Tinder Review

Tinder has taken the dating world by storm and has helped make online dating socially acceptable. The dating service has so many users that everyday profiles are viewed over 2 billion times, which results in 26 million matches.

Tinder offers a simple way to meet people online. You sign up with your phone number or Facebook account to ensure some level of identity verification (your membership is not announced to your Facebook friends via your page, feed, etc.). The app then matches you to other Tinder users in the area around you – whether you’re at home, at work, in a bar, or on a trip.

The app is free to download (it has been downloaded more than 340 million times), and only takes a few seconds to install. Tinder is also now available online via their website so if you’re on your desktop or laptop you can now check your messages and matches from your internet browser.

There’s no real profile creation with Tinder beyond the basics. If you signup with Facebook, photos along with other information is automatically pulled from your account (the app allows you to delete whatever you don’t want available). Or, you can click the plus sign on the top right of your Profile page to check your phone, Instagram, or album photos from Facebook for other pictures to include. You can also say a few words (up to 500 characters) to describe yourself. The settings tab allows you to choose whether you want to be matched with men or women or both, how far away you are willing to search (i.e. 10 miles or 50 miles from your current location), and your preferred age range. You can include up to nine photos and looping videos.

The matching process is easy. Pictures of potential suitors pop up on your screen one by one (Tinder calls this the card stack) along with their ages, and whether you have Facebook friends or mutual interests in common. You can see more information about them by tapping the “I” button underneath or simply tapping on the photo. Then you can see how far away they are from you at this moment (i.e. 2 miles or 10 miles), as well as an “about” section where people can leave a little information about themselves (or not much at all besides “hi”). If you have common interests or friends on Facebook, those will appear below the photos. You can scroll through various matches if you’d like, touching the “X” for no or swiping left (meaning you’re not interested) and touching the heart on the right for yes, or swiping right. Once you mutually approve of each other, you and your Tinder match can communicate.

Celebrities are joining Tinder along with the millions of other daters downloading the app. It’s become a part of TV shows about single people, including Girls and The Mindy Kaling Project. As The Huffington Post noted, Tinder has become so popular “it is now a verb.”

Part of its appeal is the fact that Tinder is not a lonely endeavor like online dating can be, where you sit in front of a computer sorting through profiles and creating your own. In fact, most people use Tinder with their friends in social settings, so when you’re meeting friends for a drink chances are one or more of you is logging in. “The last few times I’ve gone out, I haven’t not noticed someone using Tinder in a bar. People aren’t ashamed to use it. It’s lightweight and fun,” says Mateen.

Unfortunately, Tinder doesn’t take into account your relationship status. If you’re married or in a relationship, you can use Tinder without any members having knowledge about the fact you have a significant other. So, it enables people to cheat if they feel so inclined.

Many people view mobile dating apps like Tinder as nothing more than hook-up apps, because it’s free to use and there isn’t much of a filtering process outside of whether or not you like someone’s photos. But plenty of women and men are both gravitating to this app, so its appeal is only growing. Dating apps like Tinder are here to stay, and are an important part of the new dating landscape.

Positives of Tinder

These are the best parts of Tinder.

• Free to download and use with your phone (iPhone or Android). Service is also accessible via Tinder.com
• Easy to get started with minimal profile information required
• Easy to use, just swipe left or right to reject or approve a match. Swipe up for a Super Like
• Fun to use in social situations with friends
• Can start connecting with people more quickly than traditional dating sites
• Constantly matching you with new people because it’s location-based
• Low investment – if you only want to hook-up, very appealing platform. No money required to spend and very accessible
• Tinder Lite app available to those who want to reduce data usage (available in only certain countries)
• AI is used to detect messages and behavior of users that goes against community guidelines. Warnings will be issued and the user could be removed from the app.

Negatives of Tinder

These are the parts of Tinder which needs improvement.

• Does not consider someone’s Facebook relationship status to be able to use it (married, in a relationship, or single)
• Not much information provided about the match before you meet – sometimes none at all if they don’t include a bio
• Can’t search for matches with similar interests – have to scroll through each match given
• As a free member you can’t “look back” and reconsider someone because you have to choose Like or Nope to move on to the next candidate. When you reject, they are gone
• Membership upgrades use an age-based pricing model. For older singles Tinder is a lot more expensive to use
• Tinder Photo Verification not required

Editors Bottom Line

What should you take away from this review of Tinder? Our expert explains:

The dating app "Tinder" started the swiping craze and is extremely popular with young adults (20-30). They use it to meet new people to date or hookup with in College and University.

We give Tinder, a 4.5 out of 5 Stars!!! 😍

Awards

A list of up to the last 5 awards for the Current year and/or Past that Tinder has been the recipient of, in the Dating Sites Reviews Choice awards.

Tinder Profiles & Sign Up Process

The Tinder app is found on Google Play and the Apple App store. It is the #1 top grossing non-game app in both stores and has 10's of millions of downloads. You can also access the Tinder service directly from their website (it uses the same account as the Tinder App). The Tinder service on the app and the website is very similar, for this review we will concentrate mainly on the app since this is how most users will experience Tinder. After installing the Tinder app and launching it you will be asked to create an account either by connecting your Facebook account or by your phone number. If you use your phone number a text with a verification code will be sent to verify it is correct. During the signup Tinder will ask for the following information:

• Sign-up
  • Start by connecting your Facebook account or phone number
  • Enter your First Name, Birthday, Your Gender, Sexual Orientation, and the University/College you went to
  • Upload at least 1 photo (My best pic is)
  • Allow Tinder to access your location. This is required by Tinder or you cannot use the service

The Tinder signup process is very simple and quick. Once finished, you will be brought to the Discovery section where you can then go through your card stack of matches swiping left or right on profiles you like or not. On the top bar on the left you can click on the profile icon to access your profile and settings to change and update your information further.

• Edit Info
  • Media
    • Import images from Facebook or choose from phone gallery
    • Can upload up to 9 media items including pictures and 15 second videos
    • Can Enable Smart Photos (continuously tests all your profile photos to find the best one to display as your main photo)
    • Try out Photo Selector which uses AI to help you choose the best photos to use to generate the best match results. For more information see: Tinder Launches AI Based Feature to Select Your Profile Photos
  • About Me
    • Modify any of your signup information
    • Add your own Bio description
    • Include a Job Title, Company you work for, and City living in
    • Update your Gender with 50+ gender identities to choose from. Enable/Disable showing your gender on your profile
    • Choose your Orientation. Pick up to 9 terms that best describe your sexual orientation
    • Relationship Goals
      • Pick from a list of Relationship Goals for your user profile
      • Select one of the following “long-term partner,” “long-term, but open to short-term,” “short-term, but open to long,” “short-term fun,” “new friends” or “still figuring it out”
      • Each description comes with an added emoji and is displayed as a highlighted banner at the top of the user’s profile
      • For more information see: Tinder Launches New Relationship Goals Feature
  • Snapchat
    • Connect Snapchat so you can use Bitmojis in messages
  • Instagram
    • Connect your Instagram account to allow Tinder users to see your most recent Instagram photos
    • Does not affect your Instagram account at all and Tinder will never post anything to this account
  • My Anthem
    • Spotify has given all Tinder users the ability to add an Anthem to their profile (you are not required to be a member of Spotify)
    • Pick from the list of popular songs on Spotify or use the search bar to find a specific song on Spotify
    • Your Anthem will play a looping sample of the song when your profile is viewed by another Tinder user
  • Spotify
    • Connect your Spotify account to your Tinder profile to display your Top Spotify Artists and view artists you have in common with other Tinder users
  • Control Your Profile
    • Can enable or disable showing your age and the distance you are from a user on your profile
    • Requires a paid subscription to disable either setting

Under your profile you can also access your Account Settings.

• Settings
  • Unlock Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold subscriptions
  • Purchase packs of Boosts and Super Likes
  • Account Settings
    • Update your phone number or Facebook account
  • Discovery Settings
    • Global or Local Mode - Enable to be matched with singles from all over. Disabled turns on local mode and matching based on your Maximum Distance. For more information see: Tinder Rolling Out New Global Mode
    • Maximum Distance - Change the max distance you want your matches to be from you (Local Mode only)
    • Swiping in - Change your swipe location. This is the Passport feature for Local Mode and requires a paid subscription
    • Show Me - Change what gender is shown to you. Can select to show people of the same orientation first
    • Age Range - Range of age of your matches
    • The above Discovery preferences are considered suggestions and your potential matches may fall outside these parameters
    • Show me on Tinder - If disabled you can still message your matches but you will not show up in other members card stacks
    • Share my Feed
      • Enable or disable elements of your profile that appear in other Tinder members feeds
      • This includes your photos, Spotify anthem, Top Spotify artists, Bio, School, and Work
  • Data Usage
    • Enable/Disable auto play of videos
    • Pick a username for your Web Profile which when enabled will be found on the internet at the url: tinder.com/@username
  • Top Picks
    • Enable/Disable if your profile appears in other users Top Picks
  • App Settings
    • Enable/Disable a range of notifications (including New matches, Messages, Message likes, Super Likes, New Top Picks) for email, push notifications and those from Team Tinder (which is customer service)
    • Update and verify your email address
    • Setting for showing distance in Km or Mi
  • Block Contacts
    • Import your list of Contacts (name, phone number, and email)
    • Choose which contacts you want to block from seeing your profile in Tinder
    • Contacts can be unblocked
    • Ideal for blocking family, exes, and work colleague
  • Contact Us
    • Find help and support information
    • Includes Privacy Policy and Terms of Service
    • Logout of the app
    • Delete your Tinder account
    • Pause your Tinder account (found under the Delete option)

Tinder ID Verification

The Tinder Global ID Verification feature allows free and paid users to verify their age. When a user is verified a badge will display prominently on their profile similar to how photo verification works. ID verification will also cross-reference public safety data like the sex offender registry to help ensure scammers and criminals will not be allowed access.

ID verification is free to use and is voluntary in most countries except where it’s against the law for people under 18 to use dating apps (like Japan).

Tinder Photo Verification

To protect users from fake profiles, Tinder now allows members to self-authenticate through a series of selfie videos responding to questions and prompts. These videos are then compared to existing profile photos using AI technology. The AI tool uses 3D mapping of facial geometry for both the video and photos. Official IDs can now also be uploaded and compared using this process.

Verified profiles using photos only will receive a blue photo icon badge while profiles that have been verified using an official ID will receive a blue ID icon badge. Verified profiles using both photo and ID will display a blue checkmark. These verification badges show members which profile they can trust that the photos are accurate. This feature will be available to all global markets.

For more information please see this article about the Tinder Photo verification process and this one about the Tinder ID verfication process.

Tinder Costs

Tinder offers a feature rich membership which is free that includes messaging. They also offer 3 main paid subscription options (Tinder Plus, Tinder Gold, and Tinder Platinum) along with the ability for free and paid members to purchase additional features. A Tinder Select subscription is available to celebrities and other elite members.

Please note, Tinder subscription pricing is all over the place and appears to depend on the users popularity, age, location, and other profile attributes. This means actual subscription pricing for any tier can be widely different between members. Members may also be offered only weekly or monthly options. The prices below on average reflect pricing we found for new users in the United States.

• Prices last confirmed September 18, 2025. Please check Tinder for most recent pricing. All prices in USD unless specified otherwise. Prices may differ based on location, time of purchase, or access point (this can include device used and/or if accessed from a website or app)
• Free Membership
  • Includes:
    • Creating your profile
    • Including up to 9 media items (photos and videos)
    • Connecting your Facebook, Spotify, and Instagram accounts
    • Viewing other members profiles
    • Using the Discovery Section to access your card stack to Like or Pass on matches. You can only swipe left or right on a certain number of profiles a day
    • Switch between Local and Global Mode for matches in your Discovery Section
    • Access to the Top Picks to view up to 10 profiles a day. You can only like 1 profile a day from Top Picks
    • Send and receive messages from your mutual matches
    • Hot Takes - Speed dating type chat with members before you are matched
    • Matchmaker - Ask friends and family to recommend profiles for you (without needing the app)
  • Costs:
    • None
• Tinder Plus
  • Includes:
    • Everything from the Free Membership
    • No Ads
    • Control what your profile displays (make your age and distance invisible)
    • Unlimited Likes (swipe rights)
    • Unlimited Rewinds - Allows you to return to the last person you left swiped on so you can change your selection
    • Read Receipts - Be notified when someone reads your message. Includes a setting to disable people finding out about you reading their messages
    • Passport - Lets you change your Tinder location to match with people in a destination of your choice. Allows browsing of matches outside your city. Passport includes a Travel Alert safety feature (see Story)
    • Option to only have your profile be shown to people who you have liked
    • Incognito Mode
  • Costs:
    • Prices for Tinder Plus are different if you are 30 years or older (see Story). Only in California is the price the same for members of any age (see Story)
    • Cost For members 29 years and under:
      • 1 month for $9.99
      • 6 months for $37.44 ($6.24 per month)
      • 12 months for $49.92 ($4.16 per month)
    • Cost for members 30 years and older:
      • 1 month for $19.99
      • 6 months for $74.94 ($12.49 per month)
      • 12 months for $99.96 ($8.33 per month)
  • For more information on Tinder Plus see:
    • Introducing Tinder Plus, A New Premium Service
    • New Tinder Plus will Cost You More if You’re Over 30
• Tinder Gold
  • Includes:
    • Everything from Tinder Plus
    • Boost - Puts your profile ahead of others in Discovery for 30 minutes to be seen first by members near your location. 1 per month
    • Super Likes - Get 5 a week to highlight your Like when the member views your profile
    • Full access to the list of Top Picks. Can like as many Top Picks as you have in the list
    • See the "Who Likes You" list found in Messages. Can like these members back right away instead of saying Nope
  • Costs:
    • 1 month for $29.99
    • 6 months for $112.99 ($18.83 per month)
    • 12 months for $150.00 ($12.50 per month)
  • For more information on Tinder Gold see: Tinder Launches New Features With Tinder Gold
• Tinder Platinum
  • Currently offered in select markets only
  • Includes:
    • Everything from Tinder Gold
    • Message before matching by attaching a message to your Super Like
    • Have your Like prioritized over others with Priority Likes
    • See the Likes you’ve sent in the last 7 days
  • Costs:
    • 1 month for $39.99
    • 6 month for ??
    • 12 month for ??
  • For more information on Tinder Platinum see: Match Group Says New Tinder Platinum Launching This Year
• Tinder Select
  • SELECT membership perks are only available on the Tinder app, not Tinder.com
  • A service for elite and celebrity Tinder members (less than 1% of Tinder users). You can be invited but also apply
  • Requirements for applying for Tinder Select:
    • Your profile must meet Tinder's 5-Point Select Screen for profile quality and engagement.
    • This includes having a min of 5 interests, 4 pictures, photo verified, a Bio, and a relationship goal
  • Users of Tinder Select can toggle back and forth between both services
  • You can stack your Tinder Select membership with a Tinder Plus, Gold, or Platinum subscription
  • Includes:
    • Everything from your current Tinder subscription (Free, Plus, Gold, Platinum)
    • SELECT Mode allows you to see and be seen by Tinder’s most sought after profiles
    • A profile SELECT badge (can be disabled in the settings)
    • Skip The Line - People you like will see your profile unblurred in their Likes You grid, even if they do not have a paid subscription. Your profile remains prioritized on their Likes You grid for 7 days
    • Up to 2 times a week, you can send someone a direct message without having to match first
  • Costs:
    • 1 month for $499.99
    • This cost is added to any current Tinder subscription plan you already have
  • For more information on Tinder Select see: Tinder Debuts $500 Per Month VIP Service
• If you are Tinder Plus subscriber you can upgrade to Tinder Gold at any time and just pay the difference in the cost. You can also downgrade from Tinder Gold to Tinder Plus
• Subscriptions automatically renew for the same term. Subscriptions can be canceled anytime to prevent future charges while you still continue to use the remaining time on your current subscription

Tinder offers 4 additional paid features in most countries which can be purchased by free and paid subscriber members. To purchase visit the Account Settings section.

• Boost
  • Allows you to be one of the top profiles in your area for 30 minutes
  • Boosting your profile will get you about 10 times more views than normal
  • To activate a Boost tap the purple lightning bolt icon
  • Costs (in USD):
    • 1 Boost for $3.99
    • 5 Boosts for $14.95 ($2.99 each)
    • 10 Boosts for $24.90 ($2.49 each)
  • For more information on Tinder Boost see: Tinder Boost Will Soon Let Users Pay To Be Seen First
• Super Boost
  • A supercharged Boost available only at peak night hours. It allows you to be one of the top profiles in your area for 30 minutes
  • Boosting your profile will get you up to 100 times more views than normal
  • To activate a Boost tap the purple lightning bolt icon
  • Costs (in USD):
    • 1 Boost for $5.99
  • For more information on Tinder Super Boost see: Tinder is Testing New Individual Paid Features 
• Top Picks
  • Additional Picks are available for purchase in packages
  • Purchased Top Picks act like your regular daily Top Picks. You have 24 hours to view or swipe them before they disappear
  • Costs (in USD):
    • 10 Picks for $3.99 ($0.40 each)
    • 20 Picks for ?? (?? each)
    • 30 Picks for ?? (?? each)
• Super Likes
  • To activate tap the blue star icon found when viewing a person's profile
  • When your profile appears in Discovery after you have Super Liked them, it will show up with a bright blue border and star, highlighting that you Super Liked them
  • Matches who you have Super Liked will have a blue star next to their name in the lists found under Messages
  • Using a Super Like makes it 3 times more likely you will get a mutual match
  • Costs (in USD):
    • 5 Super Likes for $6.99 ($1.40 each)
    • 10 Super Likes for ??
    • 20 Super Likes for ??
    • 30 Super Likes for ??
    • 60 Super Likes for $39.99 ($0.66 each)
  • For more information on Tinder Super Likes see: Swipe Up: Tinder Introduces New 'Super Like' Feature
• Background Checks
  • Tinder has currently disabled Background Checks. They are looking for another company to partner with for this service. See: Match Group and Security Nonprofit Garbo End Partnership
  • Provide first and last name, birthdate, location or phone number to perform a background check on a match
  • Information returned show whether a match has a history of “violent and harmful behavior”. The check tracks arrests, convictions and whether they are on the sex offender registry
  • Premium subscribers get 4 free
  • Costs (in USD):
    • $2.50 per check plus a 75-cent processing fee per transaction
• Please note, prices listed as "??" indicates that the option is available for purchase but we could not find the price for it (as it may not be available in our reviewers location)

Tinder Viewing & Communication Features

Tinder has spent the time in researching and developing the right tools needed for users to quickly find matches and then communicate easily with those matches. Some services offer a variety of features that can often confuse users on what is the best way to use the service. With Tinder everything has its place and is well organized making it simple for almost anyone to pick up and use right away.

Most of these features can be found when viewing the profiles found in Discovery, Top Picks, and in the Messages section.

• Profiles
  • View profile photos along with any information they filled out including First Name, Age, and the About/Bio section
  • If you log in with Facebook you will also see a list of common interests and friends that you share with a potential match
  • Includes distance in miles or km's that the person is from you
  • While viewing any profile you can Like, Super Like, or Pass on them as a match
  • Share the profile with friends via, text or social media
  • Report a Profile. Doing this will also block them from appearing in your card stack and messages
  • A Gold Diamond badge/icon on the main profile picture indicates a Tinder Gold subscriber
  • A Blue Star badge/icon by the name of the person means that either you super liked them or they super liked you
  • A Blue Checkmark Crest badge/icon by the name means that the profile has been verified by Tinder. Verified profiles only include public figures, celebrities and brands
  • Photos
    • Profile photos can be uploaded from your phone or retrieved from Facebook (up to 9)
    • You can view other members Instagram photos as long as they have their Instagram account connected with their Tinder account. See the post Tinder Update Brings Instagram Into The Mix for more information
    • Smart Photos
      • Feature can be toggled on or off by editing your Tinder profile
      • Figures out which profile photo other Tinder members will like best and then uses it as your primary photo
      • Smart Photos works by cycling the photos on your profile so different ones appear as your primary image. As it does so, it logs the response to each image and calculates which scores you the most likes or right swipes
      • For more information on Smart Photos see: Tinder’s New Smart Photo Feature Could Score You More Matches
    • Videos
      • Upload short videos (15 seconds in length) to your profile (increases swipe rights on average by 10%)
      • Must create and edit the videos before uploading
      • Available on iOS in most countries. For more info see: Tinder Tests Two-Second Looping Video Feature and Tinder is Rolling Out Its New Profile Feature: Looping GIFs

• Messages
  • Accessed via the top bar by tapping the message icon on the right. Here you can access your messages, new matches, your matches feeds, and find out who likes you
  • Mutual Matches
    • A list of all your matches that you have liked and they have liked you back
    • This list can be searched
  • Likes You
    • Found under New Matches, tap the first profile photo with the gold border and flying heart icon to see a list of who has liked you but you have yet to liked
    • When tapped you will view a grid of profiles where you can auto-match, dismiss or click on and view the profile
  • Match Conversations
    • Tapping on a match in the message list at the bottom of the screen will bring up your chat history. A blue start icon by the match name indicates that they super liked you
    • Within the conversation you can send a message, delete messages, view the profile, unmatch from the member, and manage the subscription
    • When you unmatch, you’ll disappear from their match list, they won’t be able to message you anymore, and they will also disappear from your match list. Unmatching is a permanent action. If you unmatch someone, you will not be able to talk to that match again
    • Can add emojis and GIFs to your messages when chatting. Thousands of GIFS are available from GIPHY, just press the blue GIF button found at the bottom of the chat interface
    • Add animated full screen response reactions to messages by clicking on the smiley face icon. For more info see: Tinder Launches Animated Reactions As Part Of ‘Menprovement Initiative’
    • Add your Snapchat Bitmojis to your Tinder messages. Tap on the green Bitmoji icon found next to the blue GIF icon button. For more info see: Tinder is Allowing Users to Send Bitmoji in Messages
    • The "Does This Bother You?" message feature detects whether an offensive message has been sent to you. If you responds yes to the prompt about a potentially inappropriate message, you will have the option to report the member for their behavior
    • There is also an Undo message sent option if Tinder detects you sending a posssible inappropriate message. You will have the option to stop the message from being delivered.
    • Face to Face
      • In-app video chat that is private and secure (Tinder does not record these calls). No need to exchange personal phone numbers
      • Only after a conversation gets going will the video icon enable in the right corner of the message screen
      • Only after both users agree to keep the call clean and opt-in, can they video chat with each other. A user can end the call at anytime
      • The screen itself is split so each user can see themselves and the other person in identical frames
      • Once the call is over, each user will be asked if they would do another call, and are given the opportunity to report any inappropriate behavior
      • For more information see: Tinder Launches Face to Face Video Chat Feature
  • Tinder Feed
    • Feed aggregates real-time updates from your matches, including recent photos from Instagram and Spotify
    • Posts appear in the timeline in order beginning with the most recent changes to a profile. A match’s occupation and distance from you (the last time they opened the app) is also listed beneath each entry
    • Only users who have mutually swiped right appear in each other's Feeds
    • Users can comment on individual items in the timeline, comments are visible only to the person on the receiving end
    • Users can manage what is shared to your Feed by editing your account settings
    • For more information see: Tinder Is Rolling Out A Chronological Feed And Users Are Panicking and Tinder is Testing Real-Time Feature Dubbed Feed, Integrating Social Media

• Modes
  • The Tinder Modes navigation bar sits at the top of the Tinder app home screen. This makes it easy to switch between the different ways to match (modes).
  • For You Mode (Classic Tinder)
    • Lets you see everyone in one place, just like the original classic Tinder experience.
  • Double Date Mode
    • A dedicated space that lets you and a friend pair up to match with other pairs, making it more fun, more social, and less pressure to meet new people.
  • College Mode (was Tinder U)
    • For college and university students, and gives users the option to match only with others at their school or at nearby campuses
    • Tinder U is separate from regular Tinder. You must toggle between the two in the app to use either
    • Must have a .edu email address and must also be geolocated on a college campus
    • Tinder U profile page includes the name of the users school, and when users swipe, their school logo will appear at the top of the screen, and their match’s school will appear in the bottom left corner of each profile
    • Spring Break Mode
      • Only available during the month of March. Match with others headed to the same vacation destination as you
      • When spring break is close and you are using Tinder U a Spring Break card will display at some point in the Discovery section. From there, you can tap on it and add your Spring Break destination. Tinder will show you the location your potential matches are headed right on their profiles
      • For more information see: Tinder Introduces Spring Break Mode For College Vacation Flings
    • Currently only available on the iOS app
    • For more information see: Tinder Launching a New Dating Service for College Students
  • Festival Mode
    • A badge that users can add to their profiles when they plan to attend a specific music festival, so that they can connect with other attendees more easily
    • The badges will be available beginning 3 weeks before each event that Tinder has partnered with (includes AEG Worldwide and Live Nation)
    • Festival Mode will be available to those attending large music festivals in the U.S., U.K. and Australia
    • For more information see: Tinder Launches New Festival Mode Feature

• Explore Section
  • Hot Takes
    • Everyday from 6pm to midnight local time you can chat with potential matches (before being matched).
    • Daters will be given visual questions to help break the ice and start off the conversation
    • Mimics a speed dating experience where a timer counts down from 30 seconds and if you do not decide to match before the clock reaches zero, the chat will end and a new one will start with someone else
    • For more information see: Tinder Rolling Out New Video Features 
  • Blind Date
    • When users opt in to Blind Date, they are asked to complete a series of questions, and are paired with others based on similar responses. The questions are meant to spark conversation in an ice-breaker style
    • They’ll then enter a timed chat, not knowing any details about the person on the other side of the screen aside from their answers. When the timer runs out, they can Like the other's profile, which will be revealed if there is a match, or they can choose to get paired with someone new.
    • For more information see: Tinder Rolls Out Blind Date Feature
  • Vibes
    • Vibes is a Conversation Starter events which occur once a week for about 48 hours (there is no set time for when they start)
    • During the event, users are asked a series of questions on a range of topics, from pop culture to personal habits
    • If the user participates by responding, their answers will populate their profiles for other participants to see for about 72 hours
    • Participants who are matches and message each other will be able to see each other’s Vibe responses directly in the chat window. If two users match, their answers appear in the chat together. The answers will only be visible to other Vibes participants.
    • For more information see: Tinder Rolls Out New In-App Event Feature Vibes
  • Ride Credits
    • Tinder has partnered with ride sharing company Lyft to let users purchase rides for their dates
    • User can buy a ride credit for a person they have matched with
    • The person buying the ride credit can set the meeting location, time, and how much they want to spend, they won’t be able to see their match’s address or other personal information
    • If you are the recipient of a ride share gift, you have the option to turn it down. When someone has purchased a Lyft ride for a match, the match is sent a link via a phone number or email address, and it is up to that recipient to accept or reject the ride. The recipient can change location as long as it is within a half mile)
    • If you gifted the ride, you will get a refund if the user doesn’t use the ride credit, or if they only use part of it. And your date can’t just use the ride for another purpose and go somewhere else
    • For more information see: Tinder Partners with Lyft and Now Offers Rides For Dates 
• Notifications
  • Get notified via email and/or on your phone via push notifications when you have new matches, get a message, or other important events
  • Get an alert on your phone when there are 2x to 3x higher rates of matches in your local area. For more information see: Tinder’s New Feature Tells Users When Match Likelihood Increases
  • Notifications can be disabled

Safety on Tinder with Noonlight Integration

Noonlight has now been integrated into Tinder for members in the United States. This will allow you to share details about upcoming dates via Noonlight’s Timeline feature, including who you are meeting, where and when, with the ability to easily and discreetly trigger emergency services if you are feeling uneasy or in need of assistance via the Noonlight app (installed separately).

The Noonlight Safety Platform gives Tinder users access to a panic button allowing them to quickly get help in any situation, without requiring a 911 call or the ability to talk or text.

Safety on Tinder with Share My Date

Share My Date lets users share their date plans directly with friends and family from the Tinder service. All you need to do is send one link.

Date information that can be shared includes location, date, time, and a photo of their match—directly. You can decide who you want to share your date with and create an unlimited number of dates within the app up to 30 days in advance.

Date plans are also editable, so if plans change at the last minute, users can simply update the info in the app to keep their circle in the know.

For more info on this feature see: Tinder and Hinge Release New Safety Features

Searching and Matching

There is no searching in Tinder for members that you might want to date. You can only search for members you are already matched with in the messages section. Tinder only provides matches for you. There are 2 matching options called Discovery and Top Picks. These matching options use an algorithm that Tinder developed (see Story) which use a number of factors to determine what matches to show you. This includes your location (which can be disabled if Global Mode is enabled OR changed if you are a subscriber and use the Passport feature to pick another city), how active the member is, and the type of members you previously have Liked and Noped. Some match preference settings can be changed under your Account Settings. This includes the gender you want to view, the maximum distance (proximity) from your current location, and an age range. Tinder states that modifying these settings does not guarantee you that all matches will fall within your parameters.

Discovery

This is where the famous swiping of profiles comes from. You can find the Discovery section by clicking on the Tinder flame icon on the top bar of the app (or website). With Discovery, you are shown one match at a time and you can either hit the red X icon or swipe left to say Nope about the match, or tap the green heart icon or swipe right to Like the match. You can also Super Like a profile, this is done by tapping the blue star or by swiping up. You only have a limited number of Super Likes everyday but more can be purchased if needed. The match shows just the main profile photo along with the first name, age and distance from you. A gold diamond icon means that the user is a Tinder Gold subscriber (there are other badges for different memberships including Tinder Select) and a blue star icon means that the member has already liked you. Tapping on the info icon will take you to the members profile where you can view the rest of their photos and any other profile information they may have.

When you have Liked a member and they have Liked you back you can then start communicating with each other. On the Tinder app, these mutual interest matches will appear in the Messages section found when you tap the Comment Bubble icon on the top bar on the right. From here you will find your list of matches (which is searchable) along with any messages you may have sent them. A list of new Likes for your profile can also be found here which allows you to like other members right away so you can start chatting. This feature is only available to Tinder Gold users. With the Tinder website version when you match with other users, they appear in a list on the left, which displays all your matches and chats in one place as you swipe. Under Messages you can also find the Feed section.

The Feed section is a place where you can find any social activity notifications for your mutual matches. This includes things like profile updates, new photos, and new messages sent to you.

At any point you can turn Discovery off in your Account Settings. With Discovery off, you will not appear in others' card stacks, while they swipe but you can still see and chat with your matches. Some people you have already liked may still have the opportunity to see your profile and like you back; this means you may still get new matches after you’ve turned Discovery off.

Swipe Surge

A Swipe Surge is a point in time in your area that activity on Tinder has increased dramatically. During a Swipe Surge you can experience up to 15 times more active users on Tinder than normal. This means finding more members online when using the Discovery section to swipe which increased mutual matches and means conversations happen 33% faster.

To participate in Swipe Surges you have to turn on push notifications. When one is happening in your area you will receive a real-time update which you can join. Those who are participating in the Swipe Surge move to the front of the line in Discovery which means swiping and match in real time instead of waiting around. This allows you to start messaging or even meeting your matches right away. For more information on this feature you can read our article on Swipe Surges.

Explore

The Explore section expands the way to meet new people. In Explore, Tinder users will find activities like Swipe Night (interactive video game), Festival Mode, Chef Mode, Blind Date (allow users to chat without being able to see each other’s photos), and the Hot Takes feature. This section also allows users to go through possible matches that share their “passions” or tags they put on their profile. For example users can select that they only want to view potential matches who are considered “thrill seekers”. So if members have listed activities like skydiving, rock climbing, surfing, and/or hiking as a passion then they would come up as a possible match.

Top Picks

Tinder Top Picks can be found once you are in the Discovery section by tapping on the Gold Diamond icon on the top bar. These are featured profiles of the day picked for you by Tinder's matching algorithm. Picks screen refreshes with a new set of profiles every 24 hours. Top Picks are for Tinder Gold members. Free members have very limited options here.

Picks are presented in a grid format featuring large photos and shows the same type of information as the Discovery matches. Top Picks who are Tinder Gold members also have one-word descriptions that explain why each match was chosen for you. With Top Picks you can only send them a Like or a Super Like. For more information on Top Picks see this Story.

MatchMaker

Tinder Matchmaker allows you to seek profile recommendations from your friends without them having to install the app or create a Tinder account.

Here's how it works:

1. Invite a friend
   Create a unique link to share with a friend. You can do this by expanding a profile you're viewing or by navigating to Tinder's Settings and then Manage Matchmaker.
2. Share the link
   You can generate up to 15 unique links per day (they expire after 24 hours). Anyone you send the link to will see the same profiles. If you invite a friend while viewing a specific profile, your friend will also see that particular profile.
3. After sharing the link
   For the next 24 hours, you won't be able to see the profiles recommended by your friends. After this time, you can view these recommendations. You'll only see your friend's name beside their recommendations if they choose to disclose it.

Your friends cannot swipe right or left on profiles on your behalf. Any "swipe right" actions taken by your friends will be presented as recommendations.

If you want to opt out of the Matchmaker experience, end ongoing Matchmaker sessions, or invite friends to be your Matchmaker, you can do so through the Settings and then the Manage Matchmaker option.

For more information on Tinder Matchmaker see this Tinder Debuts New Matchmaking Feature.

Other Tinder Information

Tinder is owned by Match Group and is one of the largest dating services with millions of people logging in every day to use. As of 2019 it is valued at about $10 billion (est.). You can access the service from their website (see Story), and dating apps found on Google Play (over 100 million installs) and the Apple App Store.

In the summer of 2019 Tinder released the Tinder Lite app for Android which is a streamlined version of the regular app. It is about 25 times smaller, runs faster, consume less battery, and reduce network usage by about 20%. The new Lite app was designed specifically for users in regions where Internet connectivity is slow and most people have lower-cost phones. Tinder Lite will debut first in Vietnam, and then do a rollout in specific countries in Southeast Asia and South America (for more see Story).

Tinder has also included with the app a comprehensive Safety Center for daters (in select countries including the US, UK, France and Germany). Tinder users can tap on a blue safety shield from anywhere in the app to be taken to the Safety Center. It is designed to keep members informed about the safety features Tinder offers (like the panic button) and also providing other resources and tools. You can find a link to it from the main menu and chat. The Safety Center was developed in collaboration with the Match Group Advisory Council.

Other safety features Tinder has includes Incognito Mode where users can control their visibility to other users. While enabled users can still Like and Pass on potential matches, but only those they have “Liked” will be able to see them. Users can also block profiles from appearing in their search again along with "Long Press Reporting" for messages that contain offensive material.

For more detailed information on this dating service you can check out our Tinder Facts and Statistics page. Information can also be found in our topic for Tinder news articles.

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