First, the disclosure: we build the first app on this list. You should factor that in. But we use everything on this list too, and the honest truth is that different apps win for different travel styles — so here's what each one is actually good at, including where the others beat us.
1. nomadtable — best for meeting travelers through real plans
Nomadtable is built around one idea: plans first, chat second. Open the map, see actual activities travelers are doing nearby today — dinner at 7, a sunrise hike, a museum crawl — and join one. No swiping, no "hey, how's your trip going" chats that die after four messages. You meet people by doing something together, which is how friendship has always worked.
Good: fastest path from opening the app to sitting at a table with humans. Group settings feel safer and less awkward than 1-on-1 meetups. Trip timelines show you who'll overlap with you in your next city. Free to use.
Honest cons: it's traveler-focused, so if you want to meet locals specifically, pair it with Meetup. And like every network, it's strongest in popular travel cities — a village in rural anywhere will be quieter.
2. meetup — best for interests and meeting locals
The veteran. Meetup shines for recurring interest groups — language exchanges, running clubs, board game nights — which makes it the best way to meet locals rather than other travelers.
Good: depth of niche communities, well-established groups in most big cities.
Cons: events often need planning days ahead, skews toward residents and professionals, and quality varies wildly by group.
3. couchsurfing hangouts — best for spontaneity
The Hangouts feature answers "who's free right now?" — good for a same-hour coffee or bar meetup when you've got a free evening.
Good: genuinely spontaneous; the community is famously open.
Cons: the app now charges a membership fee, activity varies a lot by city, and the vibe can be hit or miss — screen profiles before meeting.
4. bumble bff — best for one-on-one friendships on longer stays
Bumble's friend mode uses the swipe-match-chat loop, but for friendship. It works best when you're somewhere for weeks or months and want a consistent friend, not a one-night dinner group.
Good: intentional 1-on-1 connections; big user base.
Cons: the matching-then-chatting loop is slow for short trips — you can spend your whole four days in a city just texting.
5. hostelworld linkups — best if you live in hostels
Hostelworld's social features let you see who's staying in your hostel and chat with city groups before you arrive.
Good: zero extra effort if you're booking hostels anyway; pre-arrival icebreaking.
Cons: tied to your bookings, so it's useless the moment you switch to hotels or apartments.
6. facebook groups — best for niche and long-stay communities
Unfashionable but effective. Nearly every city has "Expats in X" or "Digital Nomads X" groups where people organize meetups, ask for advice, and post events.
Good: huge existing communities, great for questions and one-off events.
Cons: noisy, full of visa spam and apartment scams, and meetups are irregular. Better as a supplement than a primary tool.
how to actually get results (on any of these)
- Be specific. "Anyone want to hang out sometime?" dies. "Ramen tonight at 8, here's the place" fills up.
- Move fast. On a five-day trip, don't spend three days chatting. Propose the plan by message two or three.
- Default to groups. Group meetups are safer, less pressure, and statistically someone in the group becomes your person.
- Stack tools. A social hostel plus one activity app covers 95% of trips. More apps ≠ more friends.
Whatever you pick, follow the basics: meet in public, tell someone where you're going, and read our safety tips that actually matter first. Then go make some friends — the whole thing is easier than you think, and we wrote a complete guide on how.