If you are weighing up Bumble BFF vs Meetup for making friends, you are really choosing between two ideas. One is matching with one person at a time through a profile. The other is turning up to a group that already meets around a shared interest. Both are free to join as an ordinary member, but they ask very different things of you.
This guide compares how each one works and what it costs, using each service’s own official pages. It also covers who each one tends to suit. We also explain where MeetNow, the app we are building, fits in. MeetNow has not launched yet, so we only describe how it is designed to work. We make no claims about how many people use it.
If you have tried swiping for friends and found that chats faded before anyone met, our piece on why friend apps don’t work for most people looks at that problem in more detail.
The short verdict
- Bumble BFF is the better fit if you like getting to know one person first. You browse profiles, match, chat and then decide whether to meet.
- Meetup is the better fit if you want a ready-made community. Hiking, language exchange, board games, tech talks: you join a group and go to its events without arranging anything yourself.
- Neither is wrong. Many people use both. Bumble BFF can help you meet one person, and Meetup can help you find a regular crowd.
The question to ask yourself is simple. Do you want to start with a person, or with an activity? Your answer usually decides it.
Where MeetNow fits: MeetNow is a free app built around plans, not profiles. A host posts one plan at a public place, says who pays and picks who joins. It is launching in Malta first and is coming soon to the App Store and Google Play.
Bumble BFF vs Meetup for making friends: side by side
The table below sums up what we could verify on each service’s official pages. Where we could not confirm something, especially how active each service is in Malta, we say so rather than guess.
| Feature | Bumble BFF (Bumble For Friends) | Meetup | MeetNow |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Friend-finding app built on profiles and swiping | Platform for interest-based groups that hold events | App for one-off plans at public places |
| How you meet | Match, chat one-on-one, then arrange to meet. Group chats and events are also among the free features (App Store listing) | Join a group and sign up for its events | Ask to join a host’s plan with a short note; the host accepts or declines |
| Cost to you as a member | Core features free; optional paid subscriptions and extras (Bumble help) | Free to join groups and attend as a member (Meetup help) | Free |
| Cost to organise | Not described on the pages we checked | Organisers pay a subscription, with standard plans from around $29.99 USD a month (Meetup help) | Free to host; the host says who pays for the plan itself (host pays, split, pay your own or free) |
| Swiping | Yes | No | No |
| Malta | We could not verify local activity | We could not verify active Malta groups | Launching in Malta first; coming soon to the App Store and Google Play |
| Strongest at | Meeting one person with similar interests | Established, recurring communities | Single plans where the host picks who joins |
How Bumble BFF works
Bumble BFF is Bumble’s platonic, friends-only side. Its App Store listing calls it Bumble For Friends. The idea will feel familiar if you have used a dating app. You build a profile, swipe through other people’s profiles and chat when you both match.
What it costs
According to the Bumble For Friends App Store listing, these core features are free, with no paywall on messaging:
- creating a profile
- swiping and matching
- one-on-one chat
- group chats and events
Bumble’s help centre explains that you can also buy optional extras. These include weekly, monthly and longer subscriptions, and one-off add-ons such as Spotlights and SuperSwipes. The extras let you see who liked you or use advanced filters (Bumble help centre). You do not need them to make a friend.
What it does well
- Low effort to start: you can browse from your sofa and only meet when a chat clicks.
- One-on-one focus: it suits people who find big groups tiring and prefer a single conversation.
- Familiar format: many people already know how swipe apps work.
Availability in Malta
The official pages we checked do not say how many people use Bumble For Friends in Malta. We could not verify local activity. Before you invest time in your profile, open the app and check whether there are people near you. On any matching app, the size of the local pool matters more than the feature list.
How Meetup works
Meetup is organised around groups rather than individuals. An organiser creates a group around a topic and schedules events. Members join the group and sign up for whichever events interest them. You never swipe on anyone. You choose an activity, and the people come with it.
What it costs
Meetup splits its pricing between members and organisers. Joining groups and attending events as a member is free. Organisers pay a subscription to run a group. Standard plans start at around $29.99 USD a month, or roughly $174.99 a year when billed annually (Meetup help centre).
Some first-time organisers are offered a free starter tier. It is limited to one group, up to 2 in-person events a month and a maximum of 10 attendees per event (Meetup help centre). Larger networks and brands can use Meetup Pro, which is priced separately.
What it does well
- Established groups: a group that has met for a while already has regulars, a rhythm and someone running things.
- Shared interest built in: you arrive with something to talk about, whether that is the hike, the game or the language you are practising.
- Repeat contact: seeing the same faces at several events is often how acquaintances become friends.
Availability in Malta
Meetup is a global platform, but the help pages we checked do not list Malta groups or say how active they are. Search for your town on Meetup and look at when each group last held an event. A large member count means little if nothing is scheduled.
Group activity apps vs one-on-one friend apps
The Bumble BFF and Meetup comparison is really part of a wider choice: group activity apps vs one-on-one friend apps. Each style has a trade-off.
One-on-one friend apps
With one-on-one apps, you control who you talk to. The first meeting can be a relaxed coffee with one person. The catch is that everything depends on the chat. Someone has to suggest a time and place, and many matches never get that far. If swiping is the part you dislike, see our guide to friend apps without swiping.
Group activity apps
With group apps, the plan already exists, so nobody has to break the ice by suggesting one. The trade-off is that you do not choose who else turns up. In a big group it can take several visits before you have a real conversation with anyone.
A third option: single plans
Between those two sits a different kind of app for meeting strangers for activities. Someone posts a specific plan, such as a dinner, a padel game or a concert, and a small number of people ask to join. It has the concrete plan of a group event and the smaller, chosen group of a one-on-one app. This is the model MeetNow is built on.
Who each option suits
Bumble BFF suits you if
- you prefer meeting one person at a time
- you are comfortable chatting for a while before you meet
- you are happy with a swipe-based format
Meetup suits you if
- you have a clear hobby or interest and want people who share it
- you like the idea of a regular, recurring group
- you would rather turn up to something already organised than arrange it yourself
A single-plan app suits you if
- you want to skip long chats and get to an actual meeting
- you have a specific activity in mind but no group to do it with
- you would like to host and choose who joins, rather than open an event to anyone
For a wider look at what is available locally, read friend apps in Malta: which one fits you. We also compare more options in what is the best app to meet people in person.
Where MeetNow fits
MeetNow is not a replacement for an established Meetup group or for a good one-on-one match. It covers a different situation. Say you want to do one particular thing with a few new people, at a public place, on terms you set. MeetNow is built for that. It has not launched yet, so we cannot compare usage or community size. We can only describe how it is designed to work.
- A host posts a plan at a public place, such as a dinner, drinks, a game or a concert. The plan includes the date, time and number of seats.
- The host says who pays: host pays, split, pay your own or free. Our guide on who pays on a MeetNow plan explains each option.
- People nearby ask to join with a short note.
- The host accepts or declines each request. The host can also limit who joins by gender or age range and block users. See how to choose who joins.
- Accepted guests get a group chat to sort out the details.
- After the plan, both sides confirm “we met”, which builds each person’s track record.
It is plans, not profiles, and it is not a dating app. The app itself is free.
Staying safe when you meet someone new
Whichever app you choose, the same basics apply when you meet people you do not know yet:
- Meet in a public place, such as a café, restaurant, beach or venue with other people around.
- Tell a friend where you are going, who you are meeting and when you expect to be done.
- Arrange your own way home so you never depend on someone you have just met.
- Leave if you feel uncomfortable. You do not owe anyone an explanation.
For group events, the same rules hold. It is also fine to go to a first event, stay a short while and decide later whether to return.
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 launching in Malta first and is not in the App Store or Google Play yet: join the MeetNow waitlist and we’ll email you when it launches near you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bumble BFF free to use?
Yes, the core features are free. According to the Bumble For Friends App Store listing, creating a profile, swiping, matching, one-on-one chat, and group chats and events cost nothing. Bumble also sells optional subscriptions and extras such as Spotlights and SuperSwipes. These add things like seeing who liked you or using advanced filters.
Is Meetup free for members?
Yes. Joining groups and attending events as a member is free. The cost sits with organisers, who pay a subscription to run a group. Some first-time organisers can use a limited free starter tier.
Do Bumble BFF and Meetup work in Malta?
Neither official page we checked confirms how active it is in Malta specifically. Before deciding, search for your area in each app. The number of people or active groups near you matters more than the feature list.
Which is better if I don’t want to swipe?
Meetup involves no swiping: you browse groups and events and sign up. Bumble BFF is built around swiping on profiles. If you want no swiping and a single concrete plan rather than an ongoing group, MeetNow is designed for that. A host posts a plan at a public place and chooses who joins.
Is MeetNow a dating app?
No. MeetNow is built around plans, not profiles. A host posts a plan such as a dinner, drinks, a game or a concert at a public place, and people ask to join with a short note. It is for meeting people in person, not for dating.
