Meetup apps are springing up left and right, promising you friendship in a time when many people struggle to build new connections. After attending multiple meetups, I can safely say they’re not what you expect. You may not meet your best friend, but you can expect to get social in new ways.
A few months ago, I shared my experience of meeting strangers for coffee in my newsletter. And it sure got a lot of responses.
In 2025, met over 100 strangers by sitting down for coffee or dinner. While I wish I were so friendly-looking that I just met all these people single-handedly, I met them through various meetup apps.
Chances are, you’ve also received ads for these apps. They promise carefully curated meetups, where you can meet with strangers and form new connections.
These meetup apps have been growing in popularity, most likely as a result of the loneliness that emerged from the pandemic. From working remotely to losing friendships, people were craving connection.
I was not alone in that. Seeing these apps advertised made me think, “When is the last time I made any new connections?”
So I signed up. And ended up loving it so much, I went to as many meetups as I could. I ended up meeting people that I now consider some of my closest friends. But this didn’t happen immediately.
How It Works
There are different apps and websites, and they all work a little bit differently. The two apps that I have used the most are Timeleft and Kin. And they both work approximately the same way.
You start off by filling in your profile with basic info about yourself. This will help the group facilitators pair you with other people they think you’ll hit it off with.
Timeleft focuses on dinners, while Kin focuses on coffee meetups. You’ll be notified of your date and time for your meetup, but you won’t receive the details of who will be attending. You don’t do any planning or networking ahead of time. You simply show up.
And yes, it can be a little awkward at first. But there are typically a person or two in the group who have done this before and don’t mind steering the conversation.
So here’s what I’ve learned from doing this over the course of a year.
Everyone is Here for Their Own Reason
The people who join these groups are from all walks of life. While the app will create a group based around commonalities (age, interests, etc.), you’re still going to meet people you wouldn’t normally interact with. And that’s a good thing.
I’ve encountered those who are married, single, new to the country, have kids who have recently left the nest. Some are foodies who use this as a way to try out different restaurants and have stimulating conversation while they’re at it.
Some people want to make new connections and deeper friendships. Which is why I was there.
There’s a huge lack of commitment, which is really nice if you look at it the right way. Come into the experience knowing that it’s very casual. Most of the people are comfortable just showing up and having these dinners. They find them as a way to feel connected without having to go with a partner or a friend.
It’s important to remember that not everyone is looking to get the same experience out of this. Go in with the expectation to meet new people and have some dinner. And something will arise from it, should there be a desire from the participants.
It’s Easier to Meet People in a Group Setting
Being in a group dynamic is much less intimidating than trying to meet with people one-on-one. You don’t have to worry about continuously keeping up the conversation. But the group must be a small enough size, and the meeting should be intentional.
Compare this to a party where you don’t know many people; it can be hard to mingle because there are no forced introductions. I consider myself a fairly social person, and I still find it really hard to make connections if I only know the host or a couple of people.
Having an activity to do while you chit-chat also helps to ease any awkwardness. It can be as simple as sipping a coffee or eating dinner, but I have gone to other group activities like hikes, paint and sip at a brewery, skiing, and karaoke. I’ve heard of board game groups and others based around practicing Spanish.
There is a group-related activity that relates to your existing interests. The activity is simply the reason for you all to get together and give you something in common.
A Replacement for Third Spaces
Don’t go into this experience trying to find a deep connection. Yes, this can organically arise from the experience of constantly meeting with strangers, but I have found that these meetups are more like a replacement for a third space.
Third spaces are a place to go that’s separate from the home and work, and are a place for you to get social and build community. Think of libraries, coffee shops, churches, gyms, legions, bars, and parks. Ideally, you shouldn’t have to pay much to spend time there. Unfortunately, affordable third spaces are getting hard to come by. And fewer people are being social in third spaces.
These meetups provide a place to meet and arrange all the details on your behalf. All you have to do is show up, making it low commitment. Go in with a desire to interact with people, and you’ll get something out of the experience.
I already have many deep friendships, many of which I maintain on a regular basis. But what I didn’t have was the opportunity to go out for dinner on a Thursday night and sit with a group of strangers.
At the end of it, I could say goodnight and go on about my business. It allows me to sit in a social environment as someone who works from home.
Don’t worry about trying to get to the “meat” of conversation too quickly, and form these deep connections. These meetups are about having a casual place to go and to feel less pressure in social settings.
You’ll Be Pleasantly Surprised
If you go in with all of the above as your mindset, you’re starting in a really good place. You’re going to get out of the house, be a little social, meet with some hopefully like-minded people, and then be on your merry way.
And if something else arises out of that, amazing.
I met a woman at one of the coffee meetups, and she and I have become really close. I now consider her one of my best friends.
I’ve also met a large group of people (about 20-30 people) with whom I now routinely go out for a variety of activities. We do karaoke on a regular basis and go out for dinner. I’m also in a skiing group that meets up regularly in the winter.
Most of the people I have met are activity partners, but a few have become really close friends. So if you’ve gone to a few dinners or meetups, I encourage you to keep trying. You’ll find the people you’re meant to click with.
Meetup Apps to Try
My Experience With Timeleft
After you sign up and fill in a bit about yourself, Timeleft will take over and schedule a dinner for you, matching you with a group of six or so strangers.
What I like about the app is that they obviously have local people in place to help with scheduling. They book the restaurant for you, and you won’t know who you’re meeting or where you’re meeting until the day of the dinner.
I found it to be a great way to get out of the house in a low-commitment, social environment. When you’re having dinner, you’re sitting right next to these strangers, and conversation will flow.
I’ve had some dinners where I don’t love some of the ideas being discussed or where the flow of dinner feels a little bit uncomfortable. But of course, that’s going to happen when you’re regularly meeting with strangers.
Dinner has a certain level of intention, since people must put in the effort of going to a restaurant and contributing their time, money, and effort to get to know other people. People show up with a level of openness.
In total, I went to 11 dinners in 2025, so I found the experience quite amazing. I would highly recommend it if it’s available in your city (it’s in 200+ cities and 52 countries). Besides dinner, you can also meet for drinks or runs.
My Experience With Kin
If dinner feels a little too intense, I’ve done the exact same thing through Kin and met up with a group of people for coffee. Coffee meetups definitely feel more casual than dinner. Kin has the same structure as Timeleft, where they will arrange everything for you, giving you a place and time to meet.
You begin by taking a quick questionnaire, which they will use to help match you with those of your age and personality. Groups can range from 4 to 7 people.
From Kin, I’ve made some of my closest friends. I found people that I connected with quickly, and planned to hang out with them immediately.
I’ve also met people that I encounter again at another coffee, or even dinner through Timeleft. It’s great because I can follow up on our earlier conversations!
Kin is currently only available in ten cities, but I hope it continues to expand because I think it’s a really great low-stakes, affordable option for those interested in community building.
Other Meetup Apps to Try
I have not given these apps a try, but I wanted to include them in case they were more available in your city or had features you’d be interested in. All of them seem to be a little different.
- Group Vibes: Very similar to Timeleft and Kin, Group Vibes will match you with like-minded people and schedule a meetup in a café or restaurant. It’s currently available in 40 cities and 15 countries.
- RealRoots: RealRoots is another match/group meetup app, but specifically designed for women. It also includes a RealRoots guide at the meetup, who will help to lead the conversation. You then have the option to continue with the group for 6 weeks, where they will continue to reserve and organize meetups.
- Bumble BFF: based on their popular dating app, Bumble BFF is a swiping app designed specifically to meet friends. It requires you to make a profile and swipe through to find matches based on other people’s profiles. You initiate conversations and meetups.
I hope this plants a seed to step outside of your comfort zone. If you’re looking to meet new people, this could be a great, low-stakes option to do so. If you’ve tried one of these apps before, let me know in the comments.
More Ways to Build Community
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
