Bumble Relaunches Bumble For Friends App for Expanding Social Circles Amid Financial Challenges
In response to the growing trend of friendship apps, Bumble unveiled on Wednesday the relaunch of its Bumble For Friends (BFF) platform. This updated version seeks to facilitate connections between users beyond traditional one-on-one matches, catering to younger generations who are keen on expanding their social circles.
The revamped app is based on Geneva, a community-focused social platform that Bumble acquired the previous year. Consequently, the Geneva app will cease operations due to its lack of revenue generation as reported by Bumble in Q2 2025.
Existing Geneva members will be seamlessly transitioned to BFF without losing any of their groups or messages. The platform will continue to offer one-on-one matching and private messaging, while introducing a new focus on the Groups tab. This feature enables users to engage in group chats, organize meetups with new friends, and utilize an in-app calendar for event scheduling and tracking.
The Group tab is now operational, allowing users to create or join groups, although the discovery function will not be available until February 2026. The launch coincides with a surge in apps designed for fostering genuine friendships such as Clockout, Clyx, Les Amis, Timeleft, and 222 among others.
The relaunch aims to maintain Bumble BFF’s competitive edge in the market amidst emerging rival apps. It also reflects a shift in user behavior, with young adults expressing a desire for more friends to engage in activities with and an online platform that allows community building within local areas (47% and a similar percentage respectively).
The emphasis on the social aspect of its business has been a strategic priority for Bumble, as previously stated during its fourth quarter 2023 earnings call. Lidiane Jones, former CEO, expressed plans to accelerate a bolder strategy for BFF, focusing on building equitable and safe friendships across communities of people with similar interests seeking real-life connections.
The revamped app debuts amidst financial challenges for Bumble. In the second quarter, the company reported a 7.6% decrease in revenue, dropping from $268.6 million to $248.2 million year-over-year.
