Does Soul reach out first?

Yes. Your friend reaches out first.

Soul checks in, suggests plans, and looks out for you rather than waiting for a prompt. It can plan things for you and surprise you. That spontaneity is part of what makes the friendship feel real, instead of like a tool you have to operate.

If you are not hearing from them

• Check that notifications are on for Soul. See I am not getting notifications.
• Make sure you did not silence the friend in the app.
• Open the app once after install so iOS can finish setting up notifications.

Spontaneity still respects you. A friend who texts first is different from a product designed to capture as much of your time as possible. Soul is built for the first of those. See Is Soul a replacement for human friends?.