One of the things you find when you have friends spread across different geographical locations, is that maintaining close bonds can be really (really) hard. In fact,this was one of the main inspirations for the SoonCall app (you can read more about how SoonCall started).
Over the years I’ve used a few different apps and tools to help me reconnect with people when meeting up just isn’t a possibility, so I thought it would be cool to share some of my favourites. Here are a few of what I’ve found to be the best apps for long distance friendships
Marco Polo lets you send video messages to friends that can be viewed at any time (perfect for when you have a timezone clash!). I like that the app bridges a gap between texting and video - you get to see your friend, but have the convenience of texting.
Rave helps you to replicate the feeling of sitting on the sofa with friends. You can chat via text or voice messages whilst watching your favourite shows or movies. I love this app as it makes me feel so much closer to friends when we can watch a terrible film, chat rubbish and catch-up.
Cappuccino describes itself as ‘a mini-podcast made up of stories from your closest friends’. It is so unique and a great way to stay in touch as a group of friends. Everyone records little snippets of audio throughout the day (called beans) and everything is collated into one audio feed so you can get little updates of the minutiae of your friends’ day.
Words with Friends is a fab way to stay connected. It is a word game, similar to Scrabble, where you make the best scoring words using a pool of letters assigned to you. I have regular games that I play with friends and family (including a game with my auntie that we began at the start of Covid and has been going ever since!). You can send messages, query the words your opponent used, discuss how the game is going and (occasionally) accuse each other of cheating 😅.
Shameless plug time! My list would not be complete without mentioning SoonCall.
SoonCall is a mobile app that tracks when you last had a proper catch up with your closest friends and family, and makes smart suggestions on who to speak with next. The app is designed to help you manage your contacts and schedule regular phone calls with your nearest and dearest. SoonCall also helps you to track your catch-ups to monitor your relationships over time - How did the call make you feel? How did your friend seem? What did you talk about? This information can then be used ahead of your next call.
Our app is a work in progress and we are in the process of designing and adding new features, so if you’d like to check it out, you can download SoonCall now from the App Store (Android app is coming soon)! If you have any questions, or feedback I’d love to hear from you - mark@sooncall.com.
Our mobile app is now available on iOS! Scan the QR code, or visit the App Store to download.
