Are you sick of online dating? Or are you having the time of your life?
When it comes to online dating websites and apps, each platform offers a different experience for its users. Your individual preferences and goals will help decide which dating app is the best, and it is important to review as many options as possible.
We’re breaking down the features and benefits of the top dating apps and websites available today, including Hinge.
Hinge has grown in popularity in the last couple of years, but you may be surprised to learn that the app has been around since 2012. Hinge recently went through a massive rebrand, changing its overall focus from fast swiping to finding relationships.
Advertised as the dating app that is “designed to be deleted,” Hinge offers a unique experience for singles searching online. Keep reading to learn more about Hinge, including a complete review of the dating app.
The Bottom Line
Let’s cut to the chase. Is Hinge worth your time?
Hinge is designed for younger members who plan to be very active on the app in their search for a relationship. Most users on Hinge are between 24 and 32 years old, and the app has more than 5 million users around the world.
For young singles in their 20s and 30s, Hinge can be an excellent dating app to find that special someone, with a very active member base looking for love.
For older users, or singles looking for a fling, Hinge may not provide what you’re looking for. Hinge is intended to be a foil for Tinder, offering an alternative to mindless swiping.
If you do not plan to be active on the app, checking it daily, you will not get the full experience of Hinge. Hinge goes beyond swiping, allowing members to send like, comments, and messages to other members that spark their interest.
What is Hinge?
Hinge positions itself as an anti-Tinder in the dating app market. Instead of facilitating hookups, the app is focused on creating relationships. In fact, Hinge wants their users to delete the app because they successfully found the relationship they are looking for.
So, how is Hinge different than other dating apps. With a longer profile setup process, Hinge profiles tend to have more substance than other dating apps. The vibe is very similar to popular social media platforms like Instagram, offering impressive visuals, witty comments, and smooth interactions.
Users interact with profiles, learning more about a person through their photos, videos, and personal info. Hinge is even integrated with your data from Facebook.
The app can highlight matches that you may have a mutual friend with, but they avoid your direct friends so you do not come across an ex or family member. For singles who are tired of modern dating apps and hook-up culture, Hinge offers a different way to connect online.
Is Hinge Good for Finding Serious Relationships?
Hinge is good for finding serious relationships. After their recent makeover, Hinge shifted its focus to millennials looking for a long-term relationship. As the dating app that is “ designed to be deleted, ” Hinge makes it clear that relationships are their goal.
For singles looking for something more serious than a hook-up, Hinge puts everyone on the same page. The robust profiles on Hinge help facilitate relationships by providing a significant amount of information upfront.
Instead of basing your initial judgments on looks alone, you can get an overall sense of a person through their Hinge profile. The dating app allows users to upload multiple photos and videos, answer fun questions, and fill out their personal information.
For the most part, profiles on the app are authentic with very few fake profiles to be found. The gender ratio is split almost 50/50, with an equal number of men and women.
As with many dating apps, singles in larger cities or more populous areas may have an easier time finding viable matches than people in more rural areas.
Is Hinge Good for Hookups?
Hinge is not good for hookups. While you may find people in search of a hookup, the app makes it very clear from the beginning that users are searching for relationships.
When compared to popular hookup apps like Tinder, Hinge requires more time, and users have to be more active to make a match. Even singles looking for casual dates will have trouble on Hinge.
The Hinge algorithm will display your Standouts, or matches are specifically chosen based on your type. This level of personalization goes far beyond the simple swiping of hookup apps like Tinder to encourage deeper relationships.
If you are searching for the best online dating app for hookups, there are better options than Hinge. Overall, Hinge is intended for singles looking for a relationship. The majority of users you encounter on the app will be interested in something more serious instead of a fling.
Is Hinge Free?
The Hinge app is free to download for your smartphone. You can use some of Hinge’s services through the app for free, however, you are limited. Hinge is free if you want to view members’ profiles and send messages to your mutual matches. You can also see the users who send you likes.
With a free account, you can set up your complete profile and view potential matches. You are limited to only 10 likes per day, so you have to be selective in how you use your available likes.
You can send an unlimited number of messages, but you can only message mutual matches. The free version of Hinge only allows users to contact members they have successfully matched with to begin a conversation.
Hinge Paid Subscription: How Much Does it Cost?
Paying for a Hinge subscription unlocks the premium and fee-based services from the dating app. Users with a paid account can send unlimited likes and see every user who liked their profile in a simple grid view.
Compared to other paid dating apps, Hinge is relatively average in price. Subscription costs vary by the duration of your membership, and longer membership terms cost less per month than shorter terms.
When you purchase a subscription, you become a Preferred Member on Hinge. You can pay via mobile phone or credit card, and your subscription will automatically renew unless you cancel it.
Pricing ranges from about $5 per month for a six-month subscription to $10 per month for a single month. A lot of the most popular Hinge features are available with the free version of the app, so users can get a feel for the app before committing to a subscription.
How to Use Hinge
To start using Hinge, download the app on your phone and create your account. The signup process for Hinge will take a little time because the app is focused on relationships over hookups. Once your account is created, you can start building your profile.
Your profile will include My Vitals, or basic information about your location, gender, height, education, etc. The My Virtues section includes questions about topics that could be considered controversial.
You can answer questions on politics, drugs, and more, and you can decide which answers appear on your profile. Finally, the My Profile section includes adding up to six photos and answering prompts.
Hinge will display your matches in a roulette-style display that allows you to discard matches or take a closer look at the user’s profile. You can send likes by selecting the heart button on a specific part of another user’s profile, including photos or written answers.
You can also send a comment to start up a conversation. When two users match with each other, Hinge allows you to start sending messages.
You can send unlimited messages to your mutual matches, starting a conversation, or setting up a date. Hinge also has a We Met feature that allows you to provide private feedback about a date with a match from the app.
Is Hinge Secure?
Hinge is considered fairly secure when it comes to online dating apps. The app is an advocate for safe dating, and they have implemented a variety of features to protect their users.
You can report disrespectful members through the app, but there are very few fake profiles across the platform. You can also block a member and report them through their profile.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hinge
Who Can Join Hinge?
Hinge is open for anyone over the age of 18. You can download the app and start using it for free or pay for a subscription.
How do I Join Hinge?
You can join Hinge by creating an account with your phone number through the app or signing in using your Facebook account.
How do I Cancel My Hinge Premium Membership?
You can cancel your premium membership for Hinge within your Account Settings. Your Preferred Member status will be active until the end of your billing cycle, but your membership will not automaticity renew if you have cancelled.
How Do I Delete Photos on My Hinge Profile?
Photos on Hinge cannot be deleted. Instead, you can remove unwanted photos by replacing them with a new ones.