When I was researching friendship apps, Yubo kept appearing in lists alongside legitimate platforms. The live-streaming format seemed different from the swiping culture, and I was curious whether video-based connection might feel more authentic than text profiles.
What I found instead was an app that had completely abandoned its original purpose. Yubo started as a friendship platform for teenagers, complete with parental consent requirements and age verification features. But in 2024, the company made a revealing pivot—they announced Yubo was becoming 18+ only.
Yubo
From teen app to adult flirting platform
Yubo has one of the most revealing origin stories in the friendship app space. Originally designed as a safe platform for teenagers to make friends, the app underwent a dramatic transformation.
In 2024, Yubo announced it was becoming an 18+ app, effectively admitting that its teenage user base was actually using the platform to flirt and pursue romantic connections rather than platonic friendships.
According to Yubo's own blog post: "This transition has been in motion for the past year, dating back to when 92% of responding Yubo users said in a 2024 survey that they'd prefer us to be adult-only."
Think about what that statistic reveals. The app marketed as a safe space for teens to make friends was actually being used by hormonally inclined users who wanted to flirt and hook up. Rather than fight against user behavior, Yubo just leaned into it and kicked out the underage users entirely.
This pivot tells you everything you need to know about what Yubo actually is—a video-based platform for casual connections and flirting with an 18+ user base. If you downloaded it hoping to find genuine friendships, you're using the wrong app for the job.
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Video streaming raises safety concerns
I didn't like the video format whatsoever. Sending videos of yourself to strangers on a platform that clearly has a flirting problem doesn't exactly scream "safe friendship app." And I didn't stick around long enough to encounter whatever uncensored content might be lurking in those live streams.
The video-first approach creates additional safety concerns that text-based platforms avoid. Once you've sent a video, you lose control over how that content might be recorded, shared, or used. For an app with Yubo's history of users seeking romantic rather than platonic connections, this format feels particularly risky.
Other users have echoed similar frustrations. One Redditor ranted: "It mostly seems like people who just want hookups/dates. Almost exactly like Tinder... Everyone was super immature, and the app felt like a waste of time where men consistently asked to be [sexually explicit act]. Deleted it."
Better options for genuine friendships
Yubo might work for what it actually is—a video-based platform for casual connections and flirting. But pretending it's a friendship app misleads people looking for platonic relationships.
If you want genuine friendships, look for apps built around shared activities and interests rather than video streaming and appearance-based matching. Activity-focused platforms tend to attract users actually interested in friendship rather than romance.
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Yubo app: FAQ
Is Yubo for making friends or dating?
Despite being marketed as a friendship app, most users wanted it to be adult-only for flirting purposes, leading to its 18+ pivot in 2024.
Why did Yubo become 18+ only?
The company surveyed users and found that 92% preferred an adult-only platform, essentially admitting the teen-focused friendship app was being used for romantic connections instead.
Is Yubo safe to use?
Since it's based on a video-first format, safety concerns are no joke, especially on a platform where users are clearly seeking romantic rather than platonic connections.
What are better alternatives to Yubo?
Any kind of activity-based app (like Pawmates) focused on shared interests tend to attract users genuinely interested in friendship rather than romance or casual connections.
How WhistleOut reviews apps
Our mobile experts test apps extensively before recommending or warning against them. For this review, I spent one full month actively using Yubo to evaluate its functionality, user experience, and whether it delivers on its promise of facilitating friendships.
- Real-world testing
I created genuine profiles, attempted to match with and message other users, and evaluated whether the app facilitated actual friendships or just wasted time. - Safety assessment
We evaluate whether apps have adequate verification systems, moderation policies, and safety features to protect users from harassment and inappropriate content. - User experience matters
Beyond functionality, we assess whether apps respect users' time, make deletion straightforward, and deliver on their marketing promises.
From there, we weigh each app's pros and cons and determine whether it's worth downloading, worth paying for, or worth skipping entirely. In the case of Yubo, the app's actual purpose differs significantly from its marketing.
Jessica Santero
Staff Writer
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