A Free Bumble BFF Alternative for Making Friends Who Share Your Values
TL;DR
Souldaters is a good fit if you want a completely free way to make friends through shared tribes such as vegan, hikers, yoga or single parents, with the option to date on the same profile. Bumble BFF (now offered as Bumble's dedicated friend-finding app) remains a strong choice if you want a large, friendship-only community backed by a well-known brand.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Souldaters | Bumble BFF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 100% free, no paid tier | Free to use; paid features available (varies) |
| Purpose | Friends, dating, or both on one profile | Friendship only (separate from Bumble dating) |
| How friendships start | Mutual wave, then chat opens | Mutual connection, then chat |
| Interest groups | Tribes with public pages and discussion boards; anyone can create one | Interests on profiles; group features have been added over time (varies) |
| Lifestyle filters | Free (only vegans, sober, non-smokers, exercise often…) | Basic preferences |
| Compatibility | Soul-match % with reasons (shared tribes, diet, lifestyle, distance) | Not a core feature |
| Community size | New (launched 2026), growing | Large, especially in cities |
| Platform | Installable web app; native apps coming | iOS and Android apps |
Competitor features and pricing change often; check Bumble BFF's own site for current details.
Why look for a Bumble BFF alternative?
Making friends as an adult is hard. Schools and first jobs stop doing the introductions for you, people move, and routines harden. Bumble BFF helped normalize using an app to find friends, and Bumble has since developed friend-finding into its own dedicated app. People look for alternatives for a handful of reasons: they want to find friends who share a specific lifestyle, such as a plant-based diet or an alcohol-free social life; they want to join interest groups rather than only swipe on individuals; they want everything free; or they want friendship and dating in one place without confusing anyone about their intent.
What does Bumble BFF do well?
- Clear friendship focus. Everyone there is looking for friends, which removes ambiguity.
- A well-known brand. Many people already trust Bumble and are comfortable signing up.
- Size. In many cities there are lots of people to connect with.
- Native apps that are polished and easy to use.
If you want a friendship-only space with a large community, it is a sensible choice.
How is Souldaters different for making friends?
Friends mode, on your terms
When you sign up, you choose your intent: dating, friends only, or both. If you pick friends only, you will appear only to people looking for friends. Friend matches work just like dating matches: you wave, they wave back, and chat opens. Nobody can message you unless the interest is mutual.
Tribes: friendship through shared interests
The heart of Souldaters is tribes, interest tags that are also groups. There are around sixty curated tribes, from hikers, runners, cyclists, wild swimmers and yoga to book lovers, gamers, artists, gardeners, expats, digital nomads and single parents. Each tribe has a public page and a discussion board, so you can post "anyone up for a Saturday walk?" or swap recommendations. Any member can create a new tribe for their niche, whether that is a local choir, a plant-based cooking circle or a running club.
Lifestyle filters for friends, too
Finding friends who share your habits matters. If you do not drink, you might want friends who are happy to meet for tea rather than at a bar. Souldaters' free filters let you narrow to sober or non-drinkers, non-smokers, vegans or vegetarians, people who exercise often, verified members, or people sharing a tribe.
Compatibility with reasons
Each person comes with a soul-match percentage based on shared tribes, interests, diet, lifestyle and distance, plus reasons like "2 shared tribes, both non-drinkers". It gives you an easy conversation starter.
Free, completely
No premium tier, no boosts, no paid visibility. Everything is available to everyone.
What if I want friends and dating?
Some people are open to both, for example after moving to a new city. On Souldaters, you can choose "both" so that you appear in friends and dating, and your matches know which mode they matched you in. It keeps intent clear without needing two separate apps or profiles.
Friends-only is also a gentle way to try Souldaters if you are not ready to date. You can take part in tribe discussions, build a social circle in a new place, and switch your intent later if that changes. Nothing about your tribes or profile needs to be rebuilt.
Tips for making friends on an app
- Be specific in your prompts. "Looking for someone to try every ramen place in town" works better than "looking for friends".
- Post in a tribe board. Suggest a plan: a walk, a class, a market visit. Groups feel lower pressure than one-to-one meetups.
- Move to a plan quickly. A few messages, then suggest something concrete and public.
- Be patient. Friendships take repeated contact. A second and third meetup matter more than the first.
For more, read our guides on how to make friends in a new city and the best apps to find friends.
What are the trade-offs?
Bumble's friend-finding app has a much larger community and dedicated native apps. Souldaters launched in 2026 and is still growing, so in smaller towns you may find fewer people for now, and it is an installable web app with native apps coming. If you want a friendship-only space and do not want dating anywhere near it, Bumble's product is focused on exactly that, although Souldaters' friends-only setting keeps you out of dating entirely.
Features and pricing of other apps change often; check their site for current details.
Who is each best for?
- Souldaters: people who want free friend-finding through shared interests and lifestyle, like to join groups and discussion boards, or want friends and dating in one place.
- Bumble BFF: people who want a large, friendship-only app from a familiar brand.
How to get started
- Sign up free and choose "friends only" or "both".
- Add a few photos that show what you enjoy doing.
- Answer three prompts with plans you would love company for.
- Join the tribes that match your hobbies and lifestyle, and introduce yourself on their boards.
- Wave at people who share your tribes, and suggest a simple first meetup once you connect.
Frequently asked questions
What is a free alternative to Bumble BFF?
Souldaters has a completely free friends mode where friendships start with a mutual wave, plus tribes for shared interests with discussion boards. Meetup is another option if you prefer group events.
Can I use Souldaters only for friends?
Yes. Choose "friends only" and you will appear only to people looking for friends. You can switch to dating or both at any time.
How do friend matches work on Souldaters?
You wave at someone, and if they wave back, you match and chat opens. Nobody can message you unless the interest is mutual.
Can I find vegan or sober friends on Souldaters?
Yes. Join tribes like vegan or sober, and use free filters such as only vegans and vegetarians or sober and non-drinkers in friends mode.