Tinder recently bagged the award of 2014 Editor’s Choice Top Pick- Innovative award. Launched in 2012, this app surpassed the active usage on Valentines’ Day, resulting in a 60% increase in matches.
However, is Tinder the only player in the market? Are you looking for something different? Given the way online-dating is gaining pace, I am sure Tinder alternatives are worth a try. In this article, I have put together 15 alternatives to Tinder app.
1. Zoosk
This is not one of the oldest players, but by all means has grown to become one of the largest online dating services online. In 2007, it began as a Facebook application. Today, Zoosk has 5 million monthly users, with 30% traffic coming from mobile platform. In 2014, Zoosk won the Single’s choice award. If you are a premium member, you can contact ANY person. Since it is integrated with social networking giant Facebook, Zoosk picks up all information from facebook making profile creating easy. Although Zoosk is available in almost 25 languages, it does not provide detailed information on what type of relationship a particular user is looking for. This makes things a bit confusing, since spams have increased in double speed over the web.
Price: $9.99/month. It has a freemium model.
2. Grindr
This dating app is a winner among all, if you ask me. It takes a lot of encouragement and guts to sign up on a dating site that far from any etched out societal burdens. This app is a chance for those guys who are different from the stereotype to indulge in dating. Last year when Grindr surveyed its users, it was revealed that only 6% came out of the closet to accept the truth. Almost 50% users who were in their twenties reported of revealing the truth to a friend than any family members.
3. How About We
This is an interesting website. How About We gives you the chance to go out on an actual date instead of scouting through various profiles. Isnt that cool? The process is simple- you post your date idea, check out dates and profile posted by others, make date plans and then, swooshh- off you go on a date! Winning points are-
- Guaranteed offline date, orelse money refunded.
- Real dating experience
- Active members and a strong community
The only problem is if you are not a paid subscriber, you cannot use messaging option properly. Many other features are also unlocked only if you upgrade your membership. It has a freemium model, with paid version at $7.99/month.
This is a free dating platform, having almost 2.4 billion page views every month and around 3.2 million active members. That doesn’t mean it does not have any paid version. The good part is even in the free subscription, you can access all the features like searching, communicating, and so on. However, paid version has another set of perks, like paid members can highlight their profile in search results, to now if their messages were read or deleted, and so on. PoF provides a lot of tips to make your profile look attractive when you are creating your profile.
The problem with PoF are:
- Bad customer support via email
- No phone support
- You cannot have a group chat
- Video uploading is not enabled
- Navigation is interrupted with a lot of advertisements
Price: Freemium model. Paid version at $6.78/month
5. OKCupid
Another free online dating portal, OkCupid gives results in regards to member participations. Your responses to a series of quirky questions becomes your identity on OkCupid. The more questions you answer, the better it is for OkCupid to search a match for you. If your answers do not align with the kind of response another member is looking for, OkCupid will tell you directly that “Y’all Have Issues”. While the site is voted as one of the largest free dating platform, paid version has various perks like ad-free surfing experience, larger message storage option, change usernames without having to create a new account and so on. OkCupid is very serious about your privacy. So you can have a worry free experience here.
Price: Freemium Model; $14.95/month.
6. Tingle
Tingle is the best choice for socially active singles out there. This app is completely free and helps singles find other single people in and around their vicinity. If you are hanging out at a bar or club, tap this app and hola! You know who are the singles there partying at that moment. Connect with them if you like what you see.It is a location-based service and is still doing a lot to improve its functionality.
7. Down
Formerly known as Bang with Friends, it rebranded itself as Down and launched on android, after a reported trademark issue with Zynga. After becoming Down, it is no more focused on, well as its name suggested, banging. It has expanded its horizon in searching marches for you. Hence you can see not just your friends from Facebook, but also your friends’ friends. The theory for Down looks same as hinge to me. The idea is making y=users believe that people they meet are real, thanks to Facebook profiles from where all information are pulled.
Cons: It pulls every single woman in your friend list even if they are not on Down.
8. Hinge
Hinge, that prefers to call itself “anti-Tinder” is a Facebook-based dating app. Hinge is literally surviving on word-of-mouth and slow roll out in cities, one by one. While Tinder is GPS based, Hinge relies more on your friends’ network to suggest matches for you. With Hinge there is no scope of letting the app know about your specified preferences. It draws all information from your Facebook profile, including your pictures. You cannot upload anything separately. Hence, when you receive a match, you know exactly who that person is, who are your mutual friends and so on. Hinge likes to separate itself from the Tinder category. Hence, it puts a strong restriction on prospective matches.
Pros:
- Easy to download and setup profile. Infact, profile is auto-filled based on information on Facebook.
- User friendly. Just swipe left or right to approve or reject a match.
Cons:
- Relationship status is not taken into consideration.
- Limited number of matches
- Does not reconsider a rejected profile.
- Rigorous prompting to add new friends.
- Price model: Free completely.
9. 3nder
Innovation knows no bound and when it comes to dating, new things are a welcome. Meet 3nder, your threesome made easy! An app for kinky people, I personally did not like its design. It is made on the same lines of Tinder and Grindr, but if you ask me, I find this app not up to the mark. If you want a threesome, you wouldn’t be looking for an app! An app is not adequate to generate that amount of social skills required to initiate a threesome!
10. Bristlr
Now here is an app that gets too specific about your choices. You like men who have beards? Fret not. Bristlr will connect you to men who have beard. I wouldn’t really call Bristlr a dating app. The idea is not to hook up here but it is more like a networking site for people who like to ‘stroke the beard’. Bristlr notes on its website that it to mainly to “have a nice chat and share a mutual admiration of a beard or two”. Till beards go out of fashion, Bristlr is here to stay.
11. Happn
Love happens just like that. Happn app advocates that sentiment. It is a dating app pushed by real life interactions. Many-a-times you cross path with strangers, and then one day your paths merge together as you become acquaintance to friends to companions. GPS enabled dating app Happn shows you potential matches in your location. Meet, connect and discover the amazing spirit of bonding real-time. If that person in within 250 metre, chances are high that you live near-by or may be catch the same bus or train to work! This app is fairly new in the market and is still being tested to make it more perfect.
12. Lovoo
This is a social networking dating app wherein you can search, meet, flirt and hook up. Lovoo’s match feature is worth a try. Get on board with something new and quirky, today!
13. Match
Match.com has to its credits the maximum number of relationships and dates that have happened online. Match.com has pread its wings as far as 24 countries and is available in 15 different languages. Full features are available on for paid members, while new users can sign up for the free version. Match.com lets you meet people real time. For smartphones, match has its matchmobile version that makes searching for profiles easy and simple. It includes almost all the features that are available on the main site.
Pros:
- Email notification allows you to know if your email has been read or not.
- Online customer care is responsive within 24 hours.
Cons:
- No phone support available.
Price model: Freemium; $20.99/month
14. Twoo
Launched in 2011 by Massive Media, Twoo grew very quickly. It uses matchmaking algorithms This site is available in 38 languages and is compatible on android, iOS and windows phones. Although Twoo has partnered with OkCupid recently, both the sites work separately till date. The highlight of this app is, while introducing you to a prospective match, Twoo also encourages in meeting each other’s friends. One of the pressing issues with twoo is that it has been labelled as a “scam site” as it collects emails and contacts from Facebook, for which you actually give consent while signing up! So, better be careful in what you get into. The ‘Discover’ feature is similar to that of Tinder.
Pros:
- Twoo is free to join.
- There is less risk of fake profile as twoo asks for email and photo verification while signing up.
Cons:
- You have to compromise with your email contact list and social media friends’ list.
- You have to buy credit boosts to unlock various search options
- Ambiguity regarding people’s relationship status is a matter of concern.
Price: freemium model; $5.99/month
Few more apps that can have a look are Skout, Badoo and TrulyMadly. Online dating has become a rage these days, with people trying to find matches through their smartphones. However, I would suggest meeting that person in-person before taking it forward. If you don’t believe me, take for instance all these apps- they all encourage a face-to-face meeting. Finding a companion is the best thing and I would say, take your own sweet time!
Let me know if you have used any other app that is more interesting or may be I have missed out. I will be happy to address them.
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