With friendship apps continuing to gain popularity, Bumble announced on Wednesday the relaunch of its Bumble For Friends (BFF) app.
With younger generations seeking to expand their social circles, the revamped app aims to help users connect with new friends beyond the traditional one-on-one matching that BFF has been known for.
The app is built on Geneva, the community-focused social platform Bumble acquired last year. This also means that the Geneva app will be shutting down. The move should not be a surprise: in Q2 2025, Bumble told investors that Geneva had not generated any revenue as of June 30.
The company says existing Geneva members will automatically get upgraded to BFF without losing any of their groups or messages.
Bumble BFF will continue to offer one-on-one matching and private direct messaging, allowing users to swipe through profiles and chat individually with their matches. However, the new focus will be on the new Groups tab.
The addition to the app enables users to engage in chat rooms, plan hangouts with new friends, and utilize an in-app calendar to create and track upcoming events. A company spokesperson tells TechCrunch it’s designed for communities of all sizes, ranging from small groups to thousands of members.
The Group tab is now live, allowing users to create or join groups, but the discovery function will not be available until February 2026.
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The update’s arrival comes at a time when there’s been a surge in apps designed for finding genuine friendships, such as Clockout, Clyx, Les Amis, Timeleft, and 222, among others. While Bumble BFF has established itself in the market for longer than many of these emerging apps, this relaunch is focused on remaining competitive with its rivals.
It also reflects a shift in user behavior; the company reports that young adults are actively seeking to expand their social networks. In fact, 47% express a desire for more friends to engage in activities with, while a similar percentage is eager for an online platform that allows them to build a community within their local areas.
A heightened focus on the social aspect of its business has been part of Bumble’s plan for some time, as previously mentioned during its fourth quarter 2023 earnings call.
Former CEO Lidiane Jones said at the time, “Going forward, we will focus our reinvestment to accelerate a bolder strategy for Bumble For Friends, one that will focus on building equitable and safe friendships across communities of people with similar interests that want real-life connections.”
Additionally, the revamped app launches as Bumble faces financial difficulties. In the second quarter, the company experienced a 7.6% decrease in revenue, falling from $268.6 million to $248.2 million year-over-year.
