Striking up a friendly rapport with a newcomer becomes the exception, not the norm. These days, there are apps for pretty much anything, from getting a cleaner in after a party to chartering a private jet and booking a massage. ‘Wiith’, a new San Francisco-based app, is designed to buddy you up with people looking for buddies. No romance, no sex, just pure, unadulterated friendship. The premise is simple: if you’re new to a city, or just want to meet someone new, the app connects you with like-minded others inside a set radius.

You sign up via Facebook, build a basic profile, then approach people for friendship or arrange social events and invite others along.

• The Tinderisation of modern life is on the rise I arranged a coffee meet-up for Saturday at 5.30pm, which after half an hour a guy called Harpal said he was coming to.

I also followed a man called Jeff, something that means Wiith will notify me when he creates an event, and told some bloke called Youcef I’d join him for a run on tomorrow at 9pm. It’s true that the current market for community-based dating and networking is becoming increasingly saturated.

While it’s generally accepted that you may need to put some in some extra effort while pursuing a romantic partner, actively looking for friends may be viewed as out of the ordinary or desperate.

“The awkwardness seems even more intense than dating sites because it doesn't align with the old, time-worn trope of the Boyfriendless Lady Who Has Lots Of Female Friends But Just Wants Love,” wrote Jezebel’s Ann Breslaw.

You have a profile, call out your interests and exchanges messages in the hopes of taking the relationship into the “real world.” Girl Friend Circles requires members to pay a fee of .95 every six months, while Girlfriend Social offers free accounts.

"Just want to give you a heads up, though," I wrote.Girlfriend Social is a website that connects women with new female friendships.This website is for Ladies only, who just like you, are looking to make platonic women friendships.Inside women can make new friends with fabulous ladies in a safe and friendly environment. Just sign up, find female friends and be a part of the Girlfriend club that everyone is talking about...It doesn't matter if you're single or married, 20 or 60, All women who are looking for friendships are welcome here. I met the most amazing friend on this site and we do so much together, have a lot of fun with each other. I remember joking with my mom one day how I wished there was site ...During the month that I used social dating apps to find new buddies, I sent countless unrequited salutations, offered up priceless New York City travel recommendations, and even gave my number to a guy who wanted to discuss first amendment rights. When I started, I believed that, with millions of people just searching for company online, I'd easily find my new bestie or at least someone down for a platonic hang.A friend finder app, after all, didn't seem too far away with Tinder for cats and other spin-off matching services debuting. Lyke Me, an app three Michigan State University students have designed to match people based on interests, is launching this fall.) On a personal level, I wanted more friends.The took a closer look at three such sites in particular: Social Jane.com, Girl Friend Circles and Girlfriend Social.According to its website, Girl Friend Circles is “committed to introducing awesome women and inspiring real friendships.” Girlfriend Social explicitly states that it is a website for “ladies only” who are “looking to make platonic women friendships.” The process works similarly to online dating.I stayed on the site and now meet up with three lovely ladies.We meet up a once a month for a coffee or a meal and now we all enjoy our new social life....It was getting serious with one of my Tinder matches.After a witty opener (he, having studied at Oxford, asked if I was British because I somehow looked it) and exchanging our jobs and educational background, we were discussing our favorite Delaware beach destination.The number of users online dating sites like Match.com, OKCupid, JDate and e Harmony now attract suggests that any stigma people once felt around looking for love online has lifted.But would you use a matchmaking site to find female friends?