New Delhi: FRND, a social audio platform quietly growing in India’s heartland, has shared new data that shows how digital friendships are changing in the country. Smaller towns bring a different kind of emotion to online conversations. The platform’s new “Year in Conversations 2025” study confirms that shift in a big way.
According to the company, 92 percent of all engagement on FRND now comes from outside Tier 1 cities. Users from Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns are driving most of the conversations, spending long hours talking to strangers who often turn into dependable digital companions.
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The platform recorded over 285 million conversations this year, with users spending a total of 418 million minutes talking. That is massive. And it is not just metros like Hyderabad, Bengaluru or Chennai where activity is highest. Smaller towns across Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra contributed a major share of these conversations.
Remote regions also saw strong adoption. FRND says 95 percent of new users came from non-metro locations. Most joined using mid-range or entry-level phones, reflecting affordability and first-time internet adoption in these regions.
FRND works with avatar-based profiles and voice chats. It feels less like scrolling through flashy feeds and more like talking to a friend without worrying about looks or filters.
Voice, emotions and long calls
The longest call of the year lasted 1247 minutes, which is about 20.3 hours. That number alone tells a story about what users want online. Time to connect, speak freely and listen.
The platform says users are choosing conversations over passive content. They are looking for empathy and a safe space. And yes, a bit of fun too. FRND recorded 974 million virtual gifts being sent in 2025. Flowers like Rose and everyday comfort symbols like Chai top the gifting list.
A community built on regional expression
FRND operates in ten Indic languages. Users express themselves with accents, familiar humor and shared cultural references. The company describes it as a “voice-first, emotional, and rooted in regional expression” identity.
Bhanu Pratap Singh Tanwar, Co-founder and CEO of Interact Group, said India’s digital engagement is changing with young users “choosing direct, safe and intentional conversations over passive content consumption.” He noted that Tier 2 to Tier 4 towns are driving this shift and that built-in pseudo anonymity ensures comfort and genuine conversations.
The platform saw 201 million new connections formed this year. That is thousands of friendships created each day without fancy photos or viral videos.
A global product shaped locally
India leads the usage, but FRND says many new users also joined from the US, UK, Malaysia and Australia. That means Indians abroad are finding comfort in chatting with familiar voices from home. It shows that the need for conversation does not stop at borders.
The FRND report is based on anonymised and aggregated behavior from 6.9 million users across its audio, video and interactive features.