Friend search apps have really increased recently. Not for dating, but for people who genuinely want to make friends. Especially when you become a working adult, opportunities to meet people with the same hobbies are surprisingly few, and there are quite a few who want to make new friends in their 40s or 50s.

What you're concerned about is whether there are truly people looking for friendship, whether safety is guaranteed, and if the app is free to use. Looking at popular friend-making apps, many are exclusive to women. Favomatch specializes in supporting fans' friends, allowing searches by favorite interests or holidays, making it easier to find compatible people. Touch has 24-hour monitoring and requires ID verification, targeting those who prioritize safety. Dote Match also has a timeline feature for casual interactions.

Bumble is originally from overseas but allows making friends with both same and opposite genders, and male membership fees are cheaper, which is attractive. Tantan has over 300 million members worldwide and offers completely free messaging. Somli is aimed at people in their 30s and older, with an option for same-gender friends mode. Tipsys and JOIN US, which are women-only apps, are also dedicated to making friends, making it easier to match your purpose.

Golf enthusiasts can try GolWho, and if you want to use it worldwide, Tinder is also an option. Ultimately, choosing an app that matches your purpose and age group is important. For safety, look for apps with ID verification and 24-hour monitoring. If you want to use it completely free, many apps for women are free, so that’s worth checking. If you're unsure which friend search app to choose, I think the best way is to try a completely free one first.