Bumble BFF Update: New Features for Friend Groups & Community

Bumble Relaunches BFF App with Focus on Community

Responding to the increasing popularity of friendship-focused applications, Bumble announced on Wednesday the reintroduction of its BFF app.

The updated application is designed to assist users, particularly younger demographics, in broadening their social connections beyond the conventional one-on-one matching system previously associated with BFF.

Built on Geneva Technology

The new BFF app is constructed utilizing the infrastructure of Geneva, a community-centric social platform that Bumble acquired in the prior year.

Consequently, the Geneva application will be discontinued. This decision aligns with statements made by Bumble in Q2 2025, indicating that Geneva had not yet generated any revenue as of June 30th.

Existing members of the Geneva platform will be automatically transitioned to BFF, retaining their existing groups and message history.

New Features and Functionality

While maintaining its one-on-one matching and private messaging capabilities, allowing users to swipe and connect individually, the revamped BFF app places significant emphasis on the newly introduced Groups tab.

This addition facilitates participation in chat rooms, the organization of social gatherings, and the use of an integrated calendar for scheduling and tracking events.

According to a company representative speaking with TechCrunch, the feature is intended to accommodate communities of varying sizes, from intimate groups to networks encompassing thousands of members.

The Groups tab is currently available for creating and joining groups, with the discovery feature scheduled to launch in February 2026.

Competitive Landscape and User Trends

The relaunch arrives during a period of increased activity in the friendship app market, with competitors such as Clockout, Clyx, Les Amís, Timeleft, and 222 gaining traction.

Although BFF has been established in this market for a longer duration than many of these newer applications, this update is strategically aimed at maintaining a competitive edge.

This move also acknowledges evolving user preferences; the company reports that young adults are proactively seeking to expand their social networks.

Specifically, 47% of young adults have expressed a desire for additional friends with whom to share activities, and a comparable percentage are seeking online platforms to foster community connections within their local areas.

Strategic Shift and Financial Context

An increased emphasis on the social aspects of its business has been a component of Bumble’s strategic planning, as discussed during its fourth-quarter 2023 earnings report.

Lidiane Jones, the former CEO, stated at the time, “Our future focus will be on accelerating a more ambitious strategy for Bumble For Friends, centered on cultivating equitable and secure friendships among communities sharing similar interests and desiring genuine, in-person connections.”

The relaunch also occurs as Bumble navigates financial challenges.

In the second quarter, the company reported a 7.6% decrease in revenue, declining from $268.6 million to $248.2 million year-over-year.