorithm connected two women who happened to be in the same city on the same day.

Technology has fundamentally changed how solo travelers connect. According to a 2025 study by Hostelworld, 67% of solo travelers use apps or social platforms to meet other travelers, up from 32% in 2019. The stigma of “meeting people online” has disappeared in the travel context because everyone understands that solo travelers need community, and apps are simply the most efficient way to create it.

The Top Apps for Meeting People While Traveling

Bumble BFF

What it is: Bumble’s friend-finding mode. Same swipe interface as dating Bumble, but exclusively for platonic friendships.

How it works: Create a BFF profile (separate from your dating profile), set your location, and swipe on potential friends. When you match, you have 24 hours to send the first message (women-first etiquette applies in BFF mode too on some versions).

My experience: Bumble BFF is my most-used travel friendship app. I have met 15+ women through it across 8 countries. The quality of connections tends to be higher than other platforms because the interface attracts people who are intentional about friendship.

Aspect	Rating	Notes
User base	Large (available in 150+ countries)	Best in English-speaking countries and Western Europe
Quality of connections	High	People on Bumble BFF are actively seeking friends
Safety features	Excellent	Photo verification, reporting, blocking
Ease of use	Very easy	Familiar swipe interface
Best for	Solo women 25-45	Strong female user base
Cost	Free (premium features optional)	Premium adds travel mode and advanced filters

Tips for maximizing Bumble BFF while traveling:

• Update your bio to mention you are traveling solo and looking for travel companions
• Include your travel dates and city in your bio
• Respond to matches immediately (people in travel mode have short time windows)
• Suggest a specific activity for your first meetup (coffee, walking tour, market visit)

Meetup

What it is: Platform for finding and joining group activities based on shared interests.

How it works: Search for events in your destination city by interest (hiking, food, language exchange, book clubs, photography walks, etc.). RSVP to events and show up. No matching required.

My experience: Meetup is the best app for low-pressure socializing because you are joining a group activity, not meeting a stranger one-on-one. I have attended language exchange meetups in Barcelona, hiking groups in Vancouver, and food tours organized through Meetup in Tokyo.

Aspect	Rating	Notes
User base	Moderate (varies significantly by city)	Excellent in major cities, sparse in smaller towns
Quality of connections	Good	Interest-based groups attract compatible people
Safety features	Moderate	Public events, group settings, but less verification than Bumble
Ease of use	Easy	Search, RSVP, show up
Best for	Anyone who prefers group settings	Great for introverts and first-time solo travelers
Cost	Free (some events have fees)	Organizer-dependent

Tourlina

What it is: Women-only travel companion matching app.

How it works: Create a profile with your travel plans, interests, and companion preferences. Browse other women’s profiles and connect with potential travel partners for shared activities, meals, or portions of your trip.

My experience: Tourlina is specifically designed for the exact situation most solo female travelers face — wanting a temporary travel buddy for specific activities. I used it to find a hiking partner for a two-day trek in Scotland and a dinner companion in Rome. Both connections were excellent.

Aspect	Rating	Notes
User base	Smaller (women-only by design)	Growing but not available everywhere
Quality of connections	Very high	Travel-focused, safety-conscious women
Safety features	Very good	Women-only, profile verification
Ease of use	Easy	Travel-specific interface
Best for	Solo women seeking activity-specific companions	Hiking partners, dinner companions, day trip buddies
Cost	Free basic, premium optional	Premium adds more search filters

Couchsurfing Hangouts

What it is: The social feature of Couchsurfing (separate from the accommodation-sharing feature).

How it works: Post a “hangout” (e.g., “Looking for someone to explore the Christmas markets in Vienna this afternoon”) or browse and join other people’s hangouts. Real-time, location-based, activity-focused.

My experience: Couchsurfing Hangouts is the most spontaneous of all the apps. It is for right now — not tomorrow, not next week, but this afternoon. I have used it to find companions for sunset viewpoints, evening walks, and street food explorations. The connections are often brief (a few hours) but genuine.

Aspect	Rating	Notes
User base	Large (global)	Very active in backpacker-heavy destinations
Quality of connections	Variable	Ranges from great to mediocre; vetting required
Safety features	Moderate	References and reviews, but less verification than Bumble
Ease of use	Easy	Post or join hangouts
Best for	Spontaneous, extroverted travelers	Same-day connections
Cost	$2.39/month (verified members only since 2020)

Facebook Groups

What it is: Destination-specific and interest-specific groups for solo travelers.

How it works: Join groups like “Girls LOVE Travel” (2.2 million members), “Solo Female Travelers” (900K+ members), or destination-specific groups (e.g., “Solo Travelers in Portugal”). Post when you are visiting a city, ask for recommendations, and connect with other members who are there at the same time.

My experience: Facebook groups have produced some of my best travel friendships because the groups are large enough that someone is almost always in your destination city. I posted in “Girls LOVE Travel” that I was heading to Ljubljana, and within hours, three other solo women responded who were also there that week. We spent four days exploring together.

Aspect	Rating	Notes
User base	Massive	Largest solo female travel communities online
Quality of connections	Good to excellent	Travel-focused, women-supportive communities
Safety features	Moderate	Group moderation, but Facebook profiles can be fabricated
Ease of use	Easy	Post, respond, meet
Best for	Planning-phase connections and spontaneous meetups	All solo female travelers
Cost	Free

Key Facebook groups for solo female travelers:

• Girls LOVE Travel (2.2M+ members)
• Solo Female Travelers (900K+ members)
• Women Who Travel (Conde Nast Traveler, 200K+)
• Host A Sister (women’s hospitality exchange, 600K+)
• Destination-specific groups (search “[destination] solo female travelers”)

App Comparison Table

App	Best For	Safety	Spontaneity	Depth of Connection	Cost
Bumble BFF	One-on-one friendships	Excellent	Moderate	High	Free
Meetup	Group activities	Good	Low (planned events)	Medium	Free
Tourlina	Women-only travel partners	Very good	Moderate	High	Free
CS Hangouts	Same-day connections	Moderate	Very high	Low-Medium	$2.39/month
Facebook Groups	Planning & spontaneous	Moderate	High	Variable	Free
Hostelworld Social	Hostel-based connections	Good	High	Low-Medium	Free
Backpackr	Traveler-to-traveler matching	Moderate	Moderate	Medium	Free

Safety Guidelines for Meeting People Through Apps

The Non-Negotiable Rules

Meeting strangers through apps while traveling solo requires the same safety protocols as dating apps, adjusted for the travel context:

1. Always meet in a public place. Cafes, restaurants, tourist landmarks — never someone’s accommodation or yours.
2. Tell someone where you are going. Text a friend your plans: who you are meeting (send their profile), where, and when you expect to be back.
3. Keep your accommodation details private until you have established trust.
4. Trust your instincts without exception. If something feels off before or during a meetup, leave. You owe no one an explanation.
5. Verify the person’s identity if possible. Video call before meeting, check their social media presence, look for consistent information across platforms.
6. Do not consume excessive alcohol at first meetings. Stay sharp.
7. Have your own transportation planned. Never rely on someone you just met for a ride home.

Red Flags in Travel Friendship Apps

• Profiles with very few photos or no real photos
• Immediate pushiness about meeting location (wanting to meet at their accommodation)
• Excessive personal questions before meeting (where exactly you are staying, your full travel schedule)
• Unwillingness to meet in public
• Profiles that feel more like dating profiles than friendship profiles (commenting on your appearance, sending flirtatious messages)
• Pressure to change plans or go somewhere you had not agreed to

Beyond Apps: Organic Ways to Make Friends

Hostels

Even if you do not stay in hostels, visit their bars and common rooms. Many hostel bars are open to non-guests and are the most reliable place to meet other solo travelers.

Walking Tours

Free walking tours (tip-based) attract solo travelers disproportionately. By the end of a 2-hour tour, you have shared an experience with a group of people, and conversations flow naturally.

Cooking Classes

Small group cooking classes are friendship factories. You bond over shared activity, you eat together, and the conversation is built-in.

Language Exchange Events

Available in most major cities through Meetup, Facebook, or local organizations. You practice a language while making international friends.

Coworking Spaces

If you work remotely, coworking spaces attract other solo travelers and digital nomads. The social infrastructure (communal kitchens, networking events, happy hours) creates connection effortlessly.

Hotel and Hostel Organized Activities

Many accommodations organize pub crawls, day trips, cooking nights, and walking tours specifically to help solo travelers connect. Ask at reception what is available.

The Art of the First Approach

For Introverts

If you are introverted, the prospect of approaching strangers is daunting. Here are low-pressure opening lines that have worked for me:

• “Is this your first time in [city]?” (At a viewpoint or landmark)
• “Do you have a restaurant recommendation nearby?” (At a hostel or coworking space)
• “Mind if I sit here?” (At a communal table, bar counter, or shared seating)
• “Are you traveling alone too?” (When you sense another solo traveler)

None of these require you to be outgoing, charismatic, or even particularly interested in socializing. They simply open a door that the other person can walk through or not.

The 3-Minute Rule

When I arrive at a hostel common room, a meetup event, or a group activity, I give myself a 3-minute rule: within three minutes, I will say something to someone. Not a deep conversation — just an observation, a question, or a comment. “This place is nice” counts. “Have you been here before?” counts. “I love your bag” counts.

The purpose is not to make a friend in three minutes. The purpose is to break the seal of silence so that conversation can develop naturally if it is going to. Most of the time, these three-minute openers lead to nothing. Occasionally, they lead to a breakfast companion, a hiking partner, or a friend you will have for life.

The truth about making friends while solo traveling is that it is simultaneously easier and harder than you expect. Easier because fellow travelers are open, curious, and looking for connection just like you. Harder because it requires initiative, vulnerability, and the willingness to hear “no” (or more often, encounter awkward silence) before you hear “yes.”

But the “yes” — the moment when a stranger becomes a friend over shared food in a foreign city — is one of the greatest gifts of solo travel. It is the proof that human connection is not dependent on shared history, shared language, or shared zip codes. It only requires shared presence, and the courage to say hello.

You Might Also Like

• Meeting People While Solo Traveling
• Solo Travel Loneliness Tips for Women
• Best Hostels for Solo Women Travelers