Could Squad Be The Best New Dating App Of 2016?

The word “squad’ is ubiquitous in 2016, so it was only a matter of time before someone turned it into a dating app.

The thing is, Squad is not just the newest app on the mobile dating scene - it may be the year’s best new dating app.

For starters, the relationship experts on the judging panel of the inaugural US Dating Awards named it Best New Dating App 2016. It beat out The Catch, faith-based Crosspaths, video-centric Lively, and the matchmakers of Once. It’s also received write-ups from the likes of TechCrunch, Thrillist, CNN, Observer, and the Washington Post.

What sets Squad apart is its focus on socializing over dating. Users create a group of friends called, obviously, a squad. Members of a squad each have their own profiles and can chat internally with each other. They can also view other squads and swipe yes or no to indicate if they’d be interested in meeting up as a group.

Founder and CEO Adam Liebman says the intention isn’t to be a dating app. Squad is meant to facilitate more casual meetups, with little to no pressure. If a romantic spark happens along the way, it’s just an added bonus.

“Do I want to go out and have a guaranteed good time with friends and probably don’t meet that special someone?” he mused to TechCrunch. “Or do I go out on a date, where the chances that they’re our soulmate are very slim, but there’s this weight that explicitly hangs over you.”

Let’s face it, online dating can be kind of lonely. Although the goal is to meet people, in the meantime, all you’re doing is staring at a screen and furiously swiping instead of socializing IRL. Squad gets your friends involved in the game, which both eliminates that loneliness and ensures that even if your hang with another squad is lame, you’re surrounded by some of your favorite, most fun peeps.

Need more reasons to give Squad a shot? Here are four:

1. It eases your overworked social calendar. With Squad, you don’t have to decide if you’re going out with friends or meeting a potential soulmate. You get both in one evening out.
2. It’s safer than traditional online dating. If you’re worried about whether your date is an ax murderer, bringing a pack of friends along for the ride should help ease your fears.
3. Your wingpeople are never far behind. On a regular date, it’s up to you to do all the wooing. With Squad, your crew can help fill awkward silences or talk you up when you’re too shy to talk about yourself.
4. Your dates are vetted by people you trust. We don’t always make the right calls when it comes to mates. Our judgement can be clouded by all kinds of factors. But the odds of an entire squad’s judgement being wrong? That’s a whole different story. Your friends - the people who know you best and have your best interest at heart - can help you choose a match who deserves you.

Download Squad here.