Finding a pen pal can be tough, especially in our fast-paced world. But luckily, there are apps that can help you find the perfect person to share your thoughts and experiences with! These pen pal apps connect you with other people from all over the world, so you can write letters, share pictures, and build genuine friendships. Some apps even let you match with people based on shared interests, so you'll be sure to have plenty to talk about.
If you're looking for a pen pal app, you're in luck! We've put together a list of the eight best options available on Android and iPhone. Online PenPals is a great app for finding pen pals from all over the world. Slowly lets you choose a pen pal based on your interests, and VoicePenPal offers a unique way to connect with people through audio messages. No matter what kind of pen pal you're looking for, you're sure to find it on one of these apps.
| App | Logo | Available On | Reviews | Downloads | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Online PenPals |  | Android, iOS | 4.5/5 | 44K+ | Anonymous postcard exchange, Worldwide penpal discovery |
| 2. Slowly |  | Android, iOS | 4.7/5 | 6M+ | Snail mail for the digital age, Anonymity by default |
| 3. VoicePenPal |  | Android, iOS | 4.6/5 | 817K+ | Connect with natives, Practice language skills, Make friends worldwide |
| 4. Dearyou |  | Android, iOS | 3.3/5 | 12K+ | Anonymous letter exchange, Handwritten font selection |
| 5. Interpals |  | Android, iOS | 4/5 | 2M+ | Language exchange, Meet new people, Practice languages |
| 6. Bottled |  | Android | 4.4/5 | 4M+ | Make new friends, Chat with penpals, Receive random messages |
| 7. Daily Postcard |  | Android, iOS | 4.2/5 | 602K+ | Send postcards worldwide, Free translation function |
1. Online PenPals
Anonymous postcard exchange, Build penpal community, Discover new friends
Cost:
Free (Free), Premium ($4.99/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Social |
| Downloads | Over 43,000 downloads |
| Features | This pen pals app lets you anonymously share your daily experiences through postcards, follow others, exchange postcards, and build your own network of pen pals. |
| Who It’s For | People looking to connect with others through written communication, share their thoughts and feelings anonymously, and build a community of pen pals. |
- Tags:
- Anonymous Postcards
- Worldwide connections
- Daily Postcard Exchange
Online PenPals is a charming new mobile app that lets you reconnect with the joy of pen pal correspondence, but with a modern twist. While users adore the concept, they're eager to see it grow. Some wish they could customize their profiles beyond avatars, adding personal touches like hobbies and interests. Others are looking for smoother ways to earn stamps, which are essential for sending postcards to potential pen pals. Despite these minor hurdles, Online PenPals has captured the hearts of many, proving that the timeless appeal of connecting with strangers through heartfelt letters is alive and well in the digital age.
Pros & Cons
- Connects users for pen pal exchange
- Allows for anonymous communication
- Great concept for pen pal enthusiasts
- Potential to attract large user base
- Limited stamp earning functionality
- Error with stamp earning feature
- Issues with text editing functionality
Why we chose it?
Online PenPals is a great choice for anyone looking for a fun and engaging pen pal app. It's designed specifically for exchanging postcards, letting you connect with people all over the world without the pressure of instant messaging. Plus, the app's anonymous feature makes it easy to be yourself and share your thoughts and feelings without judgment.
✨ Read more: app to find friends
2. Slowly
Delayed delivery simulates letter mail, Connect with global penpals
Cost:
Free (Free), Premium ($4.99/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Lifestyle |
| Downloads | Over 5.9 million |
| Features | Slowly lets you connect with pen pals around the world, sending letters that take time to arrive based on distance, fostering deeper conversations and a more mindful approach to communication. |
| Who It’s For | People who enjoy the traditional pen pal experience, prefer deeper conversations, and appreciate a slower pace of communication. |
- Tags:
- Slow-paced communication
- Meaningful conversations
- Global pen pals
Slowly is a pen pals app that's rekindling the joy of connecting through thoughtful letters. Users rave about the app's ability to foster meaningful friendships with people from diverse backgrounds. The "slow" pace, with letter delivery times reflecting real-world distances, is a unique feature that many users embrace, adding to the excitement of receiving a letter from across the globe. Unlike instant messaging apps, Slowly focuses on genuine connection, prioritizing thoughtful communication over instant gratification.
Pros & Cons
- Deep conversation focus
- Interesting friend discovery
- Control over interests
- Unique letter experience
- Slow initial letter pace
- Photo sharing hidden
- Limited stamp variety
Why we chose it?
I absolutely love Slowly! It's the perfect app for connecting with people around the world and having meaningful conversations. The unique mail delivery system that simulates the wait of traditional letter writing really helps you savor every message and make each one count. Slowly's focus on quality over quantity makes it a refreshing change from the instant gratification of other apps, and I've found some truly wonderful pen pals through it!
✨ Read more: app to chat with strangers
3. VoicePenPal
Voice chat with friends, Learn new languages, Connect with global pen pals
Cost:
Free (Free), Premium ($9.99/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Social |
| Downloads | Over 800,000 downloads |
| Features | VoicePenPal allows users to connect with friends around the world through voice chat and share their experiences and learn new cultures. |
| Who It’s For | VoicePenPal is perfect for people who want to make new friends, learn new languages, and experience new cultures. |
- Tags:
- Voice Chat with Friends
- Practice languages with natives
- Discover new cultures
VoicePenPal is a pen pals app that lets you connect with people from around the world through voice messages. While it's a fun and innovative concept, it's still in its early stages with a limited user base. This can lead to some awkward silences, but the community is generally friendly and engaging. The app does have a premium subscription option that unlocks additional features, which some users find frustrating. Though there have been occasional issues with the app's functionality, like recent problems with accessing new messages, the developers seem committed to addressing these concerns and improving the user experience.
Pros & Cons
- Fun concept for pen pals
- Most users are enjoyable
- Great way to make friends
- Unique voice-based interaction
- Few users at the moment
- Premium required to find people
- Some messages are dead air
Why we chose it?
VoicePenPal is my go-to app for finding pen pals because it's super easy to connect with people who share my interests! The voice chat feature is amazing for getting to know people on a deeper level and the built-in translation tools make it a breeze to communicate with folks from different countries.
✨ Read more: app for video calls
4. Dearyou
Anonymous letter exchange, Handwritten font selection, New relationships discovery
Download:
Application information
| Category | Lifestyle |
| Downloads | Over 12,000 |
| Features | Dearyou is a pen pals app that lets you anonymously exchange handwritten-style letters with strangers, building connections through thoughtful words. |
| Who It’s For | Individuals seeking meaningful connections, those who enjoy letter writing, and anyone looking for a unique way to communicate. |
- Tags:
- Anonymous letter exchange
- Thought-provoking conversations
- Handwritten font options
Dearyou is a unique pen pals app that allows users to connect with strangers and exchange heartfelt letters. The app encourages slower, more meaningful communication than typical social media platforms. While some users lament the prevalence of low-effort posts, the app's focus on genuine connection shines through, offering a refreshing alternative to the superficiality of many online interactions. Dearyou's emphasis on thoughtful communication fosters a sense of community and allows users to explore new perspectives while forging unexpected friendships.
Pros & Cons
- Good for making friends
- Better than most penpal apps
- Rare users do try
- Friendly and haven't seen creeps
- Too many low-effort posts
- No bug fixes for reading letters
- Can't send to anyone you know
Why we chose it?
Dearyou is a fantastic app for finding pen pals! I love that it focuses on slow, thoughtful communication, letting you connect with people on a deeper level through handwritten-style letters. Plus, it's super easy to use and the interface is visually appealing, making it a joy to send and receive letters.
✨ Read more: app for business communication
5. Interpals
Connect with global pen pals, Language learning through chat
Download:
Application information
| Category | Social |
| Downloads | Over 2 million downloads |
| Features | Interpals lets you connect with people from around the world for language exchange, cultural exploration, travel tips, and friendship through messaging, forums, and group chats. |
| Who It’s For | Anyone looking for a pen pals app to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds, practice languages, and make new friends. |
- Tags:
- Language exchange
- Culture exchange
- Meet new people
Interpals is a pen pals app that lets you connect with people from around the globe, offering a great way to exchange cultures and languages. While the app boasts features like voice messages and a global search function, it does come with some quirks. Users have reported issues with image uploads, search customization, and a hidden daily message limit. Despite these shortcomings, Interpals remains a decent option for finding new friends and language partners, though many users eventually transition to other platforms like WhatsApp for more seamless communication.
Pros & Cons
- Great for finding pen pals
- Connect with people globally
- Exchange culture and language
- Voice messages and photo sharing
- Glitchy user interface
- Limited message sending daily
- Gender-based search leads to spam
Why we chose it?
Interpals is a classic for a reason! It's been around forever and has a huge community of people looking to connect. You'll find pen pals from all over the world, and the app makes it easy to filter by interests and language. Plus, Interpals has a built-in chat feature, so you can get to know your pen pal quickly and easily.
✨ Read more: app messenger for android
6. Bottled
Randomly connect with strangers, Share thoughts and feelings
Cost:
Free (Free), Bottled Premium ($4.99/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Social |
| Downloads | Over 4 million downloads |
| Features | Bottled lets you write messages, put them in virtual bottles, and send them out to random users around the world, fostering connections and conversations. |
| Who It’s For | People seeking a fun and unique way to connect with pen pals from all over the world, offering a positive and supportive community. |
- Tags:
- Make new friends
- Share your thoughts
- Fun and easy to use
Bottled is a fun and easy-to-use pen pals app that connects you with people all over the world. While the app boasts a large user base, particularly in countries like India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, users have reported an issue where messages get stuck in a "loading" loop after minimizing the app. Despite this minor hiccup, the core concept of sending and receiving messages in a bottle remains engaging and has the potential for meaningful connections. However, some users have expressed concerns about the prevalence of inappropriate messages from men seeking romantic relationships, highlighting a need for more robust filtering options or user-reported features.
Pros & Cons
- Meet pen pals worldwide
- Simple and easy to use
- Great for making friends
- Allows choosing message senders
- Loading messages can be slow
- Many users are seeking romance
- Limited features for mass releases
Why we chose it?
Bottled is a fantastic app for making pen pals because it's so unique and fun! It's like sending a message in a bottle, which is super cool, and you get to chat with people from all over the world. I love that Bottled focuses on building a positive community where everyone can connect and be themselves, which is so important to me.
7. Daily Postcard
Send postcards to strangers, Discover new pen pals, Translate messages instantly
Cost:
Free (Free), Premium ($1.99/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Lifestyle |
| Downloads | Over 600,000 downloads |
| Features | Send and receive postcards with personalized messages and pictures, connect with people around the world, translate messages for easy communication, save and filter postcards. |
| Who It’s For | People looking for a fun and unique way to connect with new friends and pen pals around the globe. |
- Tags:
- Send Real Postcard
- Free Translation
- Make Foreign Friends
Daily Postcard is a unique pen pals app that lets you connect with strangers around the world, exchanging virtual postcards and learning about different cultures. While the app's interface might feel a bit cluttered at times, the core concept of sending and receiving handwritten-style messages is incredibly engaging. Users have found the community to be friendly and welcoming, with many reporting positive interactions and making new acquaintances. While some features like character limits and the lack of photo attachments might feel limiting, the app's ease of use and fast response times make it a fun and casual way to find new friends.
Pros & Cons
- Unique pen pal concept
- Fast responses from users
- No need for email/phone
- Cute layout, no toxic comments
- Cluttered, tiny postcard inbox
- Character limit for postcards
- No photo attachments in letters
Why we chose it?
I absolutely love Daily Postcard for connecting with pen pals around the world! It's super easy to send and receive personalized postcards with photos and messages, and the translation feature makes it a breeze to communicate with people who speak different languages. Plus, discovering new friends with shared interests makes the whole experience even more enjoyable!
8. WhatsApp Messenger
Free global messaging, End-to-end encrypted, Group chat support
Download:
Application information
| Category | Communication |
| Downloads | Over 9 billion downloads |
| Features | Send text messages, make voice and video calls, share photos, documents, and location, create group chats, and use end-to-end encryption for secure communication. |
| Who It’s For | People who want to connect with friends and family around the world, stay in touch with loved ones, or find pen pals for language exchange or friendship. |
- Tags:
- End-to-end encryption
- Free voice and video calls
- Cross-platform messaging
WhatsApp Messenger, a popular pen pals app with over 2 billion users, offers a seamless way to connect with friends and family across the globe. While lauded for its simple interface and reliable messaging, some users find the lack of a built-in translator a major drawback, interrupting the flow of conversations and requiring the use of third-party apps for multilingual groups. Additionally, the recent addition of the Meta AI search bar has been met with frustration, as many find it intrusive and prefer the previous search function. Despite these concerns, WhatsApp remains a valuable tool for forging and maintaining long-distance friendships, fostering a sense of community and shared experiences.
Pros & Cons
- Free to use
- Widely used globally
- Supports voice and video calls
- End-to-end encrypted messages
- Lacks built-in translator
- Biometric security issues
- Unnecessary features clutter app
Why we chose it?
WhatsApp is my go-to for pen pals because it's super reliable and works on pretty much every phone. Plus, you can chat, send voice notes, and even video call, which makes it easy to get to know someone on a deeper level. I've found some really amazing pen pals through WhatsApp and I highly recommend it!