Bumble BFF’s revamped app is right here, specializing in good friend teams and neighborhood constructing | TechCrunch

With friendship apps persevering with to realize recognition, Bumble introduced on Wednesday the relaunch of its Bumble For Buddies (BFF) app.

With youthful generations in search of to broaden their social circles, the revamped app goals to assist customers join with new buddies past the standard one-on-one matching that BFF has been recognized for.

The app is constructed on Geneva, the community-focused social platform Bumble acquired final yr. This additionally signifies that the Geneva app shall be shutting down. The transfer shouldn’t be a shock: in Q2 2025, Bumble instructed buyers that Geneva had not generated any income as of June 30.

The corporate says current Geneva members will robotically get upgraded to BFF with out shedding any of their teams or messages.

Bumble BFF will proceed to supply one-on-one matching and personal direct messaging, permitting customers to swipe via profiles and chat individually with their matches. Nevertheless, the brand new focus shall be on the brand new Teams tab. 

The addition to the app permits customers to have interaction in chat rooms, plan hangouts with new buddies, and make the most of an in-app calendar to create and monitor upcoming occasions. An organization spokesperson tells TechCrunch it’s designed for communities of all sizes, starting from small teams to 1000’s of members.

The Group tab is now reside, permitting customers to create or be a part of teams, however the discovery operate won’t be out there till February 2026.

The replace’s arrival comes at a time when there’s been a surge in apps designed for locating real friendships, resembling Clockout, Clyx, Les Amis, Timeleft, and 222, amongst others. Whereas Bumble BFF has established itself available in the market for longer than many of those rising apps, this relaunch is targeted on remaining aggressive with its rivals.

It additionally displays a shift in person habits; the corporate studies that younger adults are actively in search of to broaden their social networks. In truth, 47% specific a need for extra buddies to have interaction in actions with, whereas an analogous share is raring for a web-based platform that enables them to construct a neighborhood inside their native areas.

A heightened deal with the social side of its enterprise has been a part of Bumble’s plan for a while, as beforehand talked about throughout its fourth quarter 2023 earnings name.

Former CEO Lidiane Jones stated on 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.”

Moreover, the revamped app launches as Bumble faces monetary difficulties. Within the second quarter, the corporate skilled a 7.6% lower in income, falling from $268.6 million to $248.2 million year-over-year.