Yupi mobile app interface showing friend matching and social connections features

Making Friends in a New City Shouldn't Be This Hard

Building Australia's mobile-first friend-making platform—connecting people through shared interests and hobbies, not awkward dating app swipes. Launched Yupi's cross-platform app in 2021, achieving 4.8 App Store rating and 2 funding rounds with 40% budget savings through React Native development.

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4.8★

App Store rating

40%

Budget savings vs native apps

2 rounds

Funding raised post-launch

iOS + Android

Cross-platform launch

🎯The Challenge

Making friends as an adult is tough, especially in a new city. Existing friend-making apps felt like dating platforms with a fresh coat of paint. Yupi wanted something different: a social app built specifically for platonic connections based on shared hobbies and interests. The technical challenge? Build a cross-platform app that works on both iOS and Android with features that needed native code—like compressing videos on users' phones before uploading.

💡Our Solution

React Native gave us one codebase for both iOS and Android—40% budget savings without cutting corners. We integrated FFmpeg for on-device video compression, so users can share videos without killing their data plan. Working alongside Yupi's team who handled backend and UI/UX, we focused on the mobile app development.

The Transformation

Yupi flipped the script on social networking apps. Instead of repurposing dating app mechanics for friendship, they built an experience designed specifically for platonic connections—complete with interest-based matching, gamified engagement, and privacy controls that put users in charge of their social interactions.

Before

Traditional Process

Dating apps for friends

Awkwardly swiping through dating apps hoping to find platonic connections

Time-consuming uploads

Large video files eating mobile data and taking minutes to upload

Platform fragmentation

Choose between iOS or Android, never both simultaneously

Generic matching

Random suggestions without considering hobbies or lifestyle compatibility

Slow iteration cycles

Building separate apps means doubled development time and cost

After

Digital Solution

Purpose-built for friendship

Social app designed specifically for making friends, not dating

On-device compression

Videos automatically optimized before upload, saving data and time

Cross-platform launch

iOS and Android apps released together from single codebase

Interest-based connections

Matching algorithm considers hobbies, activities, and shared interests

40% faster development

React Native enabled rapid iteration and simultaneous platform delivery

About Yupi

Yupi - Friendship Made Simple

An Australian social networking app that tackles a problem most people recognize: making friends as an adult is hard, especially when you're new to a city. Co-founded by Alex Vasilenko in Sydney, Yupi launched in 2021 to beat homesickness and isolation by connecting people through shared interests and activities.

The app uses gamification and verification to keep the community genuine. Recent updates include AI-powered search and a Compass feature for discovering like-minded people nearby.

By the Numbers

4.8 starsApp Store rating from users who found meaningful connections
2 funding roundsUndisclosed investments raised after successful app launch

They were flexible, and it was easy to work with them on a day-to-day basis.

Alex Vasilenko

CEO, Yupi

How It Works

Yupi's user flow prioritizes quick profile creation, interest-based discovery, and low-pressure connections. The goal is getting people off the app and into real friendships—whether that's coffee meetups, hiking partners, or finding your new board game crew.

👤

Profile Creation & Login

Quick setup with social integration

Create your profile in seconds by selecting interests and activities you enjoy. Login via Facebook or phone number makes getting started quick and easy. The verification system ensures real people join the community, while gamification elements make the process engaging. Import photos from Facebook and Instagram, or build your own photo and video library.

🎯

Smart Matching

Interest-based friend discovery

The app matches users based on shared hobbies, geographic proximity, and demographic compatibility. Unlike dating apps, the focus is entirely on finding people you'd actually want to hang out with—whether that's hiking partners, board game enthusiasts, or exploring new restaurants together.

🎥

Stories & Video Sharing

Share moments with automatic compression

Share daily moments through stories with reactions and interactive widgets. Record video introductions or share experiences—FFmpeg compression happens automatically on the device. A 50MB video becomes 5MB without quality loss, saving your data plan. Users on mobile data can share videos without waiting.

💬

Group Chat & Messaging

Connect and plan activities

Once connections are made, chat one-on-one or create group conversations. Send messages, share photos and videos, and use attachments to coordinate activities. Recent updates added video messages, reactions, and forwarding—making it easy to plan meetups or share inside jokes. Everything works seamlessly across iOS and Android.

🤝

Real-World Meetups

Turn online connections into friendships

The whole point is getting people off the app and into real friendships. Users coordinate meetups for activities they both enjoy—whether that's grabbing coffee, attending events, or exploring new hobbies together. The Compass feature helps discover others nearby with similar interests.

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Technologies

React Native was the obvious choice for simultaneous iOS and Android launch without doubling the budget. One codebase meant Yupi could iterate quickly based on user feedback from both platforms. When we needed native performance for video compression, we integrated FFmpeg directly—users got smooth video upload without realizing they were using a cross-platform framework.

Technologies

React Native

Node.js

AWS

FFmpeg

TestFlight

Services we provided:

Mobile App Development MVP Development

We've launched 50+ mobile apps across social networking, marketplaces, and on-demand platforms. Get your cross-platform MVP to market in 2-3 months with simultaneous iOS and Android reach.

Click to enlarge

Our offices

🇵🇹

Portugal

Cascais

🇺🇦

Ukraine

Proskurivska 45, Khmelnytskyi

🇪🇪

Estonia

Kaupmehe tn 7-120, Tallinn, 10114

5.0

★★★★★16 reviews

FaQ

React Native lets you write code once and deploy to both platforms. For Yupi, this meant 40% budget savings without compromising on quality—they launched simultaneously on both app stores instead of picking one first. You still get native performance where it matters, but don't pay twice for the same features.

Depends on complexity, but Yupi shows what's possible when you scope smart. We focused on core features—profile creation, matching, chat, and video sharing—and launched an MVP that users actually wanted. You can always add AI-powered search and advanced features later, like Yupi did in 2026.

On-device compression using FFmpeg. When someone records a video on Yupi, the app compresses and resizes it before upload—adjusting resolution and file size based on the target display. A 50MB raw video might compress to 5MB without noticeable quality loss. Users on mobile data actually thank you for this.

Intent changes everything. Dating apps optimize for romantic matches—usually one-to-one connections with specific criteria. Friend-making apps like Yupi need different matching algorithms (shared hobbies vs attraction), different UI patterns (group connections vs private matches), and different safety considerations. The code architecture looks similar, but the psychology is completely different.

Definitely. Yupi's team was already working on backend and UI/UX when we came in to build the mobile side. We connected the React Native apps to their existing infrastructure, so data stayed in sync between web and mobile. If you've got an API, we can build iOS and Android apps that talk to it.

Absolutely. Yupi needed FFmpeg for video compression—a performance-intensive task that required native code. We integrated the native module into the React Native app, so users got on-device video processing without noticing they were using a cross-platform framework. The videos compress before upload, saving bandwidth and time.

Social networking apps typically range from $60,000 to $120,000 for an MVP, depending on features. The 40% savings with React Native is real—you're not building two apps. We can give you an exact estimate after a quick call where we understand your specific matching algorithm, chat requirements, and media handling needs.

Yes. Gamification is about psychology, not just flashy animations. Yupi's voting mechanic works because it gives users a low-stakes way to engage before committing to conversations. We've built point systems, leaderboards, achievement unlocks, and custom mechanics for apps across industries. The key is aligning game mechanics with your actual user goals.

Yupi uses verification systems to ensure real people join the platform. This can include phone verification, photo verification, or social media linking. The specific approach depends on your target market—professional networking needs LinkedIn verification, while casual friend-making might just need phone numbers. We can implement whatever verification level matches your community standards.

Yupi's a good example—they launched the core app, got users, raised funding, then added features like AI search and the Compass discovery tool. Most successful apps ship an MVP, learn from real usage, then iterate. We've worked with clients for months or years post-launch, adding features as their user base grows and they understand what people actually want.

✓

Cross-Platform Launch, Single Budget

Yupi saved 40% by launching iOS and Android simultaneously from one codebase. Get your fixed-price estimate for both platforms in 48 hours—no need to choose which users to exclude.

✓

Free Discovery Call + Feature Roadmap

30-minute consultation includes technical feasibility analysis, matching algorithm recommendations, and realistic timeline. We'll tell you if your idea needs adjustment before you spend a dollar on development.

✓

See Working Software Every 2 Weeks

No waiting months to see progress. Yupi's team saw functional features every sprint—chat, video upload, matching—and could test on real devices. You're involved throughout, not surprised at launch.

✓

Performance-Heavy Features Solved

Video compression. Image optimization. Real-time chat. We've solved the technical challenges that kill other apps' user experience. Your users won't delete the app because it eats their data plan or drains their battery.

Free consultation • Fixed-price estimate in 48 hours • No commitment

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Week 1

Free Trial

Test our team, no commitment

Month 1

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Month 2-3

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Full AI solution deployed

$6M+Raised by clients

15+5-star reviews

2+ yrsAvg. partnership

Oleg Kalyta

Founder & AI Lead

Making Friends in a New City Shouldn't Be This Hard

🎯The Challenge

💡Our Solution

The Transformation