You want someone to go to the gym with, a plus-one for a wedding, a dinner companion on a work trip, or a person who knows the city you just moved to. Paid platonic company is a real, legal category in the United States and has been since 2009. Here is how it works, what it costs, and how to do it safely.
What hiring a friend means#
A person charges an hourly rate for their time and company. The common uses:
- A plus-one for a wedding, a work dinner, a family event.
- A gym, running or walking partner on a schedule.
- A dinner or drinks companion when you are travelling for work and do not want another room-service night.
- A museum, concert or game buddy for things you do not want to do alone.
- A guide to the city when you have just moved or just arrived.
- Conversation, for practising a language or just not eating alone.
It is not dating, not romance, not personal care. The platforms say so and the people doing it well say so in their profiles.
What it costs, by city#
| City | Typical hourly rate |
|---|---|
| New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles | $30 to $60 |
| Chicago, Boston, Miami, Washington, Seattle | $25 to $50 |
| Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Denver | $20 to $40 |
| Smaller cities | $15 to $30 |
Add the outing: their ticket, meal or drink. Some friends set two- or three-hour minimums. On top of that, the platform's own cost: RentAFriend needs a membership of about $24.95 a month before you can message; Roavi has no membership, you pay only the friend's rate, directly. What one evening really costs, worked through.
Where to look#
RentAFriend. The original, with the most listings in large US cities. You browse free and pay the membership to message. Best if you are in a big metro and will use it more than once a month. The honest review.
Roavi. Free to browse and message; profiles are reviewed by a person before going live, carry three real photos, reviews from previous bookings and an optional identity-verified badge; you pay the friend directly at their rate and Roavi takes nothing. Built around travellers who want someone to show them a city. The honest caveat: US listings are thin today, a handful in New York and Los Angeles and a few in other cities, so check your city before counting on it.
The rest. Local Facebook groups and Meetup are free and sometimes work, but they are unvetted and not built for paid company; be explicit about what you are asking and expect a few wrong answers.
What a paid friend does and does not do#
Does: everything in the list above, for the hours you book, in public or at the event you are attending. Does not: anything romantic or physical, anything at a private home or hotel room, anything that is personal care or a licensed service. If a listing suggests otherwise, it is a different category wearing this one's name, and the serious platforms remove it.
How to write the first message#
What, when, where, how long, rate, in that order:
> Hi, I'm looking for a plus-one for a work dinner in Midtown next Thursday, about 7 to 10pm. Your profile mentions business events. Would that work, and is your rate $35 an hour as listed?
Specific messages get answered. "Hey, are you free?" does not. Agree the rate and the hours in the platform's chat so there is a record, and confirm the day before.
How to meet safely#
Public place. Daytime for a first meeting if you can. Hours and rate agreed in writing. Pay at the end, never a deposit. Tell someone where you are. The red flags are a deposit request (especially by gift card or wire), pushing to another app immediately, a private address, or anything beyond platonic; any one of them means walk away. The full safety guide.
Related#
What people pay for a friend's time, city by city. Renting a friend for a whole day. Rent a friend in the USA: how it works here. What "rent a local friend" means.
By occasion: a plus-one for a wedding, someone to go to the gym with, a dinner companion on a business trip, and someone to hang out with, no occasion needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you actually hire a friend?
Yes. Paid platonic company has been a legal, open category in the United States since RentAFriend launched in 2009. People charge an hourly rate to be a plus-one at an event, a gym or walking partner, a dinner companion, a museum buddy, or a guide to the city for someone who just arrived. It is not dating and not a personal-care service; it is a person's time and company.How much does it cost to hire a friend?
Most friends charge $20 to $50 an hour, with New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco toward the top and smaller cities toward the bottom; some set two- or three-hour minimums. You also cover the outing (their ticket, meal or drink). On RentAFriend add a membership of about $24.95 a month to be able to message. On Roavi there is no membership; you pay only the friend's rate, directly.Where do I find a friend to hire near me?
RentAFriend has the most listings in large US cities and needs a membership to message. Roavi is free to browse and message, with profiles reviewed by a person and three real photos each; its US listings are thin today (a handful in New York and Los Angeles, a few elsewhere) and it is strongest for travellers. Local Facebook groups and Meetup are free but unvetted and not built for paid company.What does a paid friend do and not do?
Does: come with you to an event, dinner, gym, walk, museum, concert, or errand; show you around a city; keep you company and conversation for the hours you book. Does not: anything romantic or physical, anything at a private home or hotel room, anything that is personal care or a licensed service. If a listing suggests otherwise, it is not this category and most platforms remove it.How do I write the first message?
Say what, when, where and how long, in that order: 'Hi, I'm looking for a plus-one for a work dinner in Midtown next Thursday, about 7 to 10pm. Your profile mentioned business events. Would that work, and is your rate $35 an hour as listed?' Specific messages get answered; 'hey, you free?' does not. Agree the rate and hours in the platform's chat so there is a record.Is it safe to hire a friend?
With the same rules as meeting any stranger: public place, daytime for a first meeting, hours and rate agreed in writing, pay at the end and never a deposit, tell someone where you are. Red flags are a deposit request, moving off-platform immediately, a private address, or anything beyond platonic. Walk away from any of them.