One thing that I’ve noticed that plagues most dating apps (aside from those who never message back) are the dude-bros and the basic bitches. I, myself, am more of an outdoorsy kind of person. I’m more introspective, and I want someone who spends more time thinking than they do making protein shakes… if you’re like me, you’ve probably found yourself pretty bored with most dating apps.
So, when I came across Meet Mindful, I was kind of skeptical. How could this dating app possibly be different? How could this app not be plagued with girls and guys who think that going to a rave and doing 4 points of molly is the pinnacle of spiritual experiences? Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found on Meet Mindful.
After poking around for a while, here’s what I’ve found.
First Impressions
The sign-up process for this app is no joke. This app isn’t going just going to let you log in with Facebook and call it good. You’re going to answer quite a few questions before you gain access to the people online. Like the site says, it’s Meet Mindful. So a lot of the questions they ask you as you’re signing up are indeed very thoughtful and require a little more than a second to think about.
After signing up and filling out my profile to near completion, I had access to the whole site. The kind of people you’re going to find on here are much more interesting than the kind you’ll find on Tinder or another hook up centered app. These people are indeed mindful of the world – and other people – and it’s reflected in their profiles. There are more than just frat boys, sorority girls, and general garbage people on here. There are people from various walks of life who work in fields across the board. There’s a wide selection to choose from.
Features
I signed up on the desktop app (I love me an app that has mobile and desktop capabilities!), and it’s really easy to navigate. Along the top are a few tabs that read Browse, Likes, Conversations, Settings, Upgrade, Profile. The browse page allows you to browse members, the likes page shows you who’s already liked you, and you can converse with your matches on the conversation page. Everything is super self-explanatory and easy to navigate.
Additionally, there’s a tab on the left side of the browse page where you can filter out your matches. The app already filters out stuff that you’ve marked as deal-breakers, but you can filter more depending on what you’re in the mood for at the time. Most of the profiles are very detailed (granted they’re filled out all the way) so it’s not too difficult to filter out people you’re not going to be compatible with at a base level.
Pricing and membership details
Here’s the catch. With a free membership, all you can do is browse people after your free membership expires. All other functions of the app require an upgraded membership. The lowest commitment membership will run you $30 a month. However the most popular option is $80 for six months, which is the same as $13 per month, but you’re going to have to dish out almost $100 at once.
You’re basically going to have to pay if you want to have any agency over your profile on this site. The app seems to have very helpful and interesting functions once you upgrade… but I think it’s pretty pricey for a dating app that has no real guarantee of success.
Pros
Gender options: One of my favorite things about this app is the breadth of its gender options. They keep things simple, but they offer a few gender options for those who don’t identify within the gender binary. Additionally, if you were to check your preference as “Women” you’d be given the option to check a box that says if you’re open to Trans women as well. I like how simple and respectful these options are.
Personal information: When you sign up, you’re going to be asked some questions that seem pretty routine for a more serious dating app, but you’re going to have many more options to answer with. For instance, you’ll be asked about your diet! This is great for people who are vegetarian or vegan who is looking for a partner who has similar eating habits as them. Additionally, you’ll be asked about drinking, drugs, and smoking but you’ll be given more than Yes or No as options. I like this because life decisions aren’t binary! You can be honest about your habits without pigeonholing yourself. You can also answer questions and prompts to fill out your profile – not unlike Hinge! – where you can really express yourself in your profile.
Deal Breakers: I like that they have a deal breaker option. They give you a few different things to check off as deal-breakers such as atheists or long-distance relationships. I like that they give you an out when it comes to things you’re not interested in! You’re not going to offend anybody by having these deal breakers on your profile because everyone has them. Plus, you’re given a text box if you choose that you want to explain why your deal breakers are your deal breakers.
Cons
Beware Indigo Children: I don’t have too many negative things to say about this app… however, it does definitely attract a more eccentric group of people… One group of people that I’ve found on here are people who believe that they are indigo children. People who believe themselves to be indigo children think that they’re psychic or something. I’m serious. And not in the taro card kind of way. They usually believe in government conspiracy theories about how the government wants to stifle their special gifts. So beware, there’s plenty of crazy on this site
Pay-walls everywhere: Meet Mindful was on its way to becoming my favorite dating app… if only they didn’t paywall the entire site. I feel like this would have been an app I’d use all the time if I had the money to spend on it. A lot of us don’t have the money to spend on dating apps, especially when you’re looking at over $100 for the entire year at it’s cheapest. No thanks.
Conclusion
Honestly, if you have the money to throw at your online dating endeavors and if you’re looking for more mindful people… then this is without a doubt the site for you. If you’re looking for something cheaper I’d try OkCupid or another app!
4.5/5 Stars