If it’s been a while since you hit the dating scene, you’ll realize that a lot has changed. While Match.com and eharmony were once the go-tos for online dating sites, apps have changed the game as to how people meet.
You can thank Tinder for setting the stage for on-demand dating.
When it comes to dating apps, Tinder reigns as the OG. With its invention of the swipe (they actually trademarked swipe right and swipe left), Tinder is as synonymous with dating apps as Uber is to ride-sharing.
In fact, the app prides itself in having more than 55 billion matches and is available in 190 countries. While Tinder was originally branded as a hook-up app, the platform now promotes making connections, whether it’s to find love, or just date around, or to hook up.
That said, Tinder’s easy-to-use platform and its on-demand dating appeal quickly gained the reputation of the “hookup app.” But don’t be turned off about the app’s stigma, it is possible to find love on Tinder. (I personally know many married couples who met on Tinder!)
In fact, right now Tinder is my go-to dating app. I’ve been having a great time chatting and meeting up with my matches.
Here are our top three dating app recommendations:
| eharmony | Tinder | Hinge |
| – A- BBB rating – Focused on serious relationships – 150-point personality report – Apps for iOS and Android – 100% member verification (no catfishing) – 25% off with promo code WSM25 | – Billions of potential matches worldwide – For love, casual dating, and hookups – No long sign-up process – Easy, swipe-based matching – Photo verification | – Focused on serious relationships – Lots of free features, including messaging – Algorithm designed to match compatible people – Prompts encourage conversation – Hybrid between eharmony and Tinder |
If you’re curious about Tinder can offer to your dating it, read on, or try Tinder free now >>
How does Tinder work?
Tinder’s app design is very simple and customizable; you can include as little or as much about yourself in your profile. First, users fill out their profile, asking them for basic info (name, age, occupation, sexual orientation). Then, they’ll ask you to upload photos and (if you want) write a blurb about yourself, and include “passions” to share your interests. As for matches, you can go to your settings and filter who you want to see by distance, age range, and gender.
Once you create your profile, you can begin swiping. When you see a profile you like, you swipe right. If you’re not into them, you swipe left. When it’s a mutual swipe right, you have a match! Anyone can make the first move and Tinder also allows you to send GIFs and photos if you’re at a loss for what to say.
Besides basic swiping, Tinder also has features to help you boost your chances of getting matches. One of them is called “super likes,” (users get one super like a day), where you give your matches a “blue star” to help you stand out better. According to Tinder, your chances of matching are 3x more with a super like, and conversations last 70% percent longer. You also have the option to boost your profile, which lets you get 10x more profile views.
Tinder also has a feature called top picks, where the app curates matches that they think you’d like based on your interests and swipe history. Tinder allows you to look at them once a day and choose to match with one profile that piques your interest. And if you’re trying to avoid any exes or weirdos, Tinder just added a new feature that lets you block contacts so you won’t run into them while you’re swiping.
Who's on Tinder?
Short answer: Everyone’s on Tinder. People looking for booty calls, people looking to meet people (as platonic friends or possibly something serious), cougars, and people looking for a partner. Even married people are on Tinder. With so many people on Tinder, it’s easy to get tons of matches off the bat. But sometimes quantity doesn’t always mean quality. You’ll find fake profiles or may experience little to no interaction from matches.
In my personal experience, I’ve encountered many profiles where all you’ll see is a shirtless body (no face pics) or just a collection of expensive watches and cars. But I’ve also encountered nice, well-intentioned men with whom I have wonderful conversations that lead to a successful night of dinner and drinks. It is possible to find love on Tinder, you just need to really search for it.
How much does Tinder cost?
Tinder app is free to use, but they do have subscription plans priced at one month, six months, and 12 months. These subscription plans offer more features to help your profile get more attention. Like with most dating apps, Tinder’s free version offers a taste of what the app can do for your dating life. But if you want to maximize your chances of finding a quality match, you may want to consider these subscription apps.
Here’s what you get with the free Tinder app:
- Up to 100 likes a day
- One “super like” a day
- Option to choose 1 profile daily from your top picks
And here’s how the other packages stack up (prices updated May 2023).
Tinder Plus:
- 1 month: $13.49/month
- 6 months: $6.75/month
- 12 months: $4.50/month
What you’ll get with Tinder Plus:
- No ads
- Unlimited likes
- Unlimited rewind (Let's go back and match with a person if you change your mind.)
- Passport feature: Users can swipe on potential suitors in different destinations around the world no matter where they are.
Tinder Gold:
- 1 month: $22.49/month
- 6 months: $11.25/month
- 12 months: $7.50/month
What you’ll get with Tinder Gold:
- All the features of Tinder Plus
- See which people already liked you
- You’ll be shown top picks on a daily basis
- Free super likes
- One free boost a month
Tinder Platinum
- 1 month: $26.99
- 6 months: $13.50/month
- 12 months: $9/month
What you’ll get with Tinder Platinum:
- All the features of Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold
- Priority Likes (any profile you like gets seen faster by potential matches vs non-subscribers)
- Lets you message suitors before you match
- See likes you’ve sent
What are the pros of using Tinder?
The biggest pro of Tinder is its simplistic design and how it gives you the opportunity to tailor the app to your needs. They don’t make you reveal what kind of relationship you’re seeking (unless you want to), which could be great for those who aren’t really sure about what they’re looking for. Think about Tinder like walking into a bar: You’ll never know who you’ll meet and the only way you’ll know a person’s intentions is by talking to them. You can just match with suitors as you go without feeling the pressure that each has to end up into something serious.
Tinder also wants its users to have a safe and fun dating experience. There’s content on their app about safety, consent, and dating tips to help you make the most of your experience. In addition to content, the app allows users to be verified by completing a photo verification test, giving you the assurance that other people you meet are who they say they are.
And if you’re considering moving towns, Tinder’s passport feature definitely makes this app stand out from the rest.
What are the cons of using Tinder?
Because Tinder doesn’t require users to fill out a profile, some users just opt not to, meaning you may have to weed through a ton of fake profiles and poor matches until you find someone. Tinder profiles also do not share the basic information you normally see on other dating apps (like height, education, religion, etc), which might make it harder to filter out promising matches.
With the lack of information, users can easily fall into the trap of the “hot or not,” prioritizing swiping based on looks alone, which means you may miss out on a lot of great matches.
8 rules for friends with benefits
Tinder reviews
Men and women often have vastly different experiences in the online dating world, and Tinder is no exception. Check out these reviews from men and women who have used the dating app.
Tinder reviews from a woman
Check out this Reddit thread where women weigh in on their Tinder experiences:
Tinder reviews from women on sites like Trustpilot and ConsumerAffairs range from scathing to glowing. Here are a few that show the negatives and positives of using the app as a woman:
Tinder reviews from a man
A similar Reddit thread asks men to weigh in on their Tinder experiences:
A lot of Tinder reviews from men talk about the large number of fake profiles and spammers who try to contact them, but there are a few success stories sprinkled in:
Tinder Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot reviews
As of May 2023, Tinder is not rated on the Better Business Bureau and has a 1.2 star rating on Trustpilot, with the majority of reviews expressing frustration over the lack of customer support and the number of fake profiles they encounter.
Tinder reviews on Reddit
Reddit has a whole Tinder channel, including profile reviews (harsh!), feedback on your profile pics, and more. Comb the threads for the good, bad, hilarious and ugly.
Can you delete Tinder?
You can’t just delete the app from your phone and call it a day. If you want to delete your account for good, go settings and tap “delete account. Tinder will ask you some questions asking why you’re deleting the app, also giving you the option to pause the dating app. With subscriptions, you can cancel through the app and you’ll just have to pay the rest of the month.
Tinder vs. Bumble
While Bumble and Tinder work very similarly (after all, it was founded by a former Tinder exec). But on Bumble, women make the first move, while on Tinder, anyone can reach out and message first. Bumble also provides a lot more upfront information about the profile you’re looking at (such as height, religion, etc.), whereas Tinder doesn’t require users to disclose those details.
Want advice for what to say in your bio? Check out our advice:
- 14 dating profile examples for females to copy
- 20 Tinder bios for guys: Best profile examples
- The best online date profile pictures to include and some to avoid
Tinder vs. Hinge
Hinge focuses on creating long-term relationships. It encourages users to interact with each other based on prompts that they’re required to fill out as opposed to just photos. Tinder does not offer any prompts and allows users to have free rein to create their profiles.
Tinder vs. eharmony
Another website focused on creating long-term relationships, eharmony matches users based on a compatibility quiz, relying on science to compare you and our matches’ traits to help you get closer to meeting your partner. While Tinder is for all kinds of dating — serious, casual, marriage-minded, sex — eharmony is solely focused on helping singles find long-term partnerships and marriage.
With Tinder, you’re matching with people based on proximity and have little to no knowledge of your compatibility between matches.
Tinder's prices are lower than that of eharmony, which is solely focused on long-term relationships, and has a proven success rate in helping singles find marriage and relationships — as well as a lower-than average divorce rate. Read more in our eharmony review.
Interested in checking out other dating sites and apps? Here are some dating app reviews:
| SingleParentMeet | Zoosk | Plenty of Fish |
| Plenty of Fish | Adult Friend Finder | Match.com |
| Bumble | OKCupid | 13 international dating apps |
| Seeking Arrangement | Dating.com |
Also, check out our roundup of best dating apps and sites for single parents.
Is Tinder a good site?
It can be! Because Tinder is all about making connections and doesn’t emphasize long-term relationships, it could be a great place to start if you’re new to online dating after a divorce, break up or as a single mom or dad. And once you’re in the groove, you’ll easily be able to weed out profiles to find your perfect match.
First, users fill out their profile, asking them for basic info (name, age, occupation, sexual orientation). Then, they’ll ask you to upload photos and (if you want) write a blurb about yourself, and include “passions” to share your interests. As for matches, you can go to your settings and filter who you want to see and then start swiping.
Tinder app is free to use, but they do have subscription plans priced at one month, six months, and 12 months. These subscription plans offer more features to help your profile get more attention. Like with most dating apps, Tinder’s free version offers a taste of what the app can do.
It can be! Because Tinder is all about making connections and doesn’t emphasize long-term relationships, it could be a great place to start if you’re new to online dating after a divorce, break up or as a single mom or dad.
Our Tinder ratings:
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Purchased 6 months gold subscription and two days later tinder banned my profile without giving any reason. Tinder is a fraudulent app with zero customer service. They just take your money and do not reply to any of your queries. Another thing which I noticed is that 90 % of profiles on tinder are of prostitutes who directly ask money for meeting. Tinder is not a dating site but a paid escort site. Guys, avoid tinder at all costs. You wont get any match or hook-up but instead you will end up spending hundreds of dollars with zero outcome.
I laugh at yurt article after showing casing the 1 star review from BBB and still stating that this tinder app is good. You understand they are going through a class action lawsuit for being dishonest to their paid users? That’s sad you didn’t research more in depth about this terrible app. All dating apps are trash and full of fake profiles. 55 billion matches when we only have 7 billion people as a population. Check your math on that it’s not possible consider the married people.