Are you addicted to finding love? Not every dating site is created equal. We’ve examined the best applications so you can make an informed decision.
There are a tonne of apps available to win your heart if you’re one of those people who is determined to find love online, whether it be temporary or permanent. Approximately one-third of Indian-engaged couples found their partners using dating apps, according to a recent survey by the web tech company WedMeGood. In any case, there are differences across dating apps. We evaluate the best dating apps to assist you in making informed decisions.
Tinder
Tinder is the OG swipe app, which is perfect if you want something quick and easy. The swipe-based system makes it fun, and the huge user base means you’ll rarely run out of people to match with. Features like Passport (to match worldwide) and subscriptions like Tinder Plus (Rs. 850/month), Gold (Rs. 1,250–Rs. 2,500/month), and Platinum (Rs. 1,700–Rs. 3,400/month) let you unlock perks like unlimited swipes, boosting your profile, and seeing who’s already liked you.
Nevertheless, Tinder might resemble a dating conveyor belt in that meaningful discussions don’t always follow quick matches. Because of the app’s emphasis on images, appearances are sometimes given precedence over personality, and it’s not unusual to encounter bots or users who disappear after just one “Hey.”
Bumble
Women take the lead on Bumble, which fosters a more empowered environment. Women must message first due to its 24-hour reply requirement, and if no one responds, the match ends. You can swipe and talk with the free version, but upgrades like Boost (₹1,250/month) or Premium (₹2,000/month) unlock goodies like Advanced Filters, Travel Mode (which allows you to swipe in new cities), and the option to see who has swiped right on you. It is multifunctional since it offers Bumble BFF for friend-making and Bumble Bizz for professional networking. The 24-hour window can occasionally feel like a ticking clock, especially if you’re busy, but the app feels proactive and new. It might be annoying for males to wait for a message, and for women, the pressure to craft a clever opener every time can get tiring.
Hinge
Hinge stands apart for emphasising real interactions and is an app “designed to be deleted.” You engage with profiles by liking or commenting on images or prompts rather than swiping endlessly, which can result in more organic discussions. Chats are kept lively with features like Your Turn reminders. Hinge Plus (Rs. 1600/month) offers features like limitless likes, sophisticated filters, and priority visibility to help you locate the right person, but the free version is still very effective. Even while Hinge’s strategy seems more deliberate, it occasionally suffers from ghosting and uninteresting conversation starters. Furthermore, oddball questions like “What’s your most controversial opinion?” might occasionally seem like cliched icebreakers.
Raya
Raya is essentially a dating app combined with a members-only club, making it ideal for people seeking exclusivity. According to rumours, the app is home to Bollywood celebs like Vaani Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan, making it a popular destination for models, celebrities, and business insiders. An invitation or referral is required to join, as is a thorough application that must be reviewed by a committee—a process that may take weeks. After being accepted, the Rs. 2100 monthly charge grants you entry to a carefully selected network of professionals and creatives.
Even though Raya’s exclusivity adds to its allure, it might come across as arrogant or frightening. There aren’t as many matches, which might be excellent for quality, but it can easily feel like you’re just scrolling through celebs and influencers on Instagram. If you’re not active in creative industries, getting accepted can be an uphill battle.
OkCupid
For those who prefer deeper matches, OkCupid is perfect. It learns about your values, interests, and peculiarities through thorough questionnaires. You can quickly determine whether someone is compatible with you by using the Match Percentage, which provides you with a compatibility score. The Basic (Rs. 499/month) and Premium (Rs. 999/month) versions eliminate advertisements, add sophisticated filters, and increase profile visibility, while the free version functions perfectly. That said, the questionnaire can feel lengthy, and although it’s fantastic for discovering like-minded people, it’s not the app for those seeking for something casual. Patience is absolutely needed here because the time and effort you put in might make a lack of responses even more painful.
Grindr
Grindr asserts that it is the biggest LGBTQ+ dating app globally. The app’s specifications is intriguing. Grindr matches profiles as closely as a few meters, but other dating apps often have a minimum range of 2 miles for logistical swiping. It’s interesting to note that the app also offers a “language translation” feature for matches that take place when someone lives in a different place. Despite its widespread use, the app has a bad reputation because it lacks any standards to verify a user’s identity or age. A lot of users have also complained about body-shaming and ghosting while using the app.
Happn
The foundation of Happn’s UI is logistically crossing routes. If you don’t want to, you don’t actually have to sit and swipe. The concept, which is based on “love at first sight,” states that if you come across someone attractive nearby and they have a profile on this app, they will show up in your immediate vicinity, much like a wifi network. For the next eight hours, though. With the app’s premium subscription, you can go back and review a profile that you may have previously overlooked.
However, because this program tracks your whereabouts in real-time, it’s easy to utilise for stalking. Additionally, it lacks personality-based matching, which may be a drawback for folks who want to meet like-minded individuals.
Dil Mil
Dil Mil advertises itself as an NRI dating software made especially for South Asians worldwide. Here, geographic limitations do not apply to you. You can swipe in the US or Canada while sitting in India. It does provide a moral conundrum, though, as unless both partners intend to travel to the other’s place, the far distance may be a buzz kill, but hey, fate is destiny.
How to be cautious while using dating apps
Keep an eye out for discrepancies in narratives, chronologies, or personal information that people disclose. When someone isn’t sincere, these tiny clues frequently show it.
Don’t divulge too much personal information, such as your precise location, place of employment, or regular hangouts. They may use your information to their advantage as a result.
To determine whether someone’s images are stolen or excessively edited, use reverse image search engines (such as Google Image Search). Stock images of gorgeous people are frequently used by scammers to entice victims.
Always pick a public spot for your initial encounter and let a friend or relative know where you are.