Dating apps are everywhere – quite literally, considering people have given in to LinkedIn dating. Of course, I am not new to dating apps and online dating. In fact, I have tried every dating app out there – yep, even the weird ones! And even been on 25-30 odd dates – some were pretty good and the rest were just worth forgetting.
Moreover, romantically, these apps really work, but when it comes to platonic relationships and friendships, does these apps work?
Meet Bumble BFF, Bumble’s friendship mode for people seeking something platonic on the app. Officially, I am a loner who doesn’t have many friends – sure, I do have many acquaintances I meet on weekends from cocktails, but actual friends? Not that lucky, considering I fear friendship breakups much more than romantic heartbreaks.
Plus, as a romance writer in a highly competitive world, I crave meeting new people who have similar interests, goals, and lifestyles. Also, as a Cancerian, I am too sensitive, and being on my own always makes me feel worse than I should.
So, I thought, why not turn off Date Mode on Bumble and check out the app’s friendship mode – what about putting in the effort to make new friends? And Bumble has always been a favorite – though I met my current partner on Tinder.
But did Bumble BFF live up to the hype? Was it worth the time? Let’s find out!
How Does Bumble BFF Work?
Bumble explains the BFF mode as a “simplified way to create meaningful friendships.” It sounded pretty good on the surface. And I thought I’d take a plunge.
Now, if you have used the Date Mode in the past, then you will see that the BFF mode works in the same way. So, you just need to create a new account, add pictures, write a bio, add your information, set location (and other) parameters – and you will be ready to swipe!
If you want to know someone better, swipe them right or swipe left and move to the next profile. Easy, right? Yep! Now, let’s jump into the nitty-gritties – I’ll talk at length about three things:
- Your profile.
- Swiping.
- The quality of matches.
1. Your Profile:
So, if you believe that creating an account on some dating app is really hard, then you are in for a treat! Who would know that it would be more difficult to make a profile for making friends rather than finding someone to date?
Moreover, crafting a witty bio to describe what I wanted from my friendships was really hard. It took me some time. After all, everyone is looking for a friend whom they can go to brunch with or someone they can watch The Kardashians with – and I’m no different.
As a result, it gets somewhat difficult not to appear basic when you just want to sound friendly and relatable.
2. Swiping:
There’s a reason why we are a part of the ‘swiping culture.’ I mean, we do care a lot about our so-called image on social media and other apps, instead of making genuine connections.
So, it wasn’t surprising that I kept swiping on most profiles. I just wanted to make friends, but I did something different. Instead of their physical appearance, I focused on their bios and other stuff I could view. But even that wasn’t an easy task, considering we are so used to swiping based on someone’s pictures.
I kept telling myself – I’m here to make friends. And who cares how your friends look? For me, the foundation should have been about mutual interest and not physical appearance.
Since I live in a large, cosmopolitan city, I always have too many options, especially when I am swiping on an app. So, the location parameters made things better for me. But if you are living somewhere small, then it’s best to expand your location parameters.
3. The Quality Of Matches:
Yep, this is exactly where my entire experience with Bumble BFF began to dwindle – especially when I started comparing it with the date mode. This is because I was hardly getting any matches – and I am not alone. I asked 50 other women – and guess what? Same problem.
Moreover, for people who did match with me, they hardly ever responded – they weren’t really active and not interested in being friends.
In fact, 25-year-old Misbah told me how he ended up going on a date with this girl he met on the BFF mode – and yes, most men did expect me to indulge them romantically, but under the guise of exploring something platonic.
Also, I came across so many people who were either promoting clubs or seeking roommates. Then the infamous, ‘Why don’t you get a group of girls for a free table and cocktails?’ While I don’t mind taking my girls out for free drinks, it didn’t make any sense – I was here to make friends, not help people earn commissions.
I Finally Felt Like Giving Up
Not meeting anyone nice started making me feel bad – what did I say about my sensitivity? The apparent rejection was so much worse because I just wanted to make friends.
After coming across so many profiles that were not interested or just exploitative, I began to feel like I wasn’t good enough. What was I doing wrong? Why didn’t people want to be my friend? Was my bio not good enough? Do I look unapproachable in my pictures?
So, I started feeling like a loser on an app trying to make friends. I was destined to stay at home and binge-watch shows alone for the rest of my life. Moreover, I began to make comparisons. I remember I almost ended up paying for a life coach – and that is when I knew it was time to stop.
I took a week to pause and reflect. Why did I worry about what people were thinking about me on an app? People get bored and annoyed with dating apps every day, so why was it so difficult for me to perceive Bumble’s BFF mode in the same way?
In fact, my worth does not depend on the number of matches on an app. My friends were scattered all across the globe, and it made me somewhat lonely. But that didn’t mean I had no friends. Plus, so many people have found best friends and bridesmaids without the BFF mode. So, I think I am going to be fine!
Once I got rid of Bumble BFF and began living my life again, here’s what happened within a month:
- I made friends at work.
- I met a woman at the gym and we exchanged numbers. Now, we do yoga together!
- Also, I ended up going on solo dates – movies, cafes, bookstores, and more!
The Revamp Of Bumble BFF
Bumble relaunched its BFF app last September. This time, the dating app is strategically focusing on local BFF community and group interactions. The purpose? To expand networking opportunities for a younger audience.
As per TechCrunch, this new update introduces features that have been made to facilitate both large and small group engagements.
Moreover, this relaunch reflects Bumble’s ongoing efforts for addressing emerging social trends and shifting user preferences, especially among Gen Z and Millennials. Both these generations are increasingly looking for a space to make friends – people are all in when it comes to real-world connections.
New Group Functionalities And Features:
The revamped app includes a brand new ‘Groups’ section that allows users to join or create chat rooms, manage schedules, and plan events with an in-app calendar. These new enhancements aim to support diverse groups, ranging from large networks to small friend groups.
Moreover, the revamped app includes:
- Users can create and join social chat rooms based on specific activities or interests.
- Tools for event planning, like an in-app calendar, where you can schedule and track events.
- Scalable support is available for all communities irrespective of their sizes.
- Privacy policies and moderations to ensure safe interactions.
So, you can already access the Groups tab. But we hear a new Discovery feature is scheduled for rollout in February 2026. With this function, users can find regional events and new groups more efficiently. Also, the app continues to prioritize both security and usability, ensuring that all interactions stay secure and engaging.
Strategic Takeaway:
Bumble relaunched its BFF mode at a time when the industry can see a sudden surge in social networking apps focused on building genuine friendships, like 222, Timeleft, Clyx, and Clockout.
Of course, Bumble’s BFF Mode has been in the market for a relatively longer period of time as compared to these new apps; this revamp focuses on staying ahead of the competition.
Moreover, Bumble’s relaunch reflects a major shift in how users are behaving on such apps. As per the company’s reports (published on TechCrunch), young adults want to expand their social circle – rather, their network.
In fact, as per the same report, 47% of young adults express a need to find more friends to do activities together. Moreover, a similar percentage of people were also looking for a platform that could help them build a strong community in their local area.
Plus, during 2023’s fourth quarter, Bumble did mention that it plans to heighten its focus on refining the social side of its business.
In this context, Lidiane Jones, the former CEO, had said (as published on TechCrunch), “Going forward, we will focus our reinvestment to accelerate a bolder strategy for Bumble For Friends, one that will focus on building equitable and safe friendships across communities of people with similar interests that want real-life connections.”
In addition, the new app arrives at a time when Bumble is facing certain financial difficulties. Yep, as per data, Bumble did experience a sad 7.6% decrease in its revenue in the 2nd quarter – the revenue decreased from a solid $268.6 million to $248.2 million year-over-year.
Is Bumble BFF Worth The Hype?
Of course, my experience with Bumble BFF wasn’t as riveting as I had initially expected. So, while I did not make any friends on the app, it did push me into the mindset of trying to make friends in real life. So, I can’t say that the entire experience was completely unsuccessful.
Moreover, I really don’t think there is any problem with trying to make friends and meet similar people on an app. In fact, data (as pointed out in the section above) says more and more people are doing so.
But at the same time, it’s best not to expect too much – you might meet your best friend, but there’s no guarantee.
In addition, it is vital to remember who you actually are in the process. Rejections are tough, and it might really influence how you look at yourself – but here’s where you have to draw a line. Don’t let anyone on an app bully you into thinking you are any less.
While it was super embarrassing to share my brutal experience with Bumble’s BFF mode with you guys, I think it will add some value – and it also means you might want to talk about your experience with us. I love vague discussions, and I’ll be looking forward to the same.
