In my first week in Berlin I downloaded four apps, joined six groups and met nobody. I repeated the same mistake a few years later in Lisbon. The apps for expats to meet people were not the problem. I had picked tools that did not match the kind of friends I wanted. This guide compares the platforms English-speaking newcomers actually use across European cities: what each is for, what it costs, how meetups really work and who gets the most out of it.
Everything here was checked against official or primary pages where they exist. Where a price or feature could not be confirmed, it is left out and you are pointed to the official site instead. That is less tidy than a list of star ratings, but it is honest, and you will not turn up to an event expecting something that no longer exists.
One piece of context first: Europe is not an easy place to make friends as a newcomer. InterNations’ own Expat Insider survey, which looks at how easy it is to build a support network and make local friends, regularly places Northern and Western European destinations such as Norway, Sweden, Austria and Finland near the bottom of that index (InterNations Expat Insider). If it feels slow where you are, it is not just you.
Apps for expats to meet people: the comparison table
The table below covers the platforms I see working, again and again, for people who have recently moved to cities like Berlin, Lisbon, Madrid, Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris or Prague. Costs are described rather than quoted wherever the official price varies by region or billing period, because a wrong number is worse than no number. The link column gives the official site to type into your browser or the name to search in your app store.
| App / community | What it is for | Cost | How meetups work | Best for | Link | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InterNations | Expat networking events and hobby-based activity groups | Free Basic tier; paid Albatross tier needed to reply to or start messages; check the current price on the official site | Official events at bars, restaurants or hotels, plus smaller member-run activity groups | New arrivals and professionals who want a large expat crowd quickly | internations.org | May 2026 |
| Meetup | Interest-based groups run by local organisers | Free to join as a member; some events charge a fee set by the organiser; organisers pay a subscription | RSVP on the event page, then meet the group at a public venue | Hobby-led friendships with repeat contact | meetup.com | May 2026 |
| Bumble’s friend app (long known as Bumble BFF, promoted as Bumble For Friends) | Matching with individuals for friendship | Free to download; check in-app for optional paid features | Match, chat, then arrange your own one-to-one or small-group meet | People who prefer one-to-one meetings | bumble.com | May 2026 |
| Hey! VINA | Friendship app aimed at women | Check your local store listing | Match and chat, then arrange to meet yourselves | Women looking for female friends, if it is available in your country | Search your app store | May 2026 |
| Couchsurfing | Traveller and local community with events | Paid membership; check the current fee in the app | Member-posted events and casual meet-ups in public places | Short stays and people who like meeting travellers | couchsurfing.com | May 2026 |
| Facebook, WhatsApp and Discord groups | City and interest groups run by volunteer admins | Free | Admins or members post plans; you reply or simply turn up | Fast local information and casual plans | Search by city name plus “expats” | May 2026 |
| Tandem | Language exchange matching | Free core features; optional paid upgrade | Chat in the app, then meet for a coffee if you both want to | Meeting locals while learning the language | tandem.net | May 2026 |
| HelloTalk | Language exchange chats and community posts | Free core features; optional paid upgrade | Text and voice chat in the app; meeting in person is up to you | Language learners who like to text first | hellotalk.com | May 2026 |
Not in the table: MeetNow (app.trymeetnow.com) is a free, plans-not-profiles app where a host posts a plan at a public place and picks who joins. It works in your browser and on Android through Google Play, starting in Malta; the iPhone app is not in the App Store yet. It is not available in the cities covered here.
InterNations: free vs paid, events and Madrid
InterNations is the biggest name in expat networking, and the format reflects that: official events in bars, hotels or restaurants, plus smaller activity groups run by volunteer members around hobbies such as hiking, dining, culture or languages. Membership comes in two tiers. A free Basic Membership lets you create a profile, browse your local community pages, preview events and receive messages, but you cannot reply to messages or start contact without upgrading to the paid Albatross membership (Settled In). The paid price depends on billing period and region, so check the current figure on the official InterNations site before you pay. Our full breakdown, including whether the upgrade earns its keep, is in our honest review of whether InterNations is worth it.
InterNations events: what to expect
Official events are organised by local volunteer hosts. Expect a mid-sized to large crowd, an entry price shown on the event page (which may differ between free and paid members), and a mix of long-term expats, new arrivals and a few locals who work with or are married to expats. Conversations open with work and “how long have you been here?”. It is easy to collect ten names in two hours and much harder to leave with one real plan.
What worked for me: before going, browse the activity groups. At the event, ask two or three people you click with whether they are joining one of the smaller groups. Small, repeated gatherings are where InterNations friendships actually form; the big events are the doorway, not the room.
InterNations Madrid
InterNations runs a Madrid community, as it does in the other large capitals in this guide. Sign up for free first and browse the Madrid event and activity-group calendar to see how busy it is before deciding whether to pay. In Madrid I would not rely on InterNations alone. The city’s social life revolves around terraces, long lunches and intercambios, and combining one InterNations event a month with a weekly language exchange gives you both the expat landing pad and Spanish-speaking friends. Our guide to language exchanges in Madrid worth trying covers the second half.
Pros
- Well-organised events in most big European cities, so you are never stuck for something to attend in your first month.
- Activity groups give you repeat contact with the same faces.
- Comfortable for people who like a structured, professional atmosphere.
Cons
- The free tier cannot reply to messages, which frustrates many new members.
- Large events can feel like networking rather than friend-making.
- The crowd is mostly expats, so it rarely gets you into local circles.
- Event fees add up if you go every week.
Meetup: interest groups that repeat
Meetup is a marketplace of interest groups: board games, running, photography, coding, hiking, language practice, book swaps and much more. Joining a group and RSVPing is free for members; some organisers charge for individual events to cover costs, and that is shown on the event page. The organiser side is paid: one organiser subscription lets a person run up to 3 groups, and pricing varies by location, currency, taxes and whether the subscription is bought on the website or through the iOS or Android apps (Meetup Help Centre). That organiser cost matters to you as a member, because it explains why some groups disappear when the organiser stops paying.
How meetups work in practice: you RSVP, turn up at a public venue at the stated time, and find the group using the description on the event page. Quality varies hugely by organiser. A group with a recent event history, photos from real meetups and comments from attendees is a good sign. A group with thousands of members and no past events is not. For a checked example of what good looks like, see our list of English-speaking Meetup groups in Amsterdam.
Pros
- Interest-led, so you already have something to talk about.
- Many groups meet weekly or fortnightly, which is exactly the repetition friendships need.
- Free to join and easy to leave if a group is not for you.
Cons
- Uneven quality; some groups are effectively ads for paid events.
- Large, rotating groups can make it hard to see the same people twice.
- Popular events fill up, and no-shows are common.
Bumble BFF vs Hey VINA: one-to-one friend apps
Bumble’s friend mode was long known as Bumble BFF, and Bumble has since promoted friend-finding through a separate app branded Bumble For Friends. Names and availability have shifted, so search for both in your app store. It works like a dating app without the dating: you build a profile, browse or swipe, match and chat, then arrange to meet one-to-one or as a small group. I tested it properly in Berlin, and the honest results are in our Bumble BFF Berlin review.
Bumble BFF vs Hey VINA
Hey! VINA built its name as a friendship app aimed at women. Its features, listing and regional availability have changed over the years, and we could not confirm on an official page that it is actively maintained across every European store. Before you build a plan around it, search your local App Store or Google Play and look at the date of the latest update and recent reviews. If it is live and active in your city, it is worth a look for women who want a women-only space. If not, Bumble’s friend app is the more widely available option, and it lets you filter for the kind of friends you want.
Either way, the pattern is the same. Matches are easy, chats fizzle, and the people who get results suggest a specific coffee or walk within a few messages rather than texting for weeks.
Pros
- Ideal if large groups drain you.
- You choose who to meet and when.
- Good for finding people at a similar life stage.
Cons
- High drop-off between match and meeting.
- It is on you to plan everything.
- Some users treat it as a dating app in disguise; be clear in your profile.
Couchsurfing events and hangouts
Couchsurfing started as a hosting network, but for residents the more useful part has often been its events and casual meet-up features for connecting with travellers and locals. Couchsurfing asks members to pay for access to the platform, and its features have changed over time, so check what is live in your city and what it costs in the app before subscribing.
The crowd is friendly, curious and frequently on the move. That is perfect if you are a digital nomad or on a short contract, and less useful if you want friends who will still be around in a year. I treat it as a way to explore a city with company rather than a long-term friendship tool.
Pros: open, sociable crowd; good for city walks and exploring. Cons: paid access; transient members; activity varies a lot by city.
Facebook, WhatsApp and Discord groups
Free city groups are the connective tissue of expat life. Facebook groups are where people ask about flats, doctors and bureaucracy; WhatsApp groups are where plans actually happen; Discord servers tend to suit gamers, developers and students. They are all run by volunteer admins, so quality ranges from brilliant to spam-filled.
The trick is to find small, active groups with clear rules and a habit of posting real plans, then reply to one plan in your first week. Our guide on how to find good WhatsApp groups for expats covers how to get invited and how to spot dead or spammy ones.
Pros: free, fast and full of local knowledge. Cons: hard to find the good ones; group chats can be noisy; you rarely know who is behind a profile.
Tandem and HelloTalk
Language exchange apps match you with native speakers who want to learn your language. Both Tandem and HelloTalk have free core features and an optional paid upgrade. You chat by text or voice, swap corrections, and some pairs move on to meeting for a coffee. For English speakers, this is one of the few app-based routes that reliably leads to local friends rather than other expats, because the people learning English are often locals.
Set expectations early. Put “language exchange and friendship only” in your profile, agree on how you split time between languages, and suggest a first meeting in a busy café. Many people pair an app partner with an in-person intercambio, which keeps both habits going.
Pros: access to locals; built-in topic of conversation; useful even if you never meet. Cons: many chats never leave the app; some users are after dating; uneven commitment.
City notes: Berlin, Lisbon, Madrid, Amsterdam
Berlin
Berlin has a big English-speaking crowd, so Meetup groups and friend apps get going quickly. The challenge is moving from a busy calendar to close friends. Pick one recurring group, such as a running club or a board-game evening, and go every week for two months.
Lisbon
Lisbon is full of nomads and newcomers, which makes meeting people easy and keeping them harder, because many leave after a season. Mix nomad events with something that roots you, such as Portuguese classes or a language exchange. Our guide on how to meet people in Lisbon has the groups and places in detail.
Madrid
Madrid rewards people who join in. Intercambios, sports clubs and InterNations events all work, and Madrileños are generally open to new faces at shared tables. The key is to say yes to second invitations: a follow-up plan matters more than a perfect first one.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam runs on agendas. People plan weeks ahead, so spontaneous invitations often fail. Clubs and repeat Meetup groups suit the Dutch rhythm well, and booking the next meet before you say goodbye is normal rather than pushy.
The same broad pattern holds in Dublin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Valencia, Barcelona and Prague: one recurring group, one language route, and one channel for casual plans.
Safety when meeting people from apps
None of these platforms can guarantee who someone is, so the basics apply every time you meet someone new:
- Meet in a public place, such as a busy café, a park during the day, or a venue the group regularly uses.
- Tell a friend where you are going and who you are meeting.
- Arrange your own way home, so you never depend on a stranger for a lift.
- Leave if you feel uncomfortable. You do not owe anyone an explanation.
Keep chats in the app until you have met at least once, do not share your home address early, and report profiles that push for money, private locations or rushed meetings.
Which one to try first
Choose the two that fit your situation and stick with them for six weeks:
- Just arrived and want lots of contacts: InterNations free tier to browse events, plus one Meetup group that meets weekly.
- Want local friends and the language: Tandem or HelloTalk plus a weekly in-person language exchange.
- Prefer one-to-one meetings: Bumble’s friend app (or Hey! VINA, if it is active where you live).
- Short stay or digital nomad: Couchsurfing events plus your city’s WhatsApp expat group.
- Introvert or easily drained by crowds: one small, interest-based Meetup group with the same faces each week.
The best apps for expats to meet people are the ones you keep using. Two platforms used consistently beat six used once.
Whatever you choose, remember that apps only make introductions. Friendship comes from seeing the same people repeatedly and being the one who suggests the next plan, even when it feels awkward.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It is live on the web and works in your browser, starting in Malta. The Android app is on Google Play; the iPhone app is not in the App Store yet. Open MeetNow and see the plans posted in Malta.
FAQ
What are the best apps for expats to meet people in Europe?
For most people, Meetup for recurring interest groups and a language exchange app such as Tandem or HelloTalk make the strongest starting pair. InterNations suits those who want large expat events, Bumble’s friend app suits one-to-one meetings, and free WhatsApp, Facebook or Discord groups help with casual plans and local information.
Is InterNations free to use?
InterNations has a free Basic Membership that lets you create a profile, browse local community pages, preview events and receive messages. To reply to messages or start contact with other members, you need the paid Albatross membership. Check the current price on the official InterNations site, as it varies by billing period and region.
What should I expect at an InterNations event?
Expect a mid-sized to large crowd at a bar, restaurant or hotel, an entry price shown on the event page, and a mix of long-term expats, new arrivals and a few locals. Conversations often start with work. The smaller member-run activity groups are usually where lasting friendships form.
Bumble BFF vs Hey VINA: which is better for women abroad?
Bumble’s friend app, long known as Bumble BFF, is more widely available across European app stores. Hey! VINA built its name as a friendship app aimed at women, but its availability has changed over time, so check your local store listing and recent updates first. If both are active in your city, try both for a month and keep the one that leads to real meetings.
Are Meetup groups free to join?
Yes, joining a Meetup group and RSVPing is free for members. Some organisers charge a fee for individual events to cover costs, and that is shown on the event page. Organisers pay a subscription to run their groups, which is why some groups close when the organiser stops paying.
How do I stay safe meeting people from an app?
Meet in a public place, tell a friend where you are going, arrange your own way home and leave if you feel uncomfortable. Keep chats in the app until you have met once, avoid sharing your address early, and report anyone who pushes for money or private locations.
