Finding female friends after friendsUp closed
friendsUp has been offline since September 2025. On BuddyMe you open a women-only Loop, for example "Open for coffee this week". Women nearby see it and tap "I'm in", and you settle time and place in the shared chat.
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Lena joined!
Coffee on Saturday
Does friendsUp still exist?
No. friendsUp, the women-only friendship app, has been offline since 6 September 2025 and is gone from the app stores. BuddyMe is a free alternative from Austria where you can set any Loop to women only. Then only women nearby see it and only women can join. 9,200+ women in Austria have signed up (as of September 2026).
What friendsUp was, and what has been missing since
For more than a decade, friendsUp was the app where only women could look for platonic friendships and activity partners nearby. Keeping men out was the core of the idea.
On 6 September 2025 friendsUp ceased operations. What remains is the wish for a place where women find friends among themselves. On BuddyMe you set that per Loop yourself.
What you knew from friendsUp, and how it works on BuddyMe
Women only, if you want
On friendsUp the whole app was reserved for women. On BuddyMe you decide per Loop. Set it to women only and only women see it and only women can join. In your settings you also choose who may contact you at all, meaning everyone, verified members only or women only.
Meet up instead of browsing profiles
You say in three taps what you are open for, such as coffee, a walk, the cinema or sport. Women nearby see the Loop in their feed and tap "I'm in". From two people on, the shared Loop chat runs, and that is where you settle time and place. If you want to decide beforehand who joins, set the Loop to on-request.
Verified profiles
A short selfie check confirms there is a real person behind a profile, shown by the verification badge. You can also restrict your Loop to verified members.
Contact details and location stay private
The chat blocks the exchange of phone numbers and social media handles until you have met. Your exact location is never public. Others see your city and at most an approximate distance.
Free, including the chat
Opening Loops, joining others and writing in Loop chats costs nothing. Premium is optional and makes your Loops more visible in the feed. There are no ads.
Rebuilt from scratch in 2026
BuddyMe was rebuilt from the ground up in March 2026, with apps for iOS and Android and a web version that does everything. Sign-up needs no password and takes under three minutes. BuddyMe has been run from Graz, Austria since 2012, with servers in the EU.
What women on BuddyMe say
I love spontaneously meeting new people here, having fun, and enjoying life.
Iveta V.
I met Birgit on BuddyMe and she has become one of my best friends.
Barbara M.
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!
Review on the Apple App Store, 2026
Free for iOS, Android and in the browser
Sign up without a password, open a Loop, done.
Loops by women that are open right now
A slice of the current feed.
Alina Hi ich heiße Alina bin 20 und bin Kpop stan und suche hier in Österreich Freundinnen die auch Kpop stanen also gerne melden
Arri beetlejuice Zeichnung für eine Freundin zum Geburtstag 🌚🙏
Emel suche neue Freundinnen um neue Hobby Partner zu bekommen. bin offen für vieles, schreib doch mal gerne 🌸
jana hey Leute, suche eine Beste Freundin die vlt auch die Sprache, wie ich spreche deutsch und russisch haha. Finde es cool mit Leute auf anderer Sprache zu reden. Würde mich freuen.
Steffi Hallo liebe Linzerinnen und Amstettenerinnen, ich bin Steffi, 33, und auf der Suche nach Mädels, die sich auch für das Thema Parfum interessieren und sich gerne diesbezüglich austauschen und mit mir zu Douglas, Müller und Co. neue Düfte erschnuppern gehen möchten. Ich organisiere auch ein Parfumo-Treffen in Linz.
lisa Hei ihr Lieben, suche liebe Mädels, die Lust haben auf einen Gruppenchat, wo wir uns etwas austauschen können und die auch offen sind für ein gemeinsames Kennenlernen. Vielleicht entstehen ja neue Freundschaften? Ich freue mich auf Nachrichten ☆
Veronika Hallo, ich suche für meine Enkelin - sie ist 12 Jahre alt - Freundinnen in ihrer Nähe. Sie wohnt in Linz, genauer gesagt in Auwiesen. Wenn jemand Interesse hat, bitte einfach melden.
Anna Hallo😊 Hätten vielleicht ein paar nette Mädels oder auch Jungs Lust am Donnerstag oder Freitag ins Citybeats in Salzburg zu gehen? LG
Celine Ich bin mir nicht sicher ob ich hier fündig werde. Trotzdem bin ich auf der Suche nach einer spirituellen besten Freundin, in meinem Alter, mit der ich mich unter anderem auch über Tarotkarten, Heilsteine, Heilkräuter, Rituale, etc… austauschen kann. 😊
Frequently Asked Questions
Since when has friendsUp been offline?
Since 6 September 2025. The app was discontinued after more than a decade and has been removed from the App Store and Google Play.
Does BuddyMe have a women-only option?
Yes. You can set any Loop to women only, so only women see it and only women can join. In your settings you also choose whether everyone, verified members only or women only may contact you.
Is BuddyMe a dating app?
No. BuddyMe is built for friendships and shared activities. There is no swiping, and the chat blocks the exchange of contact details until you have met.
Is BuddyMe free?
Yes. Opening Loops, joining others and writing in Loop chats is free. Premium is optional and makes your Loops more visible.
Does BuddyMe work in Austria and Switzerland?
Yes. BuddyMe is run from Graz. Most members live in Germany and Austria, and the community in Switzerland is growing.