purp - Make new friends

Review by eFreeware

Making friends as an adult is awkward in a way that rarely gets easier. The places where friendships used to form on their own, school, a regular job, a shared hobby, thin out, and the apps that promise connection usually turn out to be dating apps wearing a different hat. That gap is what purp is trying to fill. It is a free social app from hubo Labs, released in July 2020, and its pitch is straightforward: meet people from other countries, learn something about their lives, and see where the conversation goes.

The core loop is familiar to anyone who has used a swipe-based app, but the intent is different. You swipe right to send a friend request rather than to signal romantic interest, and the developer frames the whole thing around discovering new cultures. That reframing matters more than it sounds. It sets expectations on both sides of a match, and it gives the app a reason to exist next to the messaging tools you already have.

It is also a mainstream app rather than a niche experiment. purp has passed 5 million installs and holds a 4.1 average across more than 130,000 ratings, which tells me a lot of people have tried it and a good number have stuck around. What follows is my read on how it works, what it costs you in attention, and the sort of person I think gets the most from it.

Sending a request instead of a like

The mechanic is simple enough to explain in a sentence. Swipe right and purp sends a friend request to that person. If they accept, you are notified, and from there the two of you can chat and look at each other's social profiles. The decision is yours, made in a second or two, and the other person makes theirs.

What I like about this framing is the honesty of it. A right swipe is not a compliment or a signal, it is an ask, and the other person can simply decline by not answering. That takes some of the pressure out of the first move. It also means the app rewards people who are willing to send a fair number of requests, since a request is only half of a connection.

The chat that opens after acceptance is where the app actually lives. The developer notes that you can see each other's socials once you are connected, which suggests purp is designed as a bridge to whatever platform you both already use rather than a walled garden you are meant to stay inside forever. Whether that is a strength depends on what you want. If you are hoping for a self-contained community with its own feed and events, this is a lighter proposition than that.

Building a profile worth swiping on

Purp gives you room to shape how you come across. You can add photos and videos, write a bio, and change your profile colors if you want something that does not look like everyone else's. That last option is a small thing, but it is the kind of customization that makes a profile feel like yours rather than a template you filled in.

The mix of photos and video is the part I would pay attention to if I were setting up an account. A short clip of you doing something you actually enjoy says more about whether a conversation will work than a posed photo does, especially when the whole premise is meeting people whose daily life looks different from yours. A bio that names a specific interest gives the other person something to open with.

None of this is unusual for a social app, and I would not expect it to be. The profile is the shop window, and purp treats it that way. What matters is that the tools are there and that they are flexible enough to accommodate someone who wants a polished presentation and someone who would rather keep it casual.

How gems shape the way you swipe

Sending swipes costs gems, and gems are the app's internal currency. The developer describes them as easy to earn, and lists three routes: sharing purp with friends, checking in each day, and making new friends inside the app. That last one is neatly circular, since the act of connecting is also what refills your ability to connect.

The practical effect is that purp is not a bottomless swipe machine. You have a budget, and you decide how to spend it, which nudges the experience toward quality over volume. I would expect that to suit someone who would rather send a few thoughtful requests than blast through hundreds of profiles in a sitting. It is less suited to anyone who wants to swipe continuously without thinking about it.

Gems can also be purchased, and purp offers a subscription called purp+ alongside them. The app is free to download and use, and it carries ads. I am not going to pretend the currency system is invisible, because it is not; it is the main structural fact of using purp. What I would say is that the earning options are varied enough that a patient user has a path forward without spending, while someone in a hurry has the option to pay.

What it takes to get going

Setup is not complicated. You build a profile with your photos, videos, bio and colors, then start swiping. The three-step explanation of the core loop suggests the app wants you making requests quickly rather than filling out forms.

There is one rule that matters more than the mechanics. purp asks users to be kind, and the developer is explicit that posting inappropriate content or bullying someone leads to a ban. That is a clear line, and it is the kind of policy that shapes the tone of a community more than any feature does. Anyone treating this as an anonymous place to say whatever they like should expect to lose access.

If something goes wrong or you have an idea for the app, there is a feedback address, [email protected].

The people this suits

I would point purp at someone who is curious about how other people live and wants a low-commitment way to start conversations across borders. The swipe-to-request model keeps the stakes low, the chat gives you somewhere to take it, and the profile tools let you present yourself properly. It fits a person who enjoys the early stage of getting to know someone and does not mind sending a few requests that go nowhere.

It also fits someone who is comfortable with a currency system. Gems are central to how swiping works, and a user who resents any kind of in-app economy will feel that friction every session. The same goes for ads, which are part of the free experience. These are not flaws exactly, they are the terms of use, and it is better to know them going in than to discover them later.

The content rating is Teen, which tells you the audience the app is built for. And the kindness policy cuts both ways: it protects you from harassment, and it applies to you as well. Someone who wants a purely private, one-to-one tool with no rules attached is not the target here.

What I keep coming back to is the cultural angle. Plenty of apps will help you message someone. Fewer are built around the idea that the person on the other end might live somewhere you have never been, and that the conversation is the point. That is a specific pleasure, and purp is designed for people who feel it.

A reasonable place to start a friendship

purp does one thing and does it without much decoration. You swipe, you request, you chat, and along the way you spend gems you earned by showing up. The profile tools give you enough control to look like yourself, and the kindness rule sets a floor for how people treat each other. With a 4.1 average from a large rating pool, the reception has been solid rather than spectacular.

The caveats are the economy and the ads. Gems gate how much you can swipe, purp+ and gem purchases exist for people who want more, and the free version carries advertising. None of that is hidden, but it does mean the app asks for something beyond your attention.

If you want to meet people outside your usual circle and you are willing to work within a currency system to do it, purp is a sensible place to start. If you would rather swipe without limits and without ads, the structure here will feel like a constraint. That is the trade, and it is a fair one to make with your eyes open.

What's new in version 7.0.2

Bug fixes and improvements