Hinge
Review 2024
The Dating App Designed to Be Deleted
5 Million Members
55% Male | 45% Female
- The Dating App Designed to Be Deleted
- 5 Million Members
- 55% Male | 45% Female
In-Depth Review of
Hinge
In a world of dating applications designed to be a permanent companion to your smartphone, Hinge tries to be different. Billing itself as “the dating app designed to be deleted,” Hinge sees itself as a response to other dating apps that espouse a hook-up culture and roulette-wheel-styled dating. Hinge is designed to be deleted because it is designed to find and foster meaningful connections that can grow into long-term partnerships.
This is the idea, at least, but does Hinge live up to its standards? We created a profile to find out. Read our review to see if Hinge opens the door to your next romantic connection.
Pros
Voice recording & video chat features
Offers other unique features
Fun & interactive ways to interact
Cons
Very limited free version
Pricey premium plan
Hinge Price
1 MONTH
Per month: $29.99
Total: $29.99
3 MONTHS
Per month: $19.99
Total: $59.97
6 MONTHS
Per month: $14.99
Total: $89.94
Signing Up for Hinge
Signing up for Hinge is a longer process than most other mobile apps. This is due to a more in-depth process where Hinge asks personal questions to learn more about who you are and who you are interested in. Compared to other services, this questioning is extremely in-depth.
The process begins when you choose your method of signing up. This can be done via Facebook or with a phone number. Regardless of your choice, the next step will be to provide a valid email address. There isn’t any email verification, but when signing up with a phone number, a code will be sent to you that you will use to verify the number’s authenticity. This helps to limit fake profiles.
After you’re verified, setting up your profile will begin. This takes the form of a series of sections asking specific questions. While you can answer all the questions, you can choose what is and isn’t shown on your profile later on. Although this might sound like a lot, the process ensures all accounts are aptly filled out and comprehensive.
We’ll have more on what the questions entail later, but the last step of the signup process includes uploading photos, which can be imported from Facebook. You also have the opportunity to respond to some creative writing prompts. These are questions or statements you can answer and should be seen as a unique way to describe a bit more about yourself.
Member Structure
Hinge is a popular dating application that appeals to a specific set of people – those looking for serious relationships. Due to this, the age range of most users overlaps with the young professionals demographic, typically 25-34 years old. This is closely followed by the younger 18-24 year old demographic. There are also users in the 35-44 age range, but the drop-off is considerable.
The gender distribution of Hinge is roughly 50-50, with 55% identifying as male and 45% female. This makes it a good place for everyone to seek matches. To add to that, Hinge has a user base of about 5 million, with nearly half that being based right here at home in the US. That said, for international travelers, Hinge has an active user base in Europe as well.
It’s also important to note that Hinge is primarily a free service. Everything you need to start matching is available once you create a profile without spending anything. For those who want some added features, a premium membership is open to becoming a “Preferred Member.” This includes unlimited Likes, a list of everyone who has liked you, and some other beneficial advanced settings.
Matching Process
Matching on Hinge is a pretty simple process. Much like Tinder, it will present profiles in a roulette-style where you can swipe through or send a like. If the person you “liked” likes you back, you have a match. One benefit of the Hinge matchmaking system is that the recommendations aren’t just based on geographic proximity and shared and compatible interests.
This comes back to your initial sign-up. During that, the first section to fill out is called “My Vitals” and involves more physical characteristics. You will begin by providing your physical location, followed by your gender and gender preferences. To note, Hinge is very LGBTQ+ friendly and it’s possible to sign up as bisexual. After this, you are given a choice to provide some general information about yourself, things like height, ethnicity, career, education, and if you have children.
After that section, you can start to fill out “My Virtues”. This step is another series of questions on more exciting topics. You will be asked your opinion on drinking, smoking, marijuana, and general drug use. It will also ask about your political leanings. You can choose whether any of this appears on your profile, but the idea is to give others a picture of your interests, opinions, and outlooks.
Contact Options
Hinge provides some basic options for contacting matched users. The most important and most used is private chat. This allows users to write out messages to each other but does not allow for sending pictures. Video chats are also an option for matched users. This includes a feature called Video Prompts, which provides conversation starters to help encourage interesting conversations over video calls.
Finally, sending Likes is a way to bypass the matching process to some degree, as it contacts the other user to let them know you are interested. Likes must be sent regarding a specific feature of the other person’s profile and can include a comment to ask a question or make a statement. If a person likes your Like, they may initiate a match. Likes are available to free users but only in limited quantities.
Hinge Website
Hinge is an entirely mobile experience, so the app is specially designed for form and function. Users on iOS and Android will be able to download the app for free and get immediate access (after profile creation) to all the features Hinge has to offer. Hinge does have a website, but only for sign-up – dating services are only available through the application.
Conclusion
Hinge offers an alternative to the casual dating of other dating applications like Tinder. Through in-depth profiles and features to encourage deeper connections and understanding between users, Hinge succeeds at fostering an environment for serious dating for serious people.
If you like the idea of Tinder, but dislike the modern hook-up culture it encourages, then Hinge might be the perfect alternative for you.