Random chat is fun, but nothing beats the moment a stranger says “wait, you play that too?” Interest matching is how Gibbur gets you to that moment faster. Add a few interest tags, and we’ll try to pair you with someone who shares at least one of them — no profiles, no algorithms guessing your personality, just a shared starting point.
- Add up to 10 interest tags (like gaming, anime or music) before you press Chat now.
- Gibbur first looks for someone who shares an interest. If nobody matches within about 6 seconds, you’re paired with a random stranger instead.
- When you match on interests, you both see the ones you share — but you’re still just “Stranger” to each other.
- Interests are optional and free. Save them with a free account, or add them fresh each visit.
How interest matching works
Interest matching on Gibbur is simple on purpose.
- Add your tags. On /chat, type an interest or tap one of the suggested chips. You can add up to 10.
- Press Chat now. Gibbur’s server looks for someone else who is waiting and shares at least one of your tags.
- Match — or fall back. If a match is found, you’re paired and you’ll both see what you have in common. If nobody shares a tag within a few seconds (about 6 by default), Gibbur pairs you with a random stranger so you’re never left staring at a spinner.
The fallback is the important part. Interest matching is a preference, not a filter. It nudges you toward people with common ground without ever turning a quiet moment into a long wait. If you prefer pure surprise, just leave the tags empty — that’s classic random chat.
What your partner sees
Interests don’t reduce your anonymity. Your partner still sees you as “Stranger,” never your name, email, IP or account. If you matched on shared interests, both of you see the shared tags — not your whole list. Read more in anonymous chat, honestly explained.
Saving your interests
You don’t need an account to use interests. If you’d like them remembered, a free optional account (email and password) can save your interests along with a display name. You can change them anytime, and you can delete the account yourself from Account settings.
Why chat by interests?
Pure random chat is a lottery, and that’s part of its charm. But anyone who has spent an evening talking to strangers knows the pattern: a handful of “hi,” a few “hey,” a couple of one-word answers, and then — finally — someone you click with. Interest matching shortens that hunt.
- You skip the awkward warm-up. When you both see “anime” or “football” as a shared interest, you already know what to talk about.
- Conversations go deeper, faster. Two people who love the same thing tend to have opinions about it, and opinions make for great chats.
- It’s still a surprise. You know what you have in common, not who you’re talking to. The stranger part stays intact.
- It costs you nothing. If no match turns up, the fallback means you’re talking to someone random within seconds anyway.
Think of interests as a gentle nudge toward people you’re likely to enjoy, rather than a wall that keeps everyone else out. Many people keep a couple of tags on all the time and only clear them when they’re in the mood for full randomness.
Popular interests to try
These are the suggested interests you’ll see on the chat page. Tap any of them, or type your own.
A few ideas for using them:
- Gaming, anime, kpop and memes tend to spark fast, playful chats — everyone has a favorite and an opinion.
- Philosophy, science, space and history are great if you want a conversation that goes somewhere unexpected.
- Languages and travel are perfect for practicing a language or swapping stories about places you’ve been (or want to go).
- Coding, tech and startups attract people who love talking about what they’re building.
- Books, writing, poetry and podcasts make for slower, more thoughtful exchanges — text chat’s natural habitat.
Adding your own interests
You’re not limited to the suggestions. Type anything short and specific — a game, a show, a band, a hobby. Tags are lowercased and tidied up automatically, so “Anime”, “anime” and “ anime ” all count as the same thing. Keep them short: one or two words works best.
Tips for faster, better matches
Interest matching works best when you think a little about which tags you pick.
- Mix broad and specific. A broad tag like music or gaming will match more people. A specific one like jazz or minecraft gives you a better conversation when it hits. Use both.
- Use common spellings. Matching works on the tag itself, so “tv shows” will find more people than an unusual abbreviation. When in doubt, tap a suggested chip.
- Don’t over-stuff. You can add 10, but three to five honest interests usually beat ten random ones. You want to actually enjoy talking about whatever you match on.
- Swap tags if it’s quiet. If you keep getting random fallbacks, try a broader or more popular interest. The online count gives you a feel for how busy Gibbur is.
- Open with the shared interest. When you see a match, lead with it: “Okay, favorite anime of the last year — go.” It beats “hi” every time.
Interests and safety
Interest tags are for finding common ground, not for sharing personal information. A few quick reminders:
- Don’t put identifying details in tags. Your school, workplace, hometown or social handle doesn’t belong in an interest.
- Shared interests aren’t trust. Someone who likes the same game is still a stranger. Keep personal details private.
- Report misuse. If someone uses an interest as a pretext for something creepy, hit Report and skip.
Gibbur is 18+ only, moderated, and backed by rate limits and spam protection. The Safety Center has the full picture, and the Community Guidelines spell out the rules.
Interest matching FAQ
How many interests can I add?
Up to 10. Use a mix of broad and specific tags for the best results.
What if nobody shares my interests?
Gibbur looks for a shared interest first. If nobody matches within about 6 seconds, it falls back to a random stranger, so you’re never stuck waiting.
Can my partner see all my interests?
No. When you match on interests, you both see the ones you have in common. Your partner still sees you as “Stranger” and never sees your name, email, IP or account.
Do I need an account to use interests?
No. You can add interests without signing up. A free optional account can save them for next time.
Can I add interests that aren’t in the suggestions?
Yes. Type your own short tag, like a game, show or hobby. Tags are lowercased and cleaned up automatically.
Is interest matching free?
Yes. Interest matching, like everything else on Gibbur, is free. See how Gibbur works for more.