The best Timeleft alternative depends on what you want to replace. If you like the idea of meeting people but dread walking into a room alone, practise that step first with Solo Era. If you want another curated dinner-style service, look at NiceToMeet or 222. If you want free local events, look at Pie, and if you want interest groups, look at Meetup or Bumble BFF.
Last checked: 2026-11-01. App Store listings and official sites were read on that date. Apps change quickly, so check the current listing before you decide. No prices are quoted here because they differ by city and region and change often.
What Timeleft is, and why people look for alternatives
Timeleft's listing says it matches you for dinners, drinks, coffee and runs "with like-minded people", and that you take a quiz, book, and get the venue revealed on the day. The listing describes weekly dinners for groups of 4 to 6, women-only dinners, a Saturday coffee format, group runs and, in select cities, a drinks stop after dinner. The official site says there are no bios, no swiping and no planning, and that it is available in 52 countries and more than 200 cities. You can read the details on timeleft.com and its FAQ.
People usually look for something else for one of four reasons: Timeleft is not offered in their city, the format (a table of strangers at a set time) feels like too much, they want something less dinner-shaped, or they want to be ready before they go. These are different problems, and each points to a different alternative below.
Quick comparison
| App | Format | Platforms (US listing) | Good fit if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Era | Practice missions, not meeting people | iPhone | Arriving alone is the hard part |
| Timeleft | Curated tables: dinner, drinks, coffee, runs | iPhone, iPad | You want a ready-made group |
| NiceToMeet | Curated dinners and walks | iPhone, iPad | You want a similar format in its cities |
| 222 | Invites to group experiences nearby | iPhone, iPad | You prefer to say "yes" to a plan |
| Pie | Local events plus feed and chat | iPhone, iPad | You want events, in the cities it lists |
| Meetup | Interest-based groups and events | iPhone, iPad, web | You want a recurring hobby group |
| Bumble BFF | Profiles, matches and groups | iPhone, iPad | You prefer to chat before meeting |
1. Solo Era: best as practice before (or between) meet-ups
Solo Era is an iPhone app for practising doing things alone. It is not a social network, it does not match you with anyone, and it has no dating features, so it is not a like-for-like Timeleft replacement. It is first on this list because the thing that stops many people from booking a table of strangers is the same thing it trains: walking into a place on your own.
Missions are small tasks in seven categories (food, movement, culture, travel, everyday, solitude, people) across five levels, where level 1 is the gentlest and level 5 the biggest step. A few examples from the library: "Put together a picnic from a supermarket and eat it outside." (food, level 1), "Be the first to stop, clap and tip at a street performance." (people, level 3) and "Take yourself to a restaurant you have never tried, alone." (food, level 3). You rate how nervous you felt before and after, keep a photo journal, and see your progress over time. You can also write a custom mission, for example one that matches the kind of evening you are preparing for.
Best for: someone who wants to rehearse being a stranger in a restaurant before sitting at a table of them. We do not promise that you will make friends or feel confident. Free to download; a subscription is required to start missions, and prices and any free trial are shown in the app and depend on the offer and eligibility. iPhone only. Not therapy or medical care.
Solo Era for iPhone
Practise the walk-in first
Pick one level 1 mission this week, rate your nervousness before and after, and see how it changes.
2. Timeleft: the reference point
If it is available where you live and the format suits you, Timeleft remains the closest match to itself. Its listing mentions Repeat to invite someone to your next event, Connect to stay in touch, a +1 option and in-app icebreakers. The site's drinks page says non-alcoholic options are always on the menu. Check the official FAQ for how booking, cancelling and payment work in your city, because those details are not repeated here.
Best for: people who want somebody else to choose the group, the venue and the date.
3. NiceToMeet: a similar dinner format
NiceToMeet (Meetminded Inc.) describes small groups for dinners and walks in your city, matched on personality, with every seat booked in advance. The listing says membership is available on its website and gives access to events in your city. We could not load an official website on 2026-11-01, so rely on the listing and check the current details before joining.
Best for: people who like the curated-table idea and find it available near them.
4. 222: say yes to an invite
222 (TwoTwoTwo Inc.) says it sends invites to social experiences nearby and, at the experience, finds the people you are most compatible with. Per the listing, experiences are always in public and in a group setting, each member is vetted before being selected, and if you are not selected you are refunded. The listing says there are no profiles, DMs or swiping.
Best for: people who want less planning and are happy to follow an invitation. Read the listing carefully for how selection and refunds work.
5. Pie: free local events, in selected cities
Pie (Pie Labs, PBC) lists Chicago, Austin, the Bay Area and Columbus as its cities in the App Store text, with local events, a feed of what your network is doing, in-app chat, event hosting and calendar sync. The name of the listing says "Free Events", but check each event's own details.
Best for: people in those cities who want to drop into a one-off event rather than sit at a booked table.
6. Meetup and Bumble BFF: groups and chat
Meetup (Meetup LLC) lets you join or host interest-based groups and events, online or local. The group is the main draw: you see the same faces repeatedly, which is how acquaintances turn into friends. See our Meetup alternatives for how it compares.
"BFF: Make friends & meet up" (referred to in its listing as the new Bumble BFF) offers profiles with bios and interest tags, selfie-verified matches, one-on-one chat and Groups. See Bumble BFF alternatives if it is not working for you.
Best for: Meetup if you want a recurring group; Bumble BFF if you prefer to chat before you meet.
For a detailed comparison of the first two options, read Solo Era vs Timeleft.
How to choose
Ask three questions:
- Is the barrier the venue, the strangers or the time? If it is walking in alone, start with missions. If it is the strangers, a small curated group or a hobby group with a shared activity is easier than open-ended chat. If it is the time, an event with a fixed slot helps.
- Do you want one night or a rhythm? Friendships tend to form through repeated contact, so something you can do weekly beats something exciting once. Our guide on where to meet friends as an adult covers repeat settings.
- What happens afterwards? Whichever you pick, decide in advance how you will follow up with someone you liked. A short message the next day works better than waiting for the app to do it.
If a table of strangers still feels like too much, the same skills can be built in smaller steps: how to go to a party alone and how to make small talk break the evening into parts you can rehearse.
A short plan if you are nervous about your first Timeleft-style dinner
- A week before: do one level 1 or level 2 solo outing, such as a coffee in a cafe, and rate your nerves before and after.
- The day before: write two questions you can ask anyone, for example what they would recommend in your city.
- On the night: arrive a few minutes early if the booking allows, and decide in advance how you will leave if you need to.
- Afterwards: note what went well in a journal, and send one follow-up message if you want to see someone again.
For event discovery rather than group dinners, see apps for finding things to do alone.
FAQ
What are the best apps like Timeleft?
NiceToMeet and 222 are the closest in spirit, because they arrange a group for you. Meetup and Bumble BFF work differently, since you choose groups or matches yourself. Pie is event-led and lists only a few cities. Solo Era is a practice tool, not a Timeleft substitute.
Is Solo Era a Timeleft alternative?
Not directly. Solo Era does not introduce you to anyone. It helps you practise doing things alone, such as eating out or going to a class, which can make a Timeleft-style evening feel less daunting.
Are there free alternatives to Timeleft?
Some apps are free to download, including all of those listed, but what you pay for events or memberships differs and changes. Check each app's listing before you book. Free routes also include library events, volunteering and community classes.
Is Timeleft available everywhere?
Its site lists many cities across 52 countries, but availability changes. Check the cities page on the official site for your area.
Is dinner with strangers safe?
Each service describes its own safety measures, so read them on the official page. In general, tell a friend where you are going, meet in public venues and leave whenever you want to.
What if I do not like meeting strangers at all?
Start with lower-pressure settings: a class or a volunteering shift where an activity gives you something to do. See our guide to making friends as an introvert.
Solo Era for iPhone
Try it with Solo Era
Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.
