BuddyMe Reviews: What Holds Up and What Is Outdated
The numbers, the reviews — and why recent and old reviews contradict each other.
Is BuddyMe legit?
Yes. BuddyMe was founded in Graz in 2012 and is run from there, with servers in the EU. 100,000+ members in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland use the app (as of August 2026). Use is free; BuddyMe is financed through an optional Premium subscription — not through ads or selling data.
The facts
2012 in Graz
Founded
100,000+ in DACH
Members
4,300+
Cities
EU, GDPR-compliant
Servers
iOS · Android · Web
Available on
What members say
An unedited review from the Apple App Store (2026, 5 stars, translated from German):
„I really like that I can find new friends through hobbies on BuddyMe. I also love that you can decide whether you can be found by all genders or just one — or only by verified users. As a woman, I think that is great!"
You can find more current reviews directly in the App Store and on Google Play — best read sorted by date.
And the bad reviews?
If you search the stores for BuddyMe, you will also find harsh criticism. Most of those reviews date from before March 2026 and refer to the old BuddyMe app — including its former payment model and technical problems, for example with account deletion.
In March 2026 we rebuilt BuddyMe from the ground up — with a new app, new matching, and a new pricing model. Today, chat with your matches is free, your account can be deleted directly in the app, and profiles are verified via selfie check. The store average still carries the old reviews. Best read the newest ones first.
Safety & privacy: what is built in
Visibility on your terms
You decide who can contact you: everyone, only verified members, or women only. Your exact location is never public — what shows is the city, at most an approximate distance.
Photo verification
A short selfie check confirms there is a real person behind a profile. You can restrict your signal to verified members.
Protected chat
The chat blocks the exchange of phone numbers and social media contacts until you have met. That stops scams before they lure you off the platform.
Trust score
A score built from real behavior — such as verification and reliability. You see it on every member before you meet up.
Moderation
Profiles and content are moderated. Reporting and blocking works directly from the profile and the chat.
What BuddyMe costs
For free, you can run up to three signals at once, receive requests, and chat with up to three new matches per month. If that is not enough, Premium lifts the limits and makes your signals more visible.
There are no ads; BuddyMe is financed through the optional Premium subscription.
We publish our numbers
When, who, and how people look for friends on BuddyMe — we publish it: the Friendship Report summarizes our anonymized usage data, free to cite, including for media.
Read the Friendship Report 2026Frequently Asked Questions
Is BuddyMe legit?
Yes. BuddyMe has been around since 2012, is run from Graz (Austria), servers are in the EU, and the app is GDPR-compliant. Around 99,000 members use BuddyMe in the DACH region (as of August 2026).
Is BuddyMe really free?
Yes. Creating signals, receiving requests, and chatting with up to 3 new matches per month is free. Premium is optional and lifts the limits.
Can I use BuddyMe in the browser?
Yes. Besides the apps for iOS and Android, BuddyMe has a fully usable web version at app.buddyme.me — signing up, creating signals, and chatting works without the app.
Why are there old bad reviews?
Most critical store reviews refer to the old BuddyMe app before the relaunch in March 2026 — a different payment model, different technology. Today's app was rebuilt from the ground up.
Is BuddyMe a dating app?
No. BuddyMe is built for friendships and shared activities — not romantic relationships. The chat even blocks the exchange of contact details until you meet, which would be rather impractical for dating.
Who is behind BuddyMe?
BuddyMe was founded in Graz in 2012 — the idea came from searching for a mountain-biking partner. The team is still based in Austria and runs the app independently.