Free local events with people you'll actually like.
Pie is a free social app that connects you with in-person events and like-minded people in your city. Instead of swiping on profiles, you browse a curated feed of local happenings — DJ sets at coffee shops, trivia nights, social clubs, pickup sports — and show up. The more events you attend, the more the app learns who you click with, building a personalized social graph of friends and friends-of-friends. It's less about matching and more about getting you out the door.
How it works
Download the app and set your city — Pie is live in Chicago, Austin, Bay Area, and Columbus. Your home feed shows free, in-person events happening nearby, filtered by your interests. Tap an event to see who's going, RSVP, and add it to your calendar. After you attend, Pie starts learning who you vibe with and surfaces a personalized feed of friend and friend-of-friend activity. You can also host your own events — keep them private or broadcast them to the whole network using 'snowball mode.' There's a built-in chat for coordinating plans and sharing photos after the fact.
Who it's for
People who want to meet friends through doing things, not staring at profiles. College grads and young professionals in Chicago, Austin, or the Bay Area who want a social life that doesn't revolve around dating apps. Anyone who's tired of paying $15/month for the privilege of maybe meeting one person. Extroverts who just need a reason to leave the house, and introverts who need a low-stakes activity to anchor the interaction.
What works
Completely free — no premium tier, no paywalls, no catch. Event-first model means you're bonding over shared experiences, not forced small talk. The friend-of-friend feed creates organic social discovery that feels natural. You can host your own events, giving you control over the vibe. 4.7-star rating with 1,000+ reviews suggests people genuinely love using it.
What doesn't
Only available in four cities — if you're not in Chicago, Austin, Bay Area, or Columbus, you're out of luck. No algorithmic matching — you have to browse and choose events yourself. Event quality depends on what's happening in your area on any given week. As a PBC (Public Benefit Corporation), long-term monetization strategy is unclear.
Søren's Take
Pie is refreshingly simple in a space full of personality quizzes and subscription paywalls. The pitch is: here are free events near you, go to them, meet people. That's it. No matching algorithm, no premium tier, no gamification. The friend-of-friend social graph that builds over time is genuinely clever — it mimics how real-life social circles actually form. The catch is geographic: four cities is a small footprint, and if yours isn't on the list, you're waiting. But if you're in Chicago, Austin, or the Bay Area and want a zero-cost way to build a social life, Pie is the obvious first download.
