7 Apps Like Wink [Looking For Alternatives?]

When it comes to dating apps or apps that you use to make new friends, using just one app is never enough because the users are distributed across different apps. Wink is one of the most popular apps for both of these purposes. However, in this article, I am specifically looking at the friendship aspect as I list down some of the best apps similar to Wink.

Dating is hard, but finding genuine platonic friendship on the internet is even tougher. Apps such as Wizz, Yubo, and Befriend help you meet new people and make new friends. Continue reading as I take a deep dive at seven of the best such apps out there that will help you make new friends.

Alternatives For Wink App

I have been an avid user of apps where I can meet new people. From anonymous chatting apps to instant messaging platforms and from social networks to dating apps – I am all over the place, always looking to expand my tribe. Over the last half a decade, I must have used over 100 large and small-scale apps that have a similar purpose.

It is based on my experience over the years that I have distilled this grand list of the best apps that are similar to Wink.

1. Best Of All: Wizz

I tried out Wizz primarily because I loved its color scheme and UI. The black interface, along with the psychedelic colors around it, is pretty fascinating and slick. Wizz lets you connect with random people and chat with them.

The app allows you to post photo and video stories, as well as ensures that you are connecting only with the people of your age group. The app has no ‘like’ based mechanism, and it is an open platform where you can be your true self. It is truly one of the best apps when it comes to apps similar to Wink.

Comparison with Wink

Not only do both Wink and Wizz sound similar, but they also have many common features. Both of these apps are social networking platforms where you can meet new people. While the look and feel of both of these apps are pretty different, they tend to function along the same lines. However, when you dig deeper, the subtle differences between the two come to the surface.

• Wizz has a darker color scheme compared to the bright popping UI of Wink
• The kind of content that you see on Wizz is more about short videos, while Wink doesn’t really focus on any one kind of content
• Wink focuses on both dating and friendship, while Wizz doesn’t call itself a dating app

Key Features

• Wizz has a large userbase from different countries – make new friends every day
• You can swipe on people to connect with them based on their interests and bio
• The app supports video calling
• You can gift stuff using Wizz Coins to people you like
• Post stories and upload short videos, Wizz lets you be yourself

Pros

• Smart age-verification system with the help of a selfie
• Users are allowed to send unlimited messages on Wizz
• The Wizz UI is really good and easily navigable

Cons

• Lots of incidents of catfishing and fake users
• Users have reported that their accounts get banned at random

2. Best Runner-Up: Yubo

Yubo is another good option which similar to Wink in some aspects, while it also adds its own unique twist to it. The app offers a platform for people to meet new friends and interact with them.

The core focus of Yubo is on live video streaming. I enjoyed every minute of using the app, especially in group video chats. I also love the fact that it has so many games on the platform, which keeps all the users engaged.

Comparison with Wink

Wink and Yubo are both social networking apps that allow you to connect to new users, but they take two radically different methods. Wink focuses primarily on chatting and finding people with shared interests.

The idea behind Yubo is to promote live video. All the major interactions on this app happen on live video streams. Here’s a clear look at the similarities and differences between these apps.

• Prima facie, both of these apps are social networks that allow you to find new people and connect with them
• Yubo has a focus on live video streaming and gaming, while Wink doesn’t give you either of these options
• Yubo doesn’t call itself a ‘dating’ app, while Wink does put some focus on that aspect of the app as well

Key Features

• Swipe through users to see who you’d like to connect with
• Stream your video live and participate in other live streams
• Search for users based on location, interests, and other filters
• Play games with other users on the Yubo app
• Easily check out trending live streams

Pros

• Yubo offers a large number of options to tweak and customize your profile
• Live video streaming helps you ensure that you’re talking to a real person
• Excellent UI, which is quite easy to use

Cons

• Over time all major features have become paid
• The app lacks strong content moderation

3. Best For Real Connections: Meetup

Do you have some niche interests but can’t find anyone to discuss them with? Need to network with other members of your profession? Or do you just want to go stargazing and your friends aren’t interested in that? Meetup is the app that comes to your rescue.

This app is perched at a good balance of offline and online social networking. It allows you to create events that other members of the app can search and join. The app’s primary focus is to get you to connect with people offline.

Comparison with Wink

While Wink is a great app for you if you want to meet people online and maybe eventually meet them later, Meetup is the exact opposite as it focuses on offline events. These are two apps that operate in the same space but are at two opposite ends of that spectrum. Here’s a look at how they are similar yet very different.

• Meetup is the perfect option for people who are looking forward to group events, while Wink is a one-on-one platform
• Having a shared interest is important on both platforms. It is necessary for individual connections on Wink and for group events on Meetup
• Meetup focuses more on the community-building aspect of things, while Wink doesn’t really care about that

Key Features

• Great app to search city or region-specific events
• Discover or create groups based on your interests
• Easy to manage and track RSVPs and members joining events
• Events sync with your Google Calendar
• Supports group chats as well as one-on-one chats

Pros

• Great app if you’re new in a city to make friends
• Also a good option for finding professional networking events
• Find or create niche interest groups

Cons

• Not a very active app in smaller cities
• There’s always a chance that users might ghost you at offline events

4. Best To Make Friends: Befriend

BeFriend has been around for a while now, though the name might sound new to you because this app was formerly called Swipr. The app has not only gone through a change in name but a change in its UI as well.

The app lets you find people who are nearby and connect with them over text as well as video-based interactions. There’s a special HMU section where you can interact with new people. I also like the community feature on the app, which lets me connect with people who share similar interests.

Comparison with Wink

When you compare BeFriend with Wink, you won’t find a lot different. Both these apps can connect you to new people, and they both have a vibrant User Interface. It is because both of these apps are designed for a young adult and teen demographic base.

• Both apps make use of a swipe-based matching mechanism
• BeFriend lets you introduce yourself through a video message, something that’s missing from Wink
• BeFriend supports all forms of communication: voice, video, and text, while Wink supports only text-based chats

Key Features

• Find people based on their distance as well as interests
• Swipe through profiles to match or reject them
• Text, call, or video-call your matches from the app
• HMU section helps you find people who are online and want to chat instantly
• Connect directly with people’s Snapchat accounts and see their stories

Pros

• Lets you find new friends and connect with them using text or video
• Easy Snapchat integration makes it even more fun
• Inclusive of all genders and orientations

Cons

• Needs active monitoring for hate speech and bullying
• Better user verification needed

5. Best To Connect Via Snapchat: Hoop

Snapchat has grabbed the attention of the youth like no other social media app has. Hoop is an app that helps Snapchat users discover other Snapchat users and bond with each other.

This app lets you swipe through various users, but you get to see their Snapchat profiles instead of native profiles, and upon a match, you can add them straight to your social media. Hoop also rewards you with diamonds for daily activity, which can be used to boost your presence on the app.

Comparison with Wink

While technically, both Wink and Hoop are social media apps, there’s a fundamental difference between the two. Wink operates on its own native platform, while Hoop is just a platform that connects two Snapchat users. This is the biggest and the most notable difference between these apps, but there are more similarities and differences too.

• Wink has gems while Hoop has diamonds which help you get better views on your profile
• Conversations on Hoop happen over Snapchat while conversations on Wink happen within the app
• Both apps rely on swiping to match or decline someone

Key Features

• Meet new people to connect on Snapchat with
• Diamonds on Hoop give your profile better views
• Complete daily tasks to earn diamonds
• Easy-to-use app with a good UI
• Get double the diamond rewards on Sundays

Pros

• Increase your social media clout by adding more people on Snapchat
• Give your Snapchat profile visibility a boost
• Meet new people to be friends with

Cons

• Not a full-fledged social network on its own, relies heavily on Snapchat
• The app tends to lag and crash a lot

6. Best To Connect Locally: Purp

Purp works along the same lines as many other online friendship and dating apps. If you find someone interesting, swipe right on them. When they accept your request, the two of you can chat.

The app lets you create your detailed bio and upload photos. You can even customize the color scheme of your profile on Purp. Gems are required to swipe on Purp – and they can be earned by doing some simple daily tasks. You can also buy these gems to get an additional boost.

Comparison with Wink

When you compare Wink with Purp, you will see the same app on both sides. I personally didn’t find many differences between the two. However, I found Purp to be a good platform to meet some new people after a while of using Wink. Here are some similarities and differences between the two.

• Purp and Wink both work on the same swiping-based model. Right swipe to add someone and left swipe to move to the next person
• Purp allows you to customize your profile a little more and add your own color scheme to express yourself better
• Wink has a dedicated section for top picks, which is missing on Purp

Key Features

• Express yourself with a bio, pictures, and even videos on your profile
• Change the color scheme of your profile to match your vibe
• Swipe on people to add them as friends
• Earn gems by performing basic daily tasks
• Comes with a special Dark Mode for night-time usage

Pros

• Lots of customization options on the profile
• Profile images cannot be zoomed in
• Excellent support over email

Cons

• Users who catfish to be of a different gender or age
• No voice messages, calls, or video calls

7. Best To Connect Globally: Skout

Skout is an app that is different from many others that we have listed here, primarily on the basis of the fact that it is a dating app. While most other apps here focus on friendships and meeting new people, Skout makes it clear that it is a dating app.

It allows you to broadcast live videos, swipe on new people, and chat with them. It is an interesting app where you can interact with potential partners in a fun way.

Comparison with Wink

While they are both apps that operate in the social networking domain, Wink focuses on both, friendship as well as dating. However, Skout’s sole focus is on dating. After using both these apps for quite a while, here are my observations.

• Skout lets you go live on videos and interact with other live videos. Wink has no such option
• Skout also supports video chats with your matches. On Wink, you can only use text-based chats
• Both apps allow you to meet new people based on your location

Key Features

• Skout has a live broadcast feature – you can join or create your own
• App shows you people who are nearby to you
• Supports one-on-one texts as well as video calls
• You can buy diamond points on Skout to gift objects to other users
• Supports over 20 languages

Pros

• Location-based filters help you meet nearby people
• Easy to use app, great UI
• Video calls help ensure you’re not being catfished

Cons

• Buggy app that crashes often
• Support center often takes a long time to get back

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up!

I believe that Wink is a great app for someone who is looking forward to meeting new friends or possibly even looking to date new people. However, relying on just one app to meet new people isn’t enough, and I hope the list that I have shared here helps you make new friends whom you can hang out with and have fun with!