The Best (Free) Apps To Stay Connected With Friends During Quarantine

We are now deep into the first month of isolation, and it’s becoming clear with each festival cancellation, that we HAVE to stay at home if we have any chance of having a summer. Spring has (finally) arrived, and it’s so hard to resist the urge to meet up with mates and drink away your worries in a park, but PLEASE, don’t. We’ve put together a list of our favorite, tried-and-tested apps, that will keep your weekend dreams alive, just virtually.

#1 HOUSEPARTY

Recent privacy worries aside, Houseparty is owned by reputable game development company Epic Games, the genius’ behind Fornite and Assassin’s Creed. Almost immediately after social-distancing measures were put into place, ‘Houseparty’ built up an impressive cult following in a matter of days, gaining around 2 million downloads, every week. Houseparty allows for groups of up to 8 friends to video chat, alongside playing games such as ‘Heads Up’ and ‘Quick Draw’, whilst sharing the screen. “[insert friends name here] is in the house!”

Download here

#2 AIRTIME

Airtime is the PERFECT alternative to your weekly ‘Girls Night In’. Grab a bottle of wine and get downloading. Airtime is a social streaming platform, where you can video chat whilst watching your favorite shows, films, and YouTube videos. If you’re just looking for some downtime with your gals, this is the app for you.

Download here

#3 ZOOM

Although this app has been used for businesses for a long time, large groups of friends are now taking to the ‘meetings’ platform to play drinking games and partake in pub quizzes. Zoom conversations are invite-only, avoiding party-crashers you find on Houseparty, whilst also being able to see all your friends’ lovely faces. The app can also be downloaded on your laptop, allowing you to send those embarrassing drunk texts whilst at the ‘pub’, just like real life!

Download here

#4 BUNCH

Similar to Houseparty, the Bunch app, allows eight friends to join together to play games. If you’ve exhausted Quick Draw for the last couple of weeks and are sick to DEATH of drawing floor lamps, it’s time for Bunch! Bunch offers a vast array of multi-player games for you & your pals, including; Mars Dash, Flappy Lives and Bunch Pool!

Download here

#5 SQUAD

If you’re ready to spill the tea with your gals, this is the app for you! Wave goodbye to sending endless screenshots to your Group Chat, and instead share your gossip via this screen-sharing app. Squad also allows for video chat for up to 9 mates, letting you all give your best advice to your gals, even when you can’t be near them.

Download here

Next up, Daily Outfit: The Influencers Giving Us Isolation Inspo