Short verdict: There is no single best friend app in Malta; it depends on what you want. Meetup is the strongest choice for regular groups that already meet on the island. InterNations suits newcomers who want an expat network. Bumble’s friend-finding features and Timeleft’s dinners with strangers are better known abroad, and we could not confirm that either is fully available in Malta. Facebook groups are free and busy but unstructured. MeetNow, which is live on the web starting in Malta, is for one-off plans at a public place where the host says who pays and picks who joins.
Below is a side-by-side comparison, who each option suits, and how MeetNow is different. We have tried to be fair: every option here does something well. MeetNow is new and not in the app stores yet (the web app is live), so we make no claims about how many people use it.
Friend apps in Malta compared
Details were checked on each service’s official site or help pages, or in reputable coverage where the official page could not be read. Last checked October 2026. Features and prices change, so check the service itself before you sign up.
| Option | What it is | How you meet people | Cost model | In Malta? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meetup | Groups organised around an interest | Join a group, then attend its events | Joining as a member is free; organisers pay for an organiser subscription and may charge event fees or dues | Yes: active groups in Sliema, Valletta, St Julian’s and elsewhere |
| InterNations | A network for people living abroad | Community events and interest groups | Free basic membership; paid premium “Albatross” membership | Yes: has a Malta community page |
| Bumble (BFF) | One-to-one friend matching | Match with people, chat, then arrange to meet | Free to download with optional paid features | Not confirmed: Bumble is changing its friend-finding apps and availability differs by region |
| Timeleft | Dinners with strangers | The app matches small groups and picks the restaurant | Paid booking, single dinners or subscription | Not confirmed: we found no Malta listing on its site |
| Facebook groups | Community groups for expats, students and areas | Someone posts an invitation, people reply | Free | Yes, many groups |
| MeetNow | Plans, not profiles | A host posts a plan at a public place; people ask to join; the host picks | Free; each plan states host pays, split, pay your own or free | Yes, live on the web at app.trymeetnow.com, starting in Malta; phone apps coming soon |
Each option in more detail
Meetup: best for a regular group
Meetup’s Malta listings include social, language, film and tech groups, with events from social evenings and games nights to day trips. Its strength is continuity: the same group meets again and again, so you can become a regular. According to Meetup’s help centre, the organiser pays for the group, and organisers can collect event fees or dues. The limitation is that you join what someone else has organised, on their schedule.
Before you join, look at when a group last held an event and what its upcoming events are. A group with recent and regular events is a better bet than a big group that has gone quiet.
Suits: people who want a weekly or monthly crowd around one interest.
InterNations: best for meeting other expats
InterNations’ Malta page invites people who have moved to Malta to join events and groups for expats. It has a free basic membership and a paid premium tier called Albatross. It is a good first step if you have just arrived and want to meet other internationals; it is less focused on meeting locals or on small, specific plans.
Suits: newcomers and professionals building an international network.
Bumble’s friend features: best for one-to-one matching
Bumble has offered friend-finding through its BFF mode and the Bumble For Friends app, and in 2025 it relaunched its friend app as BFF; which version is offered depends on the country. We could not confirm what is offered in Malta, so check the App Store or Google Play from a Maltese account. The model is profile-first: you match, chat, and then try to turn the chat into a meeting.
Suits: people who are comfortable chatting first and prefer meeting one person at a time.
Timeleft: best for a curated dinner, where it operates
Timeleft matches strangers into small groups for dinner, using a questionnaire, and picks the restaurant for you; you pay to book a seat. It runs in many cities around the world, but we did not find Malta among them when we checked in October 2026. If it launches in Malta, it will suit people who like someone else to organise everything.
Suits: people who want a ready-made dinner and do not mind not choosing the place or the group.
Facebook groups: best free noticeboard
Groups for expats, students and neighbourhoods are a quick way to ask “anyone up for a hike on Saturday?”. They cost nothing and many are busy. The downside is structure: there is no set number of places, no clear money rule unless you write one, and it is up to you to check who you are meeting. Read each group’s rules before posting, and favour invitations that name a public place and a time.
Suits: people who are happy to post, reply and organise everything themselves.
Where MeetNow fits
MeetNow is not trying to replace a weekly club or an expat network. It is for the moment when you have a specific plan and want company for it, or you want to join someone else’s. In short:
- A host posts a plan at a real public place, with the date, time, number of seats and who pays: host pays, split, pay your own, or free.
- People ask to join with a short note.
- The host accepts or declines each request, and can limit who can join, for example by gender or age range.
- Accepted guests get a group chat to sort out the details.
- Afterwards, both sides confirm “we met”, which builds each person’s track record.
There is no swiping and no browsing of strangers’ profiles to start a conversation: the plan comes first. Stating who pays up front also removes one of the most awkward parts of meeting new people; our page on who pays on a MeetNow plan explains the four options. For the full walkthrough, see what MeetNow is and how it works.
Which one should you choose?
- You want the same people every week: a Meetup group or a club.
- You have just moved and want other internationals: InterNations, plus a Meetup group or two.
- You prefer to chat one-to-one first: a friend-matching app, if it is available where you are.
- You want someone else to organise a dinner: a curated dinner service, where it operates; or join a group dinner in Malta through a plan.
- You have a specific plan and want company for it: a MeetNow plan. Our guide to finding people to hang out with in Malta has plan ideas and example descriptions.
Most people combine two: a regular group for continuity and one-off plans for everything else. If you are deciding between apps in general rather than in Malta, the same logic applies: decide whether you want a group, a match or a plan, and choose the tool that is built for it. You can also read more about MeetNow as an app to meet people in Malta.
Safety, whichever app you use
Safety box. Whenever you meet someone new: meet at a public place, tell a friend where you are going and with whom, arrange your own way home, and leave if you feel uncomfortable. On MeetNow, plans happen at public places, the host chooses who joins, and anyone can block a user.
Frequently asked questions
Is Timeleft in Malta?
We did not find Malta among the cities on Timeleft’s site when we checked in October 2026. Check the app or its website for the current city list before planning around it.
Is Bumble BFF available in Malta?
Bumble has relaunched its friend-finding app as BFF, and what is offered differs by country. We could not confirm what is offered in Malta, so search the App Store or Google Play from a Maltese account.
Is Meetup active in Malta?
Yes. In October 2026 Meetup listed active groups in Malta, including social, language, film and tech groups, with upcoming events.
How is MeetNow different from other friend apps?
MeetNow is plans, not profiles. Instead of matching and chatting, a host posts a plan at a public place with a time, seats and who pays, people ask to join with a short note, and the host picks who comes.
Is MeetNow available yet?
Yes. MeetNow is live on the web at app.trymeetnow.com now, starting in Malta. The iPhone and Android apps are coming soon to the App Store and Google Play.
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 now, starting in Malta, with the phone apps on the way: open MeetNow and see the plans near you.
