Apps such as Elevation Capital-backed Frnd, Sharechat’s Vibely and Dostt focus on voice-led social interactions and matchmaking, largely in non-metro regions. Social entertainment app Eloelo also runs an online friendship app called Connecto. Across these platforms, creators —also referred to as hosts or listeners—earn anywhere between Re 1 and Rs 15 per minute, depending on the app and engagement levels.
Industry executives say this model is distinct from mainstream influencers or livestreamers, and is gaining traction rapidly outside India’s big cities.
“Social platforms today are largely content-focused. The whole aspect of connection with people has taken a backseat,” said Bhanu Pratap Singh Tanwar, cofounder and chief executive of Frnd.
That shift has also caught the attention of investors.
“In the Indian context, thanks to the rise of reels and short videos, there is a greater emphasis on having audio and video conversations rather than just texting,” said Siddarth Pai, founding partner of 3one4 Capital, which has backed Dostt’s parent company Lokal. “Social media was Version 1, largely built around messaging. Micro companion platforms are now going to be Version 2.”
The funding interest stems from the draw of straightforward monetisation.
In 2021, Frnd raised $6.5 million in a funding round led by Krafton. The company is reportedly in discussions to raise around $25 million. Dostt’s parent company Lokal has raised about $31 million from investors including 3one4 Capital, India Quotient, Y Combinator and Tencent.
India’s online dating and social interaction market is projected to reach $1.4 billion by 2030 from $788 million in 2024, according to MarkNtel.
ETtechPaid bonds
Monetisation on Frnd follows a pay-as-you-go model powered by microtransactions over the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). Users buy points that can be spent on one-on-one conversations or virtual gifts, while creators earn based on engagement and time spent on the platform.
About 25-30% of Frnd’s active creators earn money through paid interactions and virtual gifts convertible to cash, according to Tanwar.
A host on Frnd said she typically earns Rs 200–300 a day by spending a few hours on the app, which she treats as pocket money.
Sharechat’s Vibely has around one million users, according to a person aware of the company’s internal metrics. Creators on Vibely typically earn between Rs 5 and Rs 15 per minute, based on factors such as ratings, repeat users, availability and time spent online.
“A few thousand hosts earn between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 a month, with top performers making up to Rs 50,000,” the person said.
However, Vibely contributes a relatively small share–4-5%–to Sharechat’s overall group revenue. Usage is heavily skewed toward non-metro markets, which account for about 80% of activity. The user base is predominantly male, while hosts are more evenly split, with women forming a majority.
Non-metro boost
India’s surge in internet and smartphone adoption across tier 2 and tier 3 cities has fundamentally altered how people seek emotional support and companionship, said Jani Pasha, cofounder and chief executive of Lokal.
“A large part of the population, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities, still lives in tightly knit, conservative communities,” Pasha said. “In such environments, people often struggle to openly discuss personal issues, relationship issues, career stress, or disagreements at home.”
According to a Redseer report released in November, about 60% of middle-aged Indians in tier 2 cities used online dating apps to seek companionship as of 2023.
Industry executives compare the rise of micro companionship platforms to advice-led services such as astrology or semi-therapy apps, where users pay for conversations rather than content.
Moderation concerns
As monetisation scales, safety and moderation have emerged as key concerns.
The Frnd host cited above said there have been instances of users making inappropriate comments. To be sure, hosts can exit conversations and block users. On Dostt, creators with poor ratings or community guideline violations receive warnings and can be removed if issues persist.
Frnd said it uses voice sampling to curb impersonation, AI-led video moderation that requires users to keep their face visible, and real-time flagging of potential violations.
Still, trust and safety experts say the economics of real-time moderation remain challenging.
“If you run a real-time scanner, it will cost you more dollars than what people are paying, so it doesn’t make financial sense,” said Amitabh Kumar, cofounder of AI safety firm Contrails AI, backed by Huddle Venture and IAN Group.
He also flagged concerns over minors and fraud, noting that reliable age assurance would require live detection combined with identity and payment verification, pushing per-user costs beyond $10.
“It’s a paid model from day zero,” Kumar said. “But globally, you cannot ensure safety when two people are talking unless you have real-time AI audio detection for hate, sexual content or abuse.”
Madhukar Sinha, founding partner of India Quotient, an early backer of Frnd, said regulation should focus on enforcement rather than intent.
“The real issue isn’t whether people can talk, but how platforms are moderated,” he said. “As long as platforms are not encouraging sexual conversations and are enforcing strong moderation, that’s what should matter.”