Comparison

Pulse vs CuddleMatte

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pulse

This app facilitates meeting new people in real life through small, interest-based groups with a 10-day deadline to connect. It focuses on shared activities and genuine friendships, skipping endless chatting and swiping.

Highlights
  • Friend matching by vibe and interests
  • Small crews with 10-day meet-up missions
  • Real-life activities and experiences
  • Icebreaker prompts for group connection
  • Local and global community options
  • Safe and inclusive environment
Features
Read full description

Meet Real Friends Fast with Pulse, the Friendship App Pulse makes it easy to meet new friends in real life. Join small groups of people in your city who share your vibe, interests, and pace. Each group is on a simple mission to meet up, try something fun, and build real friendships within a 10 day deadline. If your crew meets in real life, your mission gets extended so you can keep hanging out. No endless chatting. No awkward swiping. Just real people ready to connect and meet friends near you. How Pulse Friendship Missions Work Pick Your Friend Group Match Join a city match or choose interest based groups like queer gamers, gym buddies, book lovers, creatives, foodies, and more. Take the Friendship Vibe Test Answer a few quick questions and get matched with a small crew that feels right for you. You meet people nearby who share your pace, your interests, and your idea of fun. Group Chat Hosted by Pip the Penguin Pip the Penguin is your friendly chat host. Pip breaks the ice, keeps the group active, and helps everyone feel relaxed from the moment you match. Meet in Real Life within 10 Days Every crew has one goal. Meet up within the mission deadline. Choose from thousands of local activities like bowling, cafés, pottery studios, cooking classes, cocktails, hiking, board game nights, and more. Go on an Adventure Together Pip helps your group agree on something fun by managing polls, availability, and suggestions based on shared interests. Everything feels easy and low friction so the group can focus on making friends. Repeat Your Mission or Try a New Crew Stay with your crew and keep meeting or join a new match to find more people you vibe with. Stay Local or Go Global Make friends in your own city or join social experiences when you travel. Pulse works wherever you go. Safe and Inclusive Pulse is built for real people from all backgrounds. Queer friendly, trans inclusive, neurodiverse welcoming, and designed for positive interactions. Perfect For • Anyone who wants to make new friends • People new to a city • Digital nomads and travelers • Students and young professionals • Adults looking for friends with shared interests • Both introverts and extroverts Why Pulse Works Pulse focuses on real life connection from day one. You skip the endless messaging and get matched with people who want to meet up. Groups are small, friendly, and designed to help you relax, have fun, and form meaningful friendships. Whether you want a weekly crew to hang out with or a chance to meet new people every month, Pulse helps you build the social life you want. Key Features • Friend matching based on vibe and interests • Small crews on a 10 day meet up mission • Real life activities and experiences • Icebreakers that help the group connect • Local and global community • Safe and inclusive space Join the Friendship Movement Thousands use Pulse to find friends, meet new people, and build real connections. Ready to make friends who feel right for you? Join a crew and meet up this week. Download Pulse and find your people. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

CuddleMatte

Discover and connect with people nearby for genuine interactions. Plan hangouts with built-in safety features and manage conversations and payments securely. Designed for respectful and transparent connections.

Highlights
  • Discover and match with nearby profiles
  • Verified profiles and age verification
  • One-on-one and group chat
  • Schedule hangouts and manage bookings
  • In-app secure payments
  • Comprehensive safety center
Features
Read full description

CuddleMatte is a calmer way to meet people. Discover profiles near you, start real conversations, and plan hangouts on your own terms — with safety built into every step. DISCOVER & CONNECT • Browse and match with people nearby based on your preferences • Verified profiles and age-verified onboarding for a trustworthy community • Like, pass, and revisit your matches anytime CHAT YOUR WAY • One-on-one and group conversations • Share plans, availability, and details before you meet • Stay in control of what you share and when PLAN WITH CONFIDENCE • Schedule hangouts and manage bookings in one place • In-app wallet for simple, secure payments • Track your activity and history SAFETY FIRST • A full Safety Center with practical tips for before, during, and after meeting someone • One-tap reporting and blocking • Clear Community Guidelines everyone agrees to • Quick access to emergency resources CuddleMatte is built for people who want genuine connections without the noise — respectful, transparent, and designed around your comfort.

Screenshots

Pulse4 screens
CuddleMatte4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CuddleMatte at none against Pulse's 6. Pulse's advantage is ratings volume (11 vs 1) and update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pulse sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. CuddleMatte asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Pulse against 5.0 for CuddleMatte. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pulse has 11 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pulse ships an update every 6 days, CuddleMatte fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Pulse versus CuddleMatte: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPulseCuddleMatte
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (11 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size110 MB41 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperPulse Now Co.CuddleMatte

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Pulse

Subscriptions3
  • Pulse Backer$4.991 Month
  • Pulse Patron$9.991 Month
  • Pulse Guardian$24.991 Month
One-time3
  • Spark$4.99
  • Catalyst$9.99
  • Legend$24.99
None

CuddleMatte

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pulse free?
Pulse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CuddleMatte free?
CuddleMatte is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Pulse or CuddleMatte?
Pulse and CuddleMatte are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 11 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Pulse or CuddleMatte have ads?
Neither Pulse nor CuddleMatte shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pulse or CuddleMatte?
Pulse ships an update every 6 days, and CuddleMatte fortnightly. Most recently, Pulse was updated on October 24, 2026 and CuddleMatte on October 25, 2026.

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