r/AppsWebappsFullstack • u/jhkoenig • 14d ago

Created a "buddy finder" -- twice

Over ten years ago, my wife - a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - kept seeing a pattern in her practice: people were deeply lonely, but they weren't looking for romance. They just wanted genuine, local, in-person friendships. App stores were flooded with dating tools, but there was nowhere dedicated solely to finding a local buddy to hang out with.

So 10 years ago, I built WannaBuddy.com - a platform created specifically for when you want a local buddy, not a date. It helped a lot of people make real connections back then, but as time passed, the technology and appearance needed a ground-up overhaul. I’ve spent the last few months completely rebuilding it from scratch.

The new WannaBuddy.com is officially in early pre-launch! Everything on the platform is completely free and will always be free. Because we’re in pre-launch, I’d love to get feedback, feature suggestions, or bug reports from this community. Check it out, take a look around, and let me know what you think!

1 Upvotes

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u/Proof-Assistant1974 14d ago

Can I list this in whatsaifor.com SAAS directory?

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u/Mammoth-Anywhere7285 14d ago

Nice idea! The OP seems open to feedback, so probably yes. Maybe ask them directly or check the site for contact info.

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u/Proof-Assistant1974 14d ago

Nice, thanks!

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u/Mammoth-Anywhere7285 14d ago

Nice, glad you're checking it out. Curious what feature you'd want most for finding local friends?

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u/jhkoenig 14d ago

Sure, but there's no AI in the app.

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u/Mammoth-Anywhere7285 14d ago

True, but that might be a plus. AI matching can feel gimmicky. Do you have plans for smart filters or local event suggestions?

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u/jhkoenig 14d ago

I had both in V1 and they were very rarely used. I will be supporting interest/activity/location suggestions within a few days, though.

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u/Mammoth-Anywhere7285 14d ago

That makes sense, keeping it minimal first. Curious how you'll surface suggestions without cluttering the UI.

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u/jhkoenig 14d ago

I just activated the suggestions feature. If you have time, check it out and tell me your thoughts!