Love is in the air. This year my brother and two of my best friends are getting married to people they met in dating apps. So, if you want to spend the next Valentine’s day with the love of your life, you might want to check these top 5 dating apps I selected. Good luck!
1. Tinder
Whether you’re into online dating or not, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Tinder. It’s the most popular online dating app, which launched in 2012. It was the first platform to introduce the ‘swipe’ feature, where the swipe would determine if you’re interested in a person or not (swipe left to pass and swipe right to like). Super easy and simple and allows for no time to be wasted, which is probably why it’s popularity boomed so quickly because by March 2014, there were a billion matches a day (worldwide).
Its simple swipe feature causes no stress or rejection because you’ll only match someone if there is a mutual interest. So, if you’re after that swipe life, you can download the app here:
Download for iOS | Download for Android
2. Bumble
Interestingly enough, Bumble was launched in 2014 by Tinder’s co-founder (Whitney Wolfe) and it has become increasingly popular by women because the app only allows women to make the first move; only they can start a conversation by sending the first message. The only exception of course is when same-sex matches occur, where either person can make the move but they only have 24 hours to respond. So, it eliminates the feeling of being ‘stood up’ essentially and you can move on to find another match.
The app has over 45 million users and this is growing due to its empowerment of women but also because of its ease of use. So, if you fancy signing up then you can download the app using the links below:
Download for iOS | Download for Android
3. Happn
Happn is somewhat different to other dating apps in that you can find people you’ve actually crossed paths with in real life. So, the kind of people that have probably caught your eye but you just weren’t confident in making a move or maybe people you just didn’t actually see as you passed them. Well, with Happn, you can simply check your timeline and view the profiles of those you’ve crossed paths with. From here you can see the location, the time and how many times you’ve crossed paths.
As for matching, you can send a secret like, which the other person will not know about unless they like you too. If you match, then it’s time to let the conversation begin. The app also has a little game called CrushTime where you get to see four profiles and guess which one liked you (out of the people you crossed paths with). It’s a bit of fun I suppose and with over 50 million users, it’s not an app with the most number of users but it’s still one of the top 5 and great for those looking to date someone that’s local enough.
Download for iOS | Download for Android
4. Badoo
Badoo boasts over 340 million users all over the world and lets you see people that are nearby. It’s all about hitting that heart icon if you like someone or dislike by hitting the X. You also get the option to view their profile and them to your favourites before making your decision, which is great for if you’re unsure. There’s not really much more to it, it’s simple, easy to navigate and is exactly what you really need from a dating app.
Download for iOS | Download for Android
5. Match
The one that started it all. Match kick-started online dating but didn’t manage to stay on top of the game, once Tinder and the rest launched. However, it’s still one of the most popular apps, after initially launching as a website.
Given it’s name, its purpose is to find a match for you and it does that with your help. You set your dating criteria and the app will display all possible matches. Those that closely match your requirements are highlighted, so it’s easy to know which ones to really look for. On the contrary, reverse match is a feature in the app that shows you profiles of those who are looking for someone like you.
It’s also got an advanced search tool, which not only allows you to search for specific tag words such as ‘adventurous’ but it also lets you find daily mutual matches, reverse matches, new users and people with high compatible interests. You can of course also carry out location-based searches for find local people. So, all-in-all, it’s a great app.
Download for iOS | Download for Android
Thoughts
Back in the 90s, online dating was seen as a last and desperate attempt to find love but today it’s the norm. Approximately 1⁄3 of marriages these days are between couples who met online and that’s also got to do with the fact that users just live busy lives with busy schedules, which makes going out to meet someone difficult.
Being able to find someone online is convenient as you can browse the app and talk to people at your own convenience, like when you’re in the middle of a TV ad waiting for the show to commence or on a commute home. There are a heap of different times where you can just pull out your smartphone and start dating, once you’ve found a match of course. As a result, online dating has really spiked over the years and with it being the norm now I can see its use quickly rise even more.
