Zenly alternatives: where Zenly users went
Zenly, the friend map app from Paris, closed for good on February 3, 2023. Its owner Snap shut it down as part of a company restructuring. The closest replacement is Bump, a free app made by people from the original Zenly team.
Switch options on and off to match what you miss most. Tap the card for the next pick.
Other Zenly users moved to Snap Map inside Snapchat, Apple's Find My, whoo in Japan, or to Dronk for nights out. Draw a pick below to see which fits you.
- Zenly closed
- Feb 3, 2023
- Owner
- Snap
- Closest app
- Bump
- Alternatives
- 6
What happened to Zenly?
Zenly was a location sharing app started in Paris in 2011. It showed your friends on a colourful live map, with their battery level, how long they had been somewhere and a quick way to say hi. Snap, the company behind Snapchat, bought Zenly in 2017 and kept it running as its own app.
On August 31, 2022, Snap announced a restructuring. It cut about 20 percent of its staff and said it would focus on growing its community, revenue and augmented reality. Projects outside those goals were stopped, and Zenly was one of them. The app stopped working on February 3, 2023.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Zenly is founded in Paris |
| 2017 | Snap buys Zenly |
| August 31, 2022 | Snap announces a restructuring and winds down Zenly |
| February 3, 2023 | Zenly shuts down for good |
| End of 2023 | Amo, a startup founded by people from the Zenly team, releases Bump |
Zenly is not coming back. Apps with Zenly in their name that you find in app stores today are made by other developers, not the original team.
What Zenly didn't have
A map that remembers the night
Zenly showed where your friends were. Dronk also shows what the night looked like: snap your glass, beer, water or coffee, and the app cuts it out like a sticker and prints a polaroid with the time. Your friends see it on the map, and the next day the night is ready as a video.
The best Zenly alternatives
Bump: from the Zenly team
Bump is made by Amo, a Paris startup founded by people who worked on Zenly. It shows your friends on a live map with battery level, speed and how long they have been somewhere, plus chat, a scratch map of everywhere you have been and the places you go. You can shake phones to bump when you meet. It is free on iPhone and Android.
Best for: anyone who wants Zenly back as close as possible.
Snap Map: Snap's own map
When Snap closed Zenly, Snap Map inside Snapchat was the map it kept. You can share with all your friends, only some of them, or turn on Ghost Mode to hide. It is free on iPhone and Android, but only works if your friends use Snapchat.
Best for: friend groups who already live on Snapchat.
Find My: already on your iPhone
Apple's Find My lets you share your location with friends for an hour, until the end of the day or indefinitely. It is reliable and free, but it is a plain map with no chat or fun, and it only works between Apple devices.
Best for: iPhone groups that just want to find each other.
whoo: big in Japan
whoo is a live location app from the Japanese startup LinQ. It launched in December 2022, right as Zenly was closing, and passed 30 million downloads by September 2025. It shows friends' locations, how long they have been somewhere, battery level and routes, and has chat. Japan also saw a wave of users try NauNau, another Zenly style app.
Best for: friend groups in Japan.
Life360: for families
Life360 is the best known family location app, and it is built for families, with place alerts, crash detection and SOS. It is very good for families. For friends, see our Life360 alternatives.
Best for: families, not friend groups.
Dronk: for nights out
Dronk is a party game app with 16 games and a map for nights out. You only show up on the map while you're out, from your first snapped glass, and only for the friends you pick. From the map you can send a cheers, ask people to come over or write to them. It is on iPhone only and is not an everyday tracker like Zenly was.
Best for: the Zenly moment of seeing who is out tonight, without sharing all week.
Zenly alternatives compared
| App | iPhone / Android | Price | Best for | What it doesn't do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bump | Both | Free | The closest thing to Zenly | Shares all the time unless you ghost someone |
| Snap Map | Both | Free | Friends on Snapchat | Only works inside Snapchat |
| Find My | iPhone only | Free, built in | iPhone groups | No Android, no chat or fun on the map |
| whoo | Both | Free to download | Friends in Japan | Most popular in Japan |
| Life360 | Both | Free plan, paid plans from $7.99 a month (US) | Families | Built for families, not friends |
| Dronk | iPhone only | Free to download | Nights out with friends | No Android, no everyday sharing |
The Zenly feeling, for the nights that matter
In Dronk you snap your glass and land on the map for the friends you pick. See who is out, send a cheers or ask them to come over. It only shows while you're out, and the next day your night is ready as a video.
Get Dronk free on iPhone
Which Zenly alternative fits you?
Start from what you miss most about Zenly. These are the same picks as in the card at the top of the page.
The live friend map
3- Bump: made by people from the Zenly team, free on iPhone and Android
- whoo: the Zenly style favourite in Japan
- Snap Map: if everyone already uses Snapchat
Just finding each other
2- Find My: built into every iPhone, nothing to install
- Google Maps: free location sharing that works on iPhone and Android
Seeing who is out tonight
2- Dronk: visible only while you're out, with cheers and come over
- Bump: see which bar your friends are at right now
Keeping family in the loop
2- Life360: place alerts, crash detection and SOS
- Find My with Family Sharing: free for families on iPhone
Questions people ask
What happened to Zenly?
Snap, which bought Zenly in 2017, shut it down as part of a restructuring announced on August 31, 2022. The app stopped working on February 3, 2023.
Why did Zenly shut down?
Snap cut costs and focused on Snapchat's community, revenue and augmented reality. Projects outside those goals, Zenly among them, were closed.
Is Zenly coming back?
No. Zenly has been closed since February 3, 2023. Apps with Zenly in the name in app stores today come from other developers.
What is the Bump app?
Bump is a free location sharing app for iPhone and Android made by Amo, a Paris startup founded by people from the Zenly team. It is the closest thing to Zenly today.
What is the best Zenly alternative?
Bump for the Zenly feel, Snap Map if your friends are on Snapchat, Find My for iPhone only groups, whoo in Japan and Dronk for nights out.
Is there a Zenly alternative for Android?
Yes. Bump, Snap Map, whoo, Life360 and Google Maps location sharing all work on Android. Find My and Dronk are iPhone only.
Keep the night going
Updated