Bumble Launches Separate App for Finding Friends

After seven years since its launch, Bumble is now providing users with their own app specifically designed for making friends. Bumble has recently revealed the introduction of Bumble For Friends, an app solely focused on connecting individuals with potential friends in their vicinity. According to Mashable, the company began testing the app earlier this year in the United Kingdom and certain parts of Asia.

Bumble For Friends works almost exactly like Bumble BFF (which makes up 15 percent of Bumble’s monthly active users, a Bumble spokesperson told TechCrunch). There’s no need to download a dating app, though—something connected users are likely to be happy about. However, like a dating app, you create a profile with a mix of photos, information about yourself, and answers to prompts. It can include things like drinking, your political affiliation, your relationship and why you’re looking for friends. Your Bumble For Friends profile also has space to share your interests, like dogs or dancing—one of the things Bumble uses to match you with potential friends.

Bumble For Friends has one new feature: the ability to create a group chat. Basically, if you think one of your matches would also get along, you can add two or more of them to the group chat. To use this option, go to the Conversations tab and select an activity suggested by Bumble or add your own. You can also give the group chat a name (which you can edit later) if you don’t want to choose what to do. From there you can call matches and chat. The invitees will receive a notification from the chat showing the title or possible activity you have chosen.

Bumble For Friends can be downloaded for free from Apple’s App Store or Google Play Store. You can create a new account or log into an existing one and transfer your profile and matches. At this point, your Bumble BFF account will disappear from the original app, but you’ll still be able to access Date or Bizz modes. Bumble doesn’t seem to be forcing anyone to switch to the new app, so you can still keep all your accounts in one place if you want.