Online dating apps thrive off of this never ending cycle of familiarization. You have to get to know someone virtually before you get to know them personally. Liking, messaging, meeting…the whole 9 yards. But even before you get to know him, you have to get to know the dating app. *Sighs*
Our love experts have reviewed the top dating apps so you can quit trying to figure out the apps and start finding love:
- Tinder is a great app to use if you have a tight schedule. It’s very simple to use as most dating apps are. The app allows you to sign in with your Facebook account and once your location services are on you’re ready to start swiping. To the right means you like them and to the left means you’re uninterested. If you’re interested you can click on the profile picture and below it will display ‘common connections’ aka the mutual friends you share so that you can traditionally stalk him or her by asking your friends what they know about “Jack, 21.”
- Coffee Meets Bagel is ‘the’ app for introverts. It asks for some information upfront including ethnicity, height, occupation, and hobbies so you don’t have to. One thing that makes this app unique is that it requires an explanation of what you’d appreciate in a date. This helps narrow down who you’re compatible with even before connection. The app will also send you a bagel each day which is a strategic match based off of your interests. This app gets to know how you like your coffee first so that can meet your bagels with ease.
- Bumble is the app for the modern woman. On Bumble, only women can make the first move and initiate conversation.When the woman swipes right (similar to Tinder) she has 24 hours to message the guy or she will lose the match. If he does not respond to her message within 24 hours the match is also lost. This definitely speeds up the process of getting to know a potential. However, it may filter out potential male dates who may not like the idea of waiting for a message.
- Happn has a more relaxed vibe. You can only see the profiles of people you’ve crossed paths with in the real world. You will only be able to message each other after you’ve both ‘liked’ each other. This makes breaking the ice easier because you will be able to share experiences you’ve made at the mutual location. Maybe it’s your favorite restaurant or his terrible date.
- Howaboutwe is for those looking for more face-to-face contact and less digital dating. The selling point is that you have to describe your perfect date scenario (a walk on the beach or a dinner and a movie) to create an account. From there you can use their play page which gives you a fun way to find dates. One ‘game’ on the play page is the “speed date.” This simply means you will be presented with other user profiles and date ideas and you have to select yes or no (similar to Tinder’s swipe right or left). Another interesting feature is Tonight, which lets users pick date ideas in real time in hopes of encouraging impromptu dates.
With all of the dating apps available, it can be difficult to pick one that’s right for you. Since most of the apps are relatively safe, millionaire matchmaker Jennifer Zucher suggests testing out a few and figuring out which app will best satisfy your individual needs.
Written by Christina Madera