Most apps work in a similar way; they differ mainly in their assumptions about users’ intentions and in their visual design. We present three of the most popular dating apps in the world:
Facebook Dating – a new feature
This is not a separate app, but an additional feature within an existing Facebook account. Users aged 18 or over can create a dating profile independent of their main profile. Facebook Dating does not involve swiping left or right and waiting for a match to be created. An interested user can browse other people and contact them immediately, regardless of whether they are friends with that person.
You can also choose the Secret Crush option and send an appropriate notification to up to nine Facebook friends or people you follow on Instagram. If the other person also adds the same user to their Secret Crush list, both will be notified. Facebook Dating is not yet available in Poland, but the feature can easily be tested, for example, by using Facebook proxy.
Tinder, the absolute hit in the industry
How does Tinder work? Put simply, Tinder is an online dating app that matches people based on physical attractiveness. All you need to do is set filters for a specific age range and gender, and the app finds people located within a specific distance from the user’s location. It also indicates whether the people in question have Facebook friends in common.
The phenomenon of Tinder lies in its simplicity. If two people like each other, they receive a notification and can start chatting. There are also two premium options: Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold. Tinder Plus provides unlimited likes with no limits, a second-chance option allowing users to undo their last like or rejection, the ability to send five Super Likes per day (a special blue highlight of a like so that a person knows they have been liked even before accepting the user), one Boost per month (being one of the most popular profiles in the area for 30 minutes), Passport (the ability to change location), and ad removal.
With Tinder Gold, users gain access to the Plus features as well as exclusive access to the Likes You and Top Picks features. Likes You lets users see who has liked their profile before deciding whether to like them back. Top Picks is the app’s newest feature, suggesting the most noteworthy candidates for potential matches.
Adopt a Guy: women take control
This app comes from France, where it continues to break absolute popularity records. It was modeled on an online store in which women place men’s profiles into virtual shopping carts. Women also have exclusive rights to start conversations; men can only send an initial message. Only men have to pay to access the site. Female users join for free and participate without charge. Their task is to liven up the site and attract potential male partners.
This may sound quite revolutionary, although the gender roles are reversed compared with traditional standards. The app’s concept contradicts the classic model in which the man is expected to pursue the woman. It seems, however, that men are not offended at all, as shown by the high number of registered users. The idea is certainly interesting and original.