After countless left swipes, you eventually spot a promising match. This is a familiar struggle for many young adults, myself included, searching for the right person in a seemingly endless sea of profiles.
Throughout the short years of my adulthood, dating has not come easy, if anything, I have found that it is a living hell. As time goes on, dating is not a necessity but what feels like a chore. The need for validation or a glimpse of hope is what drives people back to the dating scene.
The thrill of wanting to experience a meet-cute by meeting my soulmate, from bumping into each other at a café or locking eyes from across the party in a strobe-filled room, to then having to settle on seeing a “you matched with…” at the top of your phone, brings the same euphoric feeling.
To save you the mental turmoil of trying out dating apps and deciding which one feels right for you, I have tried four popular dating apps and indicated which ones work and which ones you shouldn’t waste your time on.
“See who’s out there, swipe right.”
★☆☆☆☆
Tinder, is the app for hookups and unwanted situationships. If you want your heart broken by a man or woman who is talking to 10 other girls or guys, then please humor yourself and download this app.
When you first download Tinder, it asks you a few generic questions, what your dating preferences are like, and what you’re looking for. Then comes the swiping.
Left for uninterested and right for interested. In my experience and years of using the app, it may be the most pointless dating app one could use unless you’re looking for nothing but a hookup.
Despite Tinder’s visible popularity, some users feel bored and disappointed, especially those looking for deeper connections.
“The app designed to be deleted.”
★★★★☆
Throughout my experiment, Hinge has been my go-to app so far. My favorite parts of the app are some of the reasons why it is my favorite, including how it allows you to add voice responses to your prompts about who you are, you can see who likes you before matching with the other party, and the prompts require more genuine responses than a three-word Tinder bio.
I also enjoyed how once a week the app suggests a group of people they think would be your type and allows you to give a rose to your top pick. The downfall is I find that when I find a guy I like and start to know well, we exchange numbers or social media and then tend to ghost you within a few days.
“The feeling is mutual! Find others like you.”
★★☆☆☆
Mutual is intended for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and as a member of the church, I have not found success on Mutual.
It is difficult to find options when it feels like the app doesn’t show you anything unless you pay for the app. It also feels like there aren’t as many people on Mutual, so it is hard to find a genuine connection with someone. You can also see when someone has unmatched with you, and I wish that wasn’t a part of the app.
You’re either going to find a return missionary who wants to get married within the first three months of dating or someone who isn’t a member of the church.
“Putting women first, always.”
★★★☆☆
Bumble is the app I am least familiar with, and I only downloaded it to see what it is all about. My first impression of the app was that it was a fun setup process but was not user-friendly.
When you join Bumble, it feels like the organization of the app isn’t laid out very well. Most of the app’s aspects can’t be utilized unless you pay $32.64 a month for a premium subscription. That was honestly a turn off for me, as I feel it should be more accessible to those who use the app.
The aspect of the app that I liked is how it is up to the women to reach out first, as that is something we have only seen on Bumble.
Out of the four apps I tried, the one I favored using the most was Hinge because in my experience, you can get to know someone on a deeper level just by looking at a profile. I also enjoy how Hinge allows voice prompts, allowing you to hear their voices before liking someone.
Overall, each of these apps has its own unique benefits. One’s online dating experience and what they’re looking for will determine how their experience turns out.
