If you’re single this Valentine’s Day (you know who you are), and you’re thinking of getting back in the game, don’t let the pandemic hold you back. Dating apps are perfect for meeting new people all from the comforts of you own home.
But as there are many fishes in the sea, there are just as many dating apps to choose from. So to help you find Mr./Ms. Right, let us hit you up with a list of some of the best ones to try.
Tinder
Everyone and his cousin know what this is – Tinder has become so synonymous with the modern-day dating app, that it’s incestuous (figuratively) at this point if you date someone you meet from the app.
The phrase “plenty of fish in the sea” rightly applies here, and that’s all the more reason to recommend it – the database of potential suitors is expansive!
The way it works is simple, create your profile and add your photos, populate it with personal info like preferences, location, education, age; then you move on to write your bio – which the most important part. You can also choose to link your Instagram profile too!
Once you’re done, you can start swiping through potential matches – swipe right if you like, and left if you don’t. If both parties swipe right on each other, you have a match – let the courtship process commence. This of course takes place entirely in a chatroom.
One benefit of using Tinder is that because it’s so popular, you’ll be able to find people from all walks of life, each with their own preferences – some may be looking for serious relationships, some want to keep it casual.
With such a large pool of single people, you’re bound to find The One – just be weary of catfish profiles, of which there are also plenty of.
Bumble
With former co-founder of Tinder – Whitney Wolfe Herd behind the creation of this app; Bumble shares several similarities with the former. The mechanics work the same – swipe right or left, and if both swipe right, then boom, you’ve got yourself a match!
What’s different however, is that in a heterosexual match, the woman has to initiate the conversation – she has 24 hours to do so.
This puts more power in the hands of females as they get to only open conversations with matches they are interested in – this helps minimize unsolicited pick-up lines, and shifty photos
You can deck out your profile with a proper description, photos, and answer ice-breaker questions like “two things and a lie”, “A review by a friend”, and more.
On top of that, Bumble is also a great place to look for friends – there’s BFF mode which is open to anyone who’re looking for platonic friendships; and also Bumble Bizz – a career-networking mode that also employs the woman-first mechanic.
Pro tip: You may come across a few profiles with no descriptions, but we say swipe right anyways – you might unearth a gem!
Coffee Meets Bagel
Coffee Meets Bagel’s approach to online dating is a little different – it wants to embrace slow dating, and encourage richer profiles.
Each day, you get a limited list of ‘suggestions’ that you can like or pass – the app learns your swiping patterns, and curates your list for the next day to better highlight the profiles you’re more likely to vibe with.
Again, if both parties hit ‘like’ on each other, then it’s a match – from then on, a chat room opens, but it will expire in one week! This basically serves to either get you to exchange numbers/social media handles if you’re interested, or move on if you’re not.
You can choose to extend the chatroom with ‘Beans’ which is an in-app currency.
Speaking of, there’s a ‘Discover’ tab that lets you see additional profiles that may not have been in your suggestions list – the catch is, to like the profiles here, you’ll also need to spend Beans.
If you ever run out, you can always purchase more – who knows, maybe you’ll spot someone too perfect to pass up!
OkCupid
What was once a popular matchmaking website, is now an even more popular dating app – OkCupid’s been around for so long, your grandma probably used it.
With so many years in action, the app has fundamentally stayed the same – swipe left or right to match with someone; before that, you can also choose to send someone a private message – an ice-breaker of sorts (fellas, no unsolicited pick-up lines please).
If it’s a match, the other party gets to view your full profile and your message as well.
Image credit: Mashable
OkCupid also boasts a heftier profile creation tool where you get to answer more personality questions compared to the other apps on the list – if you’re into knowing someone as much as possible from the get-go, this app may be for you.
Sure, you may not be able to meet any matches in person for a while; but hey, it’s good to get the foot in the door! I hope this article will serve as an awesome wingman on your quest for companionship, and we wish you good luck!
On the other hand, already have a Valentine’s and need a gift idea? Why not get them a new phone!