So, last article, I shared with you my rather elaborate experience of having tried 4 online dating apps quite extensively. What happened after that was a host of things…
One, I received a ton of hate messages telling me how desperate I was to try online dating. Two, I received requests on which apps I would suggest people should use in India, in which case, read on. Three, I got a couple of suggestions on a few dating apps that people were trying personally.
All three events were equally colourful and enjoyable. In response to the first one, I turned out to be a lot more desperate so, I tried 4 other apps. For the second, read on. For the third, these are the ones I’ve used. In addition, I’d like to add, in all, online dating apps serve as a great way to make new friends, or just talk to people on a night when you find it easier to talk to strangers than those you know.
Enjoy the read and share your own experiences!
1. Happn
© Daily Mail UK
It’s the newest app on the block and it doesn’t disappoint all that much. In fact, it has a very interesting method of working—absolutely any and every one whom you’ve ever crossed paths with, and who has the app installed on their smartphone, shows up on your Happn feed. So if you crossed a cute person yesterday and wondered what that was all about, you have a good chance of meeting them on Happn; provided they have the French-born app installed, too. It’s like serendipity in an app!
What Happened?
In my case, I realized either of two things to be true—that the world is full of creeps unworthy of social communication, or I didn’t go to the right places, or (and I’d personally like to believe this to be truest) the decent ones just don’t know about Happn, yet. In which case, this should really help you out.
Success Rate
Given the kind of model this app is based on, Happn has the potential to do really well if the number of people (the good ones) on the app increase. As for me, I’m still exploring my options on the app and while they don’t seem so bad, they don’t seem as good, either. It’s too early to tell, anyway.
My Rating: 2/5
2. Woo
© Woo
Again, the taglines read “Find Magic, Find Love.” And when you go to install it, the description says, “Find interesting, educated professionals looking for a life partner.” Now first, here it’s interesting to know how the profile seems like a cheap Tinder rip-off; the font does nothing for it either; even the colour scheme is so akin to Tinder, you wonder why it isn’t Tinder. And then, you see why. Even the way it works seems to be similar; except for one thing—it lets you pass over a profile and come back to it later, unlike Tinder, in which case, once you’ve swiped left, there is no undoing that (unless of course you want to pay for it). It lets you even search in terms of school education, or companies—a way to streamline your search without being too openly judgmental; a lot like LinkedIn for online dating.
What Happened?
There’s a reason why I would not like to continue with Woo with any expectation in mind. It’s because I wouldn’t want my online dating matches to show up as my LinkedIn contacts which is a possibility with this app. And then, who’s to actually guarantee that the profiles listed in the app are genuine? Yes, it takes your background details, but so do other dating apps. On Woo, I found two types of “prospects”—the ones who were dying for some action and the others who had come of age and were probably being pressured by their families to marry.
Success Rate
I’m all for finding my soulmate on a dating app; I came pretty close myself. Problem is you’re a lot less likely to find someone you’re serious about on a dating app in a country like India; unless the odds are in your favour and that’s almost negligible. The problem with Indian dating apps is one and recurrent—they promise more than they deliver. The same can be said about Woo. Yes, they hold a lot of events and publicity gimmicks to attract an impressive audience. But how much of that audience is actually using the app and how many of these users are actually benefitting in a qualitative way is a figure that still needs justifying.
Rating: 2/5
3. Hinge
© Hinge
I fell in love with this app when I moved to Mumbai for almost a year. What I liked about the app was that it offered a sort of exclusivity that was strangely underrated. I have always maintained that the crowd you get in Mumbai is very different from the crowd you get in Delhi; especially, when it comes to dating. The app just proves a point. No, it isn’t available in Delhi yet and I don’t know why. Given its popularity in Mumbai, it’s bound to draw a great audience in the capital as well. Hinge prides itself on an exclusive number of users who range from middle to upper class. This is important because there is a filter who you’re checking out, matching with and vice versa. It eliminates the kinds you’d leave in your “others” folder on Facebook.
What Happened?
Really want to know? Okay. I met two very interesting prospects. With one of them, there were dates, chill sessions, interesting conversations, similarity of interests and well, some very interesting action that built onto a long lasting friendship. With the other, there was instant chemistry, dates, courtship and well, it amounted to something pretty serious and wasn’t all about the bass (although that was a bonus). Long story short, I made long lasting connections, at the very least. What I also noticed was a clever hack of being able to use the app while in Delhi, too. You just change your settings to an area in and around Mumbai and you’re logged onto a network of people in your vicinity. You get to talk to great people, make friends; maybe even a meaningful relationship or two. And, if you frequent Mumbai, or plan to, great. If not, just go with the flow. Mumbai ain’t that far, anyway.
Success Rate
This was one dating app that exceeded all my expectations. In terms of the class and kinds of people you meet to the user-friendly database. It gives you a 24 hour time span to talk to the person once you’ve matched with them, failing which, the person goes off your radar completely. So, it’s like, striking while the iron is hot and also teaches you the art of initiative. It’s a no-nonsense online dating app with a level of exclusivity, if you’re looking for something that is beyond just superficial crap. If only it expanded to other cities, already.
My Rating: 4/5
4. Bumble
© TopRomp
Not a lot of people know about this one. If you come to think of it, the lesser known international-turned-Indian apps are the best to opt for if you want a seamless, no-bullshit experience. Tinder, of course, has turned more Indian than the homegrown apps in recent times; but it still bodes well with the majority and we can see why. The lesser known apps like Hinge and Bumble are, however, a great way to meet a crowd who know their shit and what they want from life and people. They’re there for the same reason that you are and that works wonders when you’re checking off compatibilities!
What Happened?
I learned about Bumble through a friend when I was travelling outside of India. The app is pretty popular out there; I daresay, a little more popular than Tinder. When you use it, you’ll learn why. How it works: It’s a lot like Hinge with one or two slight changes—First, once you match with someone, if it’s a woman, she has to make the first move; it’s absolutely mandatory for her to message you first. If she doesn’t, neither can you. What you can do is extend the 24-hour window to a 48-hour one. And then, wait. I think this is a very interesting approach given that we’re living in the 21st century where a woman making the first move is incredibly sexy. Secondly, if you accidentally, swipe left on a prospective match, all you need to do is shake your phone a bit and the match comes back for you to swipe right on. I had fun using it outside India where the woman making the first move actually works instead of men thinking you’re a desperate creep. In India, the app isn’t that popular and is yet to catch on in terms of workability.
Success Rate
Outside of India, it worked like magic. We were actually eating cake by the ocean, like the DNCE says in their latest hit number. In India, I was hoping to eat cake with someone somewhere; but I just ended up buying my own cake and eating it, too; albeit alone. Also, it only works on your iPhone. So, if you’ve got that then, good for you; if not, either go and get one or just wait it out.
My Rating: 3/5
Photo: © Thinkstock/Getty Images (Main Image)
Source: www.mensxp.com
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