Hinge Review – Worth a try, or a waste of time?

So, the pandemic has got us all sitting around twiddling our thumbs. We can’t see our friends, nor our friends-with-benefits, so what’s a girl to do?

What better time to check out some new dating apps? With all this free time, there’s no better occasion to stockpile some future matches to meet up when the world is back to normal.

With that in mind, we’re looking at quite a popular dating app on the scene: Hinge.

Hinge is an online dating app that matches singles based on personality rather than looks. It’s already got millionsof members worldwide, so I was eager to get on there and make some new friends for myself.

I got on the app store and got this nifty little dating app. I did some liking, some chatting and definitely made some new friends along the way. Curious to see what I think? Want to know in the ins, outs, pros, cons and whatever else? Well, reader, check out my detailed Hinge review right here.

First Impressions

One of the things I love about this dating app is the design. Everything is sleek and white and really quite pretty. The only colors it’s accented with are a light blue-green for the little hearts next to parts of people’s profile and blue in the messager (which is very reminiscent of iMessage). The app feels adult. Sure, you could probably use this app to find a hookup, but everything about it lends itself to a person who is trying to find a serious relationship of some sort.

Hinge’s tagline is “designed to be deleted,” which means that this is the dating where you’ll meet the man or woman of your dreams. It’s a pretty attention-grabbing marketing phrase, I have to say.

You can register manually or you can link your Facebook account or mobile number. When you sign up, you have to fill out a little prompted “About” section for your Hinge profile. Here you enter into things like your age, height, and profession.

It also asks what your preferences are when it comes to drinking, smoking marijuana, and doing other drugs. I like this because for some people drugs or drinking can be a total deal-breaker.

Another question it asks of you is if you have any kids and if you’re open to having kids in the future. I love this because, again, the topic of kids can be a huge deal-breaker for some… so if you already know the answer to this question it can make that kids-conversation starter, which will inevitably happen down the line in a serious relationship, much easier.

You also have to answer three questions from a list of pre-written questions. Here is where you get to show off your personality! Unlike Tinder you don’t have the opportunity to write a bio, so here is where you can show off your humor or what you’re looking for… plus, who doesn’t like talking about themselves!?

Like Tinder, you can also share guys with your friends if you think that they might be a better match! I like this because, unlike Tinder, you can glean a little more information about these people from the profiles. The “About” section is streamlined to list what really matters, and they can show their personality with their answers to the three questions that they decide to feature on their profile.

I’m tired of swiping, aren’t you? What’s great about the Hinge app is that it doesn’t make a game out of matching with people. It’s about meeting people. If you’re into instant gratification, you should probably stick to apps like Tinder and Bumble. But with Hinge, you’re spending much more time on someone’s profile! You’re not just swiping through after a millisecond.

Features

I already mentioned a few of the features when I discussed my first impressions… but I digress, here are a few more:

As a free member, you can’t do much other than browse through profile pictures. You can make up to 10 matches a day, but messages are inaccessible until you upgrade.

The profile section that you look through is stylized in a pretty specific way. At the top, you have their name and a profile photo. That photo is followed by an answer to one of those quizzes which are followed by a photo. Underneath these photos is all their basic information (think age, height, ethnicity, location, education, etc.). After that is another photo or two, another answered question, another photo, followed by another answered question and a photo.

Next to all these little modules are little circles which contain a heart! That’s how you like someone. There’s no big like button or swiping involved.

To like someone you tap the little heart next to a photo or one of their answered questions. From there you can either send the like or add a comment and then send the like. You’ll get notifications when someone likes you back.

The singles who like you show up in the bottom bar under “Likes You.” That’s where you can decide to respond to someone’s like and make it a match, or if you want to have them start the conversation and make it a match!

Your matches show up under the “Matches” tab. That’s where you can chat and get to know other members.

The last tab on the right is where you can edit your profile, find the FAQs, and upgrade your account.

Another great feature is as you’re looking through profiles, you’ll occasionally find a little suggested potential match at the top! It’ll say something like “We think you two should meet.” Basically, based on your preferences and on what you’ve answered Hinge thinks that you two would be a good match! Thus far, I’ve enjoyed my conversations with those people, so maybe they’re onto something!

Pricing and Membership Details

The membership upgrade for this online dating app seems… like it might actually be… worth it… I know. Shocker right?

There is one upgrade which gives you unlimited likes, allows you to set preferences based on education and family plans (so you don’t see people who don’t match your preferences), and you can get access to dating experts.

Here’s a breakdown between the free membership and the paid upgrade:

Free Membership:

• Create your profile & upload up to 6 photos or videos
• Send up to 10 likes each day
• Filter your matches for gender, location, age, distance, ethnicity and religion

Paid Membership:

• Send unlimited likes
• Send unlimited messages
• Unlock all the filters
• See everyone who has already “liked” your profile

Paid membership costs:

• 1 month – $19.99
• 3 months – $39.99 ($13.33 per month)
• 6 months – $59.99 ($9.99 per month)

What I like about this upgrade is that they’re not charging you to swipe back or to super like. There’s none of that bullshit that makes it feel like a game… it allows you to have a strategic advantage for when you’re trying to match with people… and it gives you access to dating experts.

The dating expert bonus is really what makes me think that this upgrade is actually worth it. Because how often do you not know what to say? How often do you have questions about if your date actually went well? This is an actual valuable upgrade that is totally worth the monthly payment.

Pros

Being able to sign up with your Facebook account is a nice little plus. Any dating app which can integrate with Facebook suggests that its quality and reputation is on par with Facebook. Not only is it convenient, but it’s a little psychological trick too. Additionally, you can also import photos from other social media platforms too.

Interface: I love this app in part because of the design. I feel that it’s streamlined and easy to use (especially because of the lack of swiping). Unlike Tinder or Bumble, you’re not going to swipe right or left on someone accidentally. And you’re not going to get confused with the features (because I totally have especially when switching between those two popular apps).I also like how easy it is to use. You don’t really need more than one hand to navigate.

The tagline, “designed to be deleted” really gets your attention. Usually, no one cares about dating site taglines. They’re just marketing ploys after all. But Hinge’s is actually pretty good.

Upgrades: When it comes to dating apps, they’re always looking for a way to charge you for some bullshit. Why should you have to pay to super like someone? Why should you have to pay in order to go back when you’ve skipped someone?

With Hinge, their upgrades seem legitimately valuable. Not only are they going to help you match with the right people, but they’re going to help you date with the help of an expert.

The ratio of members seems to be quite proportionate. There seems to be an equal number of men as there are women.

Conversation starters: Unlike Tinder or Bumble, it isn’t too difficult to start a conversation. Because of the questions, you have to answer you can really easily come up with something to talk about. Let’s say you like one of their pictures of them hiking, perfect! You should definitely talk about hiking!

Profile quality is excellent. Since most Hinge users are looking for long-term relationships, the women on here put a lot of effort into their profiles. This includes personal details, photos and their answers to the personality quizzes.

Regardless of your intended commitment level, the membership price is pretty decent. The 6 month plan in particular is an absolute steal.

Being able to share guys with your friends is useful. It’s also a pretty funky way of giving a guy the “thanks, but no thanks…” without upsetting him.

Cons

Can’t go back: What I hate about this app is that you’ll get into a rhythm of not-liking people and you’ll skip someone. I’m sure it’s a lesson in self-control, but there’s no way for you to go back. And if there is I haven’t figured it out yet.

There’s a small number of fake users on the site. It’s not a lot by any means, but it’s enough to be noticable.

Hinge members expect good conversations. Unlike a number of online dating sites, most Hinge users aren’t swayed by topless profile photos. This can be a bit of a problem if you’re shy or not super comfortable engaging in deep conversation.

I haven’t had this issue personally, but other reviews have mentioned that there are problems integrating your Facebook data into your Hinge profile. Sometimes, the Facebook info is scrambled all over the place, so you have to do a little DIY to fix it. This almost makes the Facebook registration feature a little pointless.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, I think the Hinge app is fantastic. It definitely takes a step up from Tinder and Bumble, while trying to help people make actual connections.

Hinge has everything you could want in a dating app. It’s got a ton of users, it’s a hub of activity, and it helps connect people on a deeper level than just looks.

Hinge is a prime dating app if you’re looking to make a solid connection. 4.5/5 Stars.

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