Solo Era and Timeleft do different jobs, so they are more partners than rivals. Solo Era is an iPhone app for practising small things alone, one weekly mission at a time. Timeleft is an app that puts you at a table with strangers: you book a dinner, drinks, coffee or a run and show up. Use Solo Era to get comfortable with going out on your own, and Timeleft when you are ready to meet new people.
At a glance
| Solo Era | Timeleft | |
|---|---|---|
| Core idea | Practise doing things alone, one small mission at a time | Book a group event and meet strangers in person |
| Who you are with | Nobody, on purpose | A small group of people you have not met |
| Where it happens | A cafe, a museum, a walk, a tram stop | A restaurant, cafe or activity chosen by the service |
| What you track | How nervous you felt before and after, plus a photo journal | Not stated on the listing; see the official site |
| Platform | iPhone | iPhone and iPad (App Store listing) |
| Cost | Free to download; a subscription is required to start missions | Free to download (listing); event costs are on the official FAQ |
| Best for | Building comfort with solo outings | Meeting people over a shared meal or activity |
Neither side's prices are quoted here. Timeleft explains booking, cost and payments on its FAQ at timeleft.com/faq, and Solo Era's current offer is shown in the app.
What Solo Era is
Solo Era is an iPhone app built on one idea: doing things alone is a skill, and a skill is practised in small steps. The site's line is "A bucket list for doing things alone."
How it works:
- Missions. The core unit, shown as a mission ticket. The task stays up front, and you can turn the ticket over for instructions and what it helps you practise.
- Weekly mission. A place to begin each week. You can also write custom missions.
- Seven categories and five levels. Food, movement, culture, travel, everyday, solitude and people. Level 1 is the gentlest and level 5 the biggest step. A level 1 people mission reads "Give one person you know a compliment." A level 3 food mission reads "Eat a cuisine you have never tried, alone."
- Before-and-after ratings. You rate how nervous you felt before and after.
- Progress. Those numbers plotted over months, plus XP and a weekly streak.
- Journal and Solo Pass. A photo and notes with each completed mission, or a free journal entry. Your Solo Pass keeps the same code as your story grows.
It is free to download, and a subscription is required to start missions. Any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app. Solo Era is iPhone only and is not therapy or medical care. It is also not a dating, matching or social app: you do not meet anyone through it.
What Timeleft is
Per the App Store listing (read 2026-11-01), Timeleft is called "Timeleft: Make New Friends IRL" and is published by Timeleft SAS. You take a quiz, then book a dinner, drinks, a coffee or a run. The venue and a preview of who you will meet are revealed on the day. The listing names several formats: weekly Dinners for groups of four to six, Women-Only Dinners, group runs followed by coffee, Saturday-afternoon coffee, and Last Drinks in select cities. It mentions matching based on personality, shared interests and age, plus in-app icebreakers and options such as Repeat, Connect and +1.
The official site, timeleft.com, describes the pitch as "No bios. No swiping. No planning." and says the location and your group are revealed just before the event. It also has pages for singles, women-only dinners, expats and introverts, and a FAQ covering booking, cost and safety. Availability depends on your city, so check the official locations before deciding.
Head to head
The problem each one solves
Timeleft removes the planning and the profile-browsing: someone else sets the table. Solo Era works on the step before that, the part where you hesitate to go anywhere without a companion. If your blocker is "I do not know anyone to invite," Timeleft addresses that directly. If it is "I get tense walking into a restaurant by myself," Solo Era addresses that.
Who else is in the room
Solo Era is a deliberately solitary practice. A mission is done alone, and nobody sees your ratings or journal unless you choose to share. A Timeleft event is the opposite: the whole point is a table of strangers. That is a bigger social step, and some people feel ready for it sooner than they expect while others want a runway.
What you get afterwards
After a Solo Era mission you have a rating pair and a journal entry, which build into a record of how your nerves moved over months. We do not claim the app changes how you feel; it gives you something to look at. After a Timeleft event you may have new contacts, and the listing mentions Connect and Repeat for staying in touch. The outcomes are different in kind, so compare them against your own goal rather than against each other.
Effort and commitment
A Solo Era mission can be tiny, such as drinking a coffee in a cafe alone, and it fits into a normal week. A Timeleft booking is an evening with a set time and a group, which is a bigger commitment of time, and for some people, of energy. Check the official FAQ for what happens if you cancel or cannot attend.
Choose Solo Era if you...
- avoid restaurants, cinemas or museums because you would be on your own
- want to build the nerve first, with small steps rated from gentle to bigger
- like the idea of a private record of how nervous you felt before and after
- are not yet sure you want a table full of strangers
Choose Timeleft if you...
- are ready to meet new people and would like someone else to arrange it
- prefer a structured group meal over open-ended mingling
- live in or near a city where Timeleft runs events (check the official locations)
- would rather be placed with strangers than browse profiles
Using both
A sensible order is practice first, event second. Spend a few weeks on solo missions, for example a coffee alone, a museum afternoon or asking a staff member a question. Then book a group event with a little more ease. After the dinner, a Solo Era journal entry is a good place to note what you were glad you did. If you want more context on finding company as an adult, read where to meet friends as an adult and our guide to adult friend-making events you can attend solo. For a group-finding comparison see Solo Era vs Meetup, and for a profile-based one see Solo Era vs Bumble BFF.
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.
Safety and comfort
Meeting strangers in person always deserves normal precautions: read the official safety information, tell someone where you are going, and leave if something feels wrong. Practising alone first does not replace that care. Solo Era is not therapy or medical care, and if social situations feel overwhelming, a doctor or licensed therapist can help.
A simple way to decide
Ask yourself one question: "What would stop me from going to a dinner with strangers on Wednesday?" If the answer is "I do not know how to arrive alone and sit down," start with small solo missions. If the answer is "nothing, I just want someone to organise it," go straight to the event. For other options beyond these two, see Timeleft alternatives or our list of apps for making friends.
Last checked: 2026-11-01. Facts about other apps come from their official sites and App Store listings and can change, so confirm current details before you decide.
FAQ
Is Solo Era an alternative to Timeleft?
Not a direct one. Timeleft arranges group meals with strangers. Solo Era helps you practise doing things alone. Many people could use both at different times.
Does Solo Era help me meet people?
No. Solo Era is not a social, matching or dating app. Some people-category missions, like asking a staff member one genuine question, practise small interactions, but you do not meet anyone through the app.
Is Timeleft free?
The App Store listing shows it as free to download. The cost of events is covered in the official FAQ at timeleft.com/faq, so check there for current details.
Which should I try first if I am shy?
If going out alone is the hard part, start with small solo missions. If you are already comfortable going out and want company, Timeleft may fit sooner. You can also move between them.
Is either app therapy?
No. Neither replaces professional help. Solo Era is not therapy or medical care. If you are struggling, please talk to a doctor or licensed therapist.
Does Solo Era work on Android?
Solo Era is an iPhone app. We do not claim Android or iPad support.
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.
