How Bumble BFF Restored My Faith in Making New Friends as an Adult

How Bumble For Friends Works

Bumble For Friends works similarly to Bumble Date, where you’re shown other users depending on your location preferences (which can reach up to 100 miles away), age, and what language they speak. Like Bumble, advanced filters are available for those looking for a specific BFF, like if you’re looking for people who are into arts and culture or who appreciate nights out on the town (or both!). 

Profiles have an about me section, basic information on the user like their star sign and relationship status, along with a few of their interests. Swiping right means you’re interested in starting a relationship with someone, and left means you’re passing.

How to Make the Most of Bumble For Friends

While Bumble For Friends is great for connecting with others outside of your comfort zone, it’s worth noting that not every match you get and meet up with IRL is going to make the cut for you. Just like in the dating world, some of your BFF matches will be one-offs or someone you occasionally see on Instagram or get random texts from every now and then. Now that you’ve got the logistics of Bumble For Friends, here’s what you should look out for.

Be Intentional With What Kind of BFF You Want

Before you build your profile, have a solid grasp of what kind of friend you’re looking for. Are you in search of someone who likes to start the day with Pilates and end it with a baseball game, or are you the type of friend who enjoys dancing to live music on the weekends? 

“When using Bumble BFF, or similar apps, it’s important to look for profiles that resonate with your own interests and values,” Pinkston explains. Finding someone who has the same vision for a friendship is how you cultivate a meaningful friendship. Plus, you can form BFF dates based on those interests.

For Martines, music taste was a good way to discern whether they would click with someone. If someone has their Spotify connected to the app, you can view what artists overlap. “Even if you have nothing in common or don’t have a good icebreaker, everyone listens to music. You can find a connection one way or another through it.”

Be Authentic With Your Profile

Once you have a solid idea of what you’re looking for, take time to build your profile so that it accurately captures your energy and what you bring to the table as a potential BFF. Your bio should give others a snapshot of what you’re looking for and a fact or two about who you are and what you enjoy doing.

“Think about including photos of yourself doing activities you enjoy and ones that could strike up conversation with people you connect with like if you have a favorite sports team or band, include a photo of you wearing a T-shirt of them as it’s another way to illustrate your interests,”  Danielle Bayard Jackson, Bumble’s resident friendship coach, host of The Friend Forward Podcast, and author of the forthcoming book Fighting for Our Friendships tells StyleCaster. You expect others to be honest and true to themselves, so being authentic is key to allowing others to get a feel for who you are.

“My biggest advice is to take advantage of the real estate you have with your Bumble For Friends profile to display your character and the kinds of people you’re looking to find as that’ll increase the compatibility of the potential friends you’ll meet,” Bayard Jackson says

Green Flags to Look For

When it comes to finding green flags on someone’s profile, Bayard Jackson says positivity and completed profiles are key tells. Green flags can vary by person, but generally, you can get a feel if someone’s the real deal by their answers to the prompts or what kind of photos they post—like if they post with friends or have photos outdoors, this might be the green flag you’re looking for.

“Green flags might include a detailed profile that clearly articulates interests, what they are

looking for in a friendship, and perhaps a sense of humor or openness that aligns with your own personality,” says Pinkston. For Bumble For Friends user Fran Perez, open-mindedness, originality, and maturity are the main pillars of a successful friendship. “Also, sensing that they have higher ambitions and goals,” Perez says, “because the best friends are the ones you can grow with and learn from!”

While meeting your match can be exciting, Pinkston explains that your safety should be your top priority. “Choose a public, well-lit location for your first meeting, and

consider letting a friend or family member know where you’ll be,” says Pinkston.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

You know what you’re looking for—but what about what you’re not? Online profiles only show so much, so it’s not uncommon to hit it off with one person and a not-so-great connection with another. Having strong boundaries is great when gauging potential red flags, online and offline.

“Red flags could include very little information or overly negative language,” explains Pinkston. Also, it’s worth noting that not everyone on Bumble For Friends is on it for the right reasons, “look out for any signs that they might not be looking for a platonic friendship,” she adds. 

Red flags in person could look like toxic positivity or even your intuition telling you something’s off. For me, how someone treats service workers is usually a good way to gauge whether they’re respectful. Most of all, follow your gut!

Depending on what your boundaries are and the friendship dynamic you’re looking for, finding friends on Bumble could be a huge help in vetting certain people near you. But it’s worth noting matchmaking services like Bumble For Friends aren’t a total fix for friendship anxiety. Like the real world, creating and sustaining meaningful connections takes mutual effort and self-awareness. 

Another thing to keep in mind, though, is that flukes are always a possibility. Not everyone you meet on Bumble For Friends is going to stick. “Maybe it doesn’t turn into a best friendship; maybe all it turns out to be is a really great way to spend a Saturday night,” says Bayard Jackson. Keep an open mind and stand firm in your boundaries. Happy swiping!