20 September 2026 · 6 min read · SaathWala team
Rent-a-Friend Services in India, Compared (2026)
An honest comparison of rent-a-friend and companion services in India: who they are, which cities they cover, how they charge and how to judge them.
Searching "rent a friend India" turns up a mix of one-person services, small platforms and dating apps using the phrase for traffic. We looked at the main ones on 20 September 2026. Prices and coverage change often, so check each site before you decide. We run SaathWala, so read the last row with that in mind.
What we compared
| Service | Model | Cities we saw listed | Pricing shown | How you book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HireShobhit | One companion, personally branded | Ghaziabad, Noida, Delhi NCR | From ₹399 per hour, published | |
| Friend On Rent India | Small platform | Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Jaipur, Ahmedabad | Not published on the homepage | Enquiry form |
| AmigoFlow | Platform, "rent a boyfriend or girlfriend" | Not clearly listed | Not clearly published | Site sign-up |
| BlindDate | Video dating app that ranks for the phrase | National | App subscription | App |
| SaathWala (us) | Marketplace, many companions | 33 cities across 7 states | Free to join during launch; each companion sets their own rate | In-app chat |
How to judge any of them
- Is identity actually verified? Ask what document is checked and by whom. "Verified" with no process behind it means nothing.
- Is it clearly platonic? The rules should say so plainly, and say what happens when someone breaks them.
- Do you pay before meeting? Advance payment to an individual you have never met is the single biggest risk.
- Is there a real company behind it? Look for a grievance officer, an address and a refund policy. India's IT rules require the first of those.
- Can you talk before you commit? Chatting first tells you more than any profile.
- Is your number protected? Handing your phone number to a stranger should be your choice, not step one.
One-person services versus a marketplace
A single companion can be excellent: you see exactly who you are getting, and there is no app in the way. The limits are obvious too. One person has one schedule, one personality and one city, and if it does not work out there is nobody to appeal to.
A marketplace gives you choice and a process: several verified people near you, reporting and blocking, and someone accountable when things go wrong. The trade-off is that you are choosing from profiles rather than a known face.
Where SaathWala fits
- Verified by a person: government photo ID plus a live selfie on camera. We do not use Aadhaar.
- Free while we launch, with points that pay for connections and contact reveals.
- In-app chat where phone numbers, emails and social handles are hidden automatically.
- Companions set their own prices per occasion and keep 100%.
- 33 cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and more.
If you only need one evening in Ghaziabad and you like the look of an independent companion, book them. If you want a choice of people, a way to talk first and someone to complain to, a platform is the better fit. Either way, follow the safety checklist.