Are there any platforms for finding new friends (Meetup, Bumble BFF)?

Calgary offers an extremely wide range of digital platforms and apps for meeting new people, forming friendships, and expanding your social circle. From traditional Meetup networks to innovative personality-based dating apps, the city provides numerous options for those looking to find like-minded individuals and build meaningful relationships.

Meetup: The Largest Social Networking Platform

Diversity of Groups in Calgary

The Meetup platform remains one of the most popular and effective platforms for meeting new people in Calgary. The city has over 100 active groups with a variety of interests and age groups. These groups cover virtually all areas of life, from professional networking to hobbies and sports.

Popular social groups

  • Calgary Social Group: Locals and Newcomers Rated 4.7 stars. Weekly meetings on Thursdays in bars, parks, and other public spaces. Participants aged 20 to 40 can join and leave without obligation.

  • YYC Social Exchange “Calgary's premier social gathering spot” with a focus on an inclusive and friendly atmosphere. Theme nights, mixers, and exclusive events in downtown Calgary.

Age groups and special interests

  • Calgary Social Friends 20-30 (90 members) Escape rooms, meetups, and fun activities.

  • Make New Friends – Women in 30s & 40s Calgary Group (rating 4.9, 349 members) Cooking trips, art galleries, activities.

  • Calgary Friends Over 50 Social Club Regular brunches, pub nights, billiards, trips to Fish Creek Park.

International community

  • Calgary Local and International Friends Social (1500+ members) Fast Friending — a structured format for quick introductions.

  • Friends of Calgary (rating 4.8, 730 members) Exchange experiences, learn languages, and discover traditions from different countries.

Bumble BFF and Bumble For Friends: the evolution of friendships

Transition to a specialized app

In 2023, Bumble launched a separate app called Bumble For Friends for platonic relationships.

Features and functionality

  • Swiping for friendship
  • Profiles with interests and target audience
  • Matching mechanism after mutual swipes
  • Group chats for planning meetings
  • Women are not required to make the first move

User experience in Calgary

  • Success stories: friends with similar interests in books, meetings in bookstores
  • Challenges: limited number of users, difficulty maintaining conversations

Patook: a strictly platonic network

Concept and security

  • “THE strictly platonic friend making app”
  • Automatic detection of flirting and blocking of offenders

Points and matching system

  • Users rate the qualities of potential friends using a points system (e.g., 10 points for height, 20 points for hiking)

Beacons and localization

  • Localized discussion groups (beacons) in shopping malls, coffee shops
  • Users see others nearby for dating

We3: friendship triads

A unique approach to group friendship

  • Groups of three people based on 150+ compatibility factors
  • Free app with private matching

Philosophy and methodology

  • The optimal group size is three people
  • Roles in social life are divided between the three participants

Boo: personality-based dating

Psychological approach

  • Dating and friendship based on personality types
  • Posting in communities based on interests

Friendship features

  • Detailed personality analysis: compatibility, strengths, love languages

Ur My Type: personality-oriented connections

Local focus

  • Reliable dating app in Calgary
  • Options for both casual and deep connections

Wooh App: expat-oriented community

“One new friend a week” concept

  • One match per week based on values and interests
  • Support for expats to help them integrate

Discord servers: digital community

Official Calgary Discord

  • Ages 20–40, channels: gaming, pets, politics, LGBTQ+, and more

Specialized servers

  • YYC Network Discord: divided into city quadrants with prizes
  • Calgary Gaming Community Discord
  • Alberta Discord Server: users from Edmonton, Calgary
  • Canada Meeting Discord: multi-city Canadian community

InterNations: international expat network

Global platform

  • Expats from different countries
  • Monthly events: sailing, spirituality, events for newcomers

Nextdoor: neighborhood network

Local connections

  • Launched in Canada in 2019
  • 25% of Calgary households are members

Success stories

  • Examples of real stories about meeting people and groups of children

Reddit: Calgary Social Club

R/CalgarySocialClub

  • Requests for hiking partners, startup enthusiasts, movie lovers, etc.
  • A variety of interests: crafts, cosplay, physical activity

Facebook groups: local communities

Calgary Groups ecosystem

  • “What’s happening in Calgary” (15,000 members) — emergency response updates

Specialized groups

  • Calgary Pets (303 members) — questions about pets
  • Calgary Puzzle Exchange, Calgary Barter Community

Specialized apps for an active lifestyle

PlayCity: sports partners

  • Calgary app for finding sports partners
  • 3,000+ matches in 20 sports
  • Support from the city and CSSC

Slowly: slow but deep connections

  • Geosocial app for exchanging “letters” with delivery times
  • 30 min–60 hour delay for deep communication
  • Collect stamps from different countries

Orbit: university connections

  • A UCalgary student project
  • Invitations to activities (coffee, lunch, workouts)
  • AI personalization for finding friends

Singles and dating-oriented platforms

Singles Social Club of Calgary

  • Rating 4.1, speed dating events for ages 25–34 and 40+

Calgary Gen-X Singles Social Meetup Group

  • Meetups in pubs and restaurants

Thursday Events

  • Weekly dating events

Professional and industry-focused networks

Calgary UX and Tech communities

  • Calgary UX: 4,473 UXers
  • Calgary GoGeomatics Canada Monthly Networking Social: 1,186 geomatics professionals

Eventbrite professional events

  • Calgary Social Networking Event For Young Professionals — every Friday, Greta Bar
  • Calgary AI, Tech & Finance Networking Event — every Thursday, Greta Bar
  • Calgary Law, Real Estate & Construction Networking Event

Challenges and limitations

Limited user base

  • Some apps have few users, quickly exhausting potential matches

Difficulty maintaining conversations

  • Reddit: difficulty maintaining conversations after initial greetings

Demographic limitations

  • Meetup groups are often geared toward people aged 30+, with a need for groups for people in their 20s

Practical tips for successful use of platforms

Diversify your approach

  • Use several platforms at the same time
  • Combine online and offline activities

Active participation

  • Regular presence and initiative greatly increase success

Openness to new experiences

  • Try activities that didn't interest you before

Patience and persistence

  • Making friends takes months of active participation

Conclusions

Calgary offers an incredibly rich ecosystem of digital platforms for meeting new friends, from traditional Meetups to innovative AI apps. Success depends on active participation, openness to new experiences, and patience.

The most effective users combine:

  • Meetup for offline meetups
  • Bumble BFF or We3 for targeted searches
  • Discord for daily communication
  • Specialized apps based on interests

The future of friendship platforms in Calgary is promising with the development of technology and growing awareness of the importance of social connections.