An application that connects lonely, nearby people up by recommending ...
...activities.
Idea type: Swamp
The market has seen several mediocre solutions that nobody loves. Unless you can offer something fundamentally different, you’ll likely struggle to stand out or make money.
Should You Build It?
Don't build it.
Your are here
Your idea of connecting lonely people through activity recommendations falls into a crowded space, which we call the 'Swamp'. With 19 similar products already out there, the competition is significant. The average engagement (number of comments) on these similar products is low. This suggests that many of these apps struggle to gain traction, and that you might struggle to stand out or make money. The lack of strong 'use' or 'buy' signals further emphasizes this. It doesn't mean your idea is inherently bad but that you need a fundamentally different angle to succeed where others haven't. Don't be discouraged, but proceed with extreme caution and a very clear understanding of where existing solutions have failed.
Recommendations
- Begin by deeply researching why existing "loneliness" apps have not achieved widespread success. Focus on user feedback and identify unmet needs or pain points. Dive into the criticism summaries, which highlight issues from perceived exploitation ('mugging app' comparisons) to cumbersome features and limitations on PC support. Understanding these failures is crucial before investing further time and resources.
- If you decide to proceed, narrow your focus to a specific, underserved group (e.g., introverted professionals, single parents, or people new to a city). Create a minimum viable product (MVP) tailored specifically to the target group and do guerilla testing with them. A more specialized approach can give you an edge, but make sure it is not too niche to impact the viability of your product.
- Consider pivoting your idea towards building tools or features for existing social platforms or activity providers instead of creating a standalone app. For example, you could develop a plugin that suggests activities within a popular social network or a booking system that helps local businesses connect with people seeking activities. Given the number of existing products, it may be more viable to enhance existing ecosystems.
- Explore adjacent problems related to loneliness that might be more promising. For instance, focus on creating resources for improving social skills, facilitating meaningful conversations, or building stronger online communities. Based on the similar product analysis, shared interests like music and games seem to work. These can be integrated in your MVP.
- Given the challenges and competitive landscape, honestly assess whether this is the best use of your time and energy. It might be wise to save your resources for an idea with a clearer path to success and a greater potential for impact. It is hard to face reality, but a failed launch is always worse.
- Examine the successful elements of similar apps, such as user-friendly interfaces and focus on shared interests (like music and games), as highlighted in the Connect App feedback. Consider what you can adapt to your specific niche, even if the niche itself is narrow. Iterate.
Questions
- What fundamental shift or unique value proposition can you introduce to differentiate your app from the numerous existing solutions and overcome their limitations?
- Considering the negative feedback around apps that feel exploitative or cumbersome, how will you ensure your app fosters genuine connections and avoids alienating users?
- Given the low average engagement of similar apps, what specific strategies will you employ to build and maintain a vibrant, active user base within your chosen niche?
Your are here
Your idea of connecting lonely people through activity recommendations falls into a crowded space, which we call the 'Swamp'. With 19 similar products already out there, the competition is significant. The average engagement (number of comments) on these similar products is low. This suggests that many of these apps struggle to gain traction, and that you might struggle to stand out or make money. The lack of strong 'use' or 'buy' signals further emphasizes this. It doesn't mean your idea is inherently bad but that you need a fundamentally different angle to succeed where others haven't. Don't be discouraged, but proceed with extreme caution and a very clear understanding of where existing solutions have failed.
Recommendations
- Begin by deeply researching why existing "loneliness" apps have not achieved widespread success. Focus on user feedback and identify unmet needs or pain points. Dive into the criticism summaries, which highlight issues from perceived exploitation ('mugging app' comparisons) to cumbersome features and limitations on PC support. Understanding these failures is crucial before investing further time and resources.
- If you decide to proceed, narrow your focus to a specific, underserved group (e.g., introverted professionals, single parents, or people new to a city). Create a minimum viable product (MVP) tailored specifically to the target group and do guerilla testing with them. A more specialized approach can give you an edge, but make sure it is not too niche to impact the viability of your product.
- Consider pivoting your idea towards building tools or features for existing social platforms or activity providers instead of creating a standalone app. For example, you could develop a plugin that suggests activities within a popular social network or a booking system that helps local businesses connect with people seeking activities. Given the number of existing products, it may be more viable to enhance existing ecosystems.
- Explore adjacent problems related to loneliness that might be more promising. For instance, focus on creating resources for improving social skills, facilitating meaningful conversations, or building stronger online communities. Based on the similar product analysis, shared interests like music and games seem to work. These can be integrated in your MVP.
- Given the challenges and competitive landscape, honestly assess whether this is the best use of your time and energy. It might be wise to save your resources for an idea with a clearer path to success and a greater potential for impact. It is hard to face reality, but a failed launch is always worse.
- Examine the successful elements of similar apps, such as user-friendly interfaces and focus on shared interests (like music and games), as highlighted in the Connect App feedback. Consider what you can adapt to your specific niche, even if the niche itself is narrow. Iterate.
Questions
- What fundamental shift or unique value proposition can you introduce to differentiate your app from the numerous existing solutions and overcome their limitations?
- Considering the negative feedback around apps that feel exploitative or cumbersome, how will you ensure your app fosters genuine connections and avoids alienating users?
- Given the low average engagement of similar apps, what specific strategies will you employ to build and maintain a vibrant, active user base within your chosen niche?
- Confidence: High
- Number of similar products: 19
- Engagement: Low
- Average number of comments: 2
- Net use signal: 19.5%
- Positive use signal: 25.0%
- Negative use signal: 5.5%
- Net buy signal: -5.5%
- Positive buy signal: 0.0%
- Negative buy signal: 5.5%
The x-axis represents the overall feedback each product received. This is calculated from the net use and buy signals that were expressed in the comments. The maximum is +1, which means all comments (across all similar products) were positive, expressed a willingness to use & buy said product. The minimum is -1 and it means the exact opposite.
The y-axis captures the strength of the signal, i.e. how many people commented and how does this rank against other products in this category. The maximum is +1, which means these products were the most liked, upvoted and talked about launches recently. The minimum is 0, meaning zero engagement or feedback was received.
The sizes of the product dots are determined by the relevance to your idea, where 10 is the maximum.
Your idea is the big blueish dot, which should lie somewhere in the polygon defined by these products. It can be off-center because we use custom weighting to summarize these metrics.
Similar products
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Connect App helps you make new friends and connect with people through music, games, parties, etc. on Connect App. Meet and Connect with New Friends Today!
The Connect App launch on Product Hunt has generated positive feedback, with users highlighting its focus on fostering friendships through music and games in a pressure-free environment. Users appreciate the app's smooth interface and ease of use, making it simple to connect with others. The concept of connecting people through shared interests like music and games is well-received, and users are excited about the potential for making new friends. The visually appealing photos are also noted as a positive aspect of the app.
Active Local - Local connections made simple!
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Hey HN, we've just launched Vibe IRL, an app designed to bridge the gap between online connections and real-world interactions. In an era where digital interactions often replace face-to-face encounters, Vibe IRL aims to transform how people meet and interact in their local environments.Key Features:Mood-Based Matching: Users can find others based on current mood, promoting more meaningful and relevant meetups. Instant Local Meetups: Designed to encourage spontaneous real-life interactions, making socializing effortless and immediate. We created Vibe IRL as a free platform to help make genuine connections in local communities. We're excited about the potential to not only enhance how people socialize but to also provide a tool that combats the increasing sense of isolation in the digital age.The app is free to download and we're keen to hear feedback from the community to make it even better. Check it out here https://vibeirl.app and let us know what you think!
Users appreciate the spontaneous nature of forming friendships but are disappointed by the lack of PC support.
The product lacks support for PC, which is a significant drawback for users who prefer or require PC compatibility.
Event Driven Social Media to Make Genuine Connections
I have been working on building a platform that aims to bring people closer in a digital world of loneliness (Especially with Gen Z).The idea was that if you meet people first and then interact with them online you will build stronger connections and make better local communities. Would love to hear your feedback!
I created an app to help friends keep each other motivated, thoughts?
Hi HN,First time posting here as my cofounder and I have launched our first app together called Pronto and would love the community's thoughts on our concept and execution!The Idea: Pronto came about from one of my friends. He was messaging me, wondering if he should go to a book reading in our city as he had nobody to go with. I told him my usual answer which is: why not? He agreed, and later that evening messaged me thanking me for the nudge in the right direction. I thought about that exchange, and I realized that there wasn't really an organic space for people to feel supported by those they knew.This was the original kernel that then became Pronto. - your space to motivate your friends in whatever they're trying to accomplish. Say you want to get to the gym more often. Pronto will ask you to schedule a "Journey", (in this case heading to the gym) and during your Journey time, you will be randomly prompted to share a photo. Photos only last for 24 hours publicly, but users will keep their photos forever, serving as a personal journal of all of their hard work. Friends can then like and comment on photos, and even nudge their friends if it looks like they are going to miss their Journey.Pronto is your place to never feel like you have to start something alone again. My ultimate goal is to create positive feedback loops in people's lives, connecting people through activity.Why not use other apps?: I found conventional social media apps were too high stress. Apps like Instagram have users constantly worrying whether a particular photo is "insta worthy", while more specialized apps such as Strava have users worried about comparing their stats with other users. Pronto. hopes to address these issues directly, by offering people a low stress, more intimate experience with their friends.I would love if you took a look at my app, and even downloaded it to give it a try. It's a social app at the end of the day so it will likely feel a tad empty right now, but all feedback is warmly welcomed! (Please be brutally honest!!!)Landing Page: https://www.pronto.dev/App Store Link: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/pronto/id6450558539?platform=i...Email in case you want to reach out: jeff@pronto.devCheers!
Buy a local dinner on your next vacation
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Users criticized the app for targeting wealthy visitors, likening it to a 'mugging' app. They also compared the experience to paying taxes, indicating a sense of financial burden. Additionally, the optional paid-for meal for hosts in expensive cities was seen as an unnecessary expense.
Yujo - Build your social circle intelligently with Yujo
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We made an app that helps remote workers find friends to travel with
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Meet people, have more conversations about what truly interests you
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available on android ?
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Excited about PairPoint's concept, offering a second chance at missed connections.