Intrigued by the idea of online dating, but don't have time to spare for swiping? Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB) strives to make dating painless, efficient, effective, and accessible for even the busiest singles.

The app was launched in 2012 by three sisters living in New York City. Disappointed by the crop of dating apps currently available, Arum Kang, Dawoon Kang, and Soo Kang devised their own. They hoped to attract young professionals whose hectic lives didn't leave much time for romance, as well as women who were looking for safer spaces in which to date.

Coffee Meets Bagel has met and exceeded those goals. The app is now available in cities around the world and appeared on Shark Tank, where the Kang sisters turned down a $30 million offer from Mark Cuban.

So what makes it so special?

Coffee Meets Bagel is based on three guiding principles. One: unless you want to tell others, your dating life should remain private. Two: your friends are the best conduits for your dates. Three: meeting quality people doesn't have to be so awkward or complicated.

CMB uses your social circle to curate matches (a match is called a 'Bagel'). Women receive 5 matches of men who have liked them already per day. Men can view up to 21 matches per day. Users receive a daily notification at noon alerting them that their daily Suggested matches are ready. This eliminates the need to sink hours into swiping and scanning profiles, checking messages, and hunting for a match amongst random strangers.

Coffee Meets Bagel is invested in making sure the bagels they send you are the best possible choice. Studies have shown that having mutual friends between matches results in 40% more connections, so it is recommended for CMB users to sign up with their Facebook profile (the other option is your mobile phone number). Using your Facebook account allows the CMB algorithm to scan users' social circles for compatible matches that are friends-of-friends, and also helps weed out fake accounts. If you use just your phone number, CMB relies on just your specified partner preferences and location for matching.

If you're worried about linking your Facebook account, don't be. Coffee Meets Bagel will never post anything to your profile, never inform anyone you have joined, and never publicly link your Facebook to your CMB profile. Your privacy is a priority.

When you receive your daily Suggested Bagels, you have three main options: LIKE, PASS, or COMMENT. You have until the next day at noon to make a decision or lose that Bagel forever. If you LIKE your Bagel, your profile will be sent to them on the soonest day they do not already have a match lined up (typically within 1 to 3 days). If there is a mutual LIKE, you are automatically connected via a private, in-app chat and CMB kicks the conversation off with an icebreaker. The COMMENT option allows a user to send a message to a potential match before liking their profile. This allows them to assess compatibility before becoming invested in a match.

But what happens if your Bagel isn't to your taste, or you prefer to have more control over the matching process? Coffee Meets Bagel also offers a 'Discover' tab, where you can search through profiles that don't quite meet your criteria. From there you can choose to 'Give' or 'Take' a profile that catches your eye. If you 'Take', you may select an intriguing Bagel for a chance to connect. If you see someone a friend might like, you can play matchmaker and 'Give' them that Bagel. A 'Take' costs Coffee Beans, the in-app currency, while a 'Give' earns them.

Coffee Beans are available for purchase, or can be earned by performing a variety of tasks. Users can collect Beans by inviting friends to use the app, following the company on social media, or giving other members profile photo feedback in the Photo Lab feature. Beans are used to unlock features like revisiting old matches with Reopen Chat or revealing the identity of a match's mutual friends.

Perhaps the best part about Beans is how little they're needed. Coffee Meets Bagel is entirely free to use (yes, even messaging, which is frequently limited to paid users on other dating services). Add that to the app's investment in privacy, focus on quality over quantity, and time-saving algorithm, and you have a service that feels more like a friend than an indifferent corporation.

Is your everything bagel out there? Download Coffee Meets Bagel for iOS or Android to find out. The CMB dating service can also be accessed directly from their website.

Positives of Coffee Meets Bagel

These are the best parts of Coffee Meets Bagel.

• A female friendly option and a good choice for men and women who are busy and don't have a lot of time to commit to online dating
• Because matches are curated using your social networks (when Facebook is connected to your account), your potential dates are already vetted by friends
• Access to the app's full functionality is free, with special features that can be unlocked by earning or purchasing Coffee Beans
• You are only matched with active members, people who have logged into CMB within the last 14 days

Negatives of Coffee Meets Bagel

These are the parts of Coffee Meets Bagel which needs improvement.

• Not ideal for singles who want extensive control over the matching process
• Matching with friends of friends could mean potentially awkward encounters with co-workers, exes, or other mutual connections
• Profiles are limited, so don't expect deep insight into a potential match's personality

Editors Bottom Line

What should you take away from this review of Coffee Meets Bagel? Our expert explains:

A female friendly dating app and site that takes the dating process seriously. "Coffee Meets Bagel" is ideal for the busy professional who is looking for a relationship and love.

We give Coffee Meets Bagel, a 3.5 out of 5 Stars! 😃

Coffee Meets Bagel Profiles & Sign Up Process

The Coffee Meets Bagel dating app (CMB) can be found on Google Play for Android and the Apple App store for iOS. The dating service is also accessible from their website. For first time users once you install the app, they are required to verify their Coffee Meets Bagel account by either connecting it to their Facebook account or by providing a mobile phone number which a text will be sent to with a verification code. You can access your CMB dating account from both apps or the website, but with the website, you can only login via Facebook. When you first create your account Coffee Meets Bagel will ask you for the following information:

• Sign-up
  • First and Last Name (last name not shown to any members)
  • Email and Birthday
  • What your gender is and what gender you are looking for (male, female, or both)
  • Location (either shared via your phone or you can manually enter your Country and zip/postal code)

Once you have created your account you can then further check out the CMB app and your matches. You can also update your profile further with even more information to help out with matching:

• Details
  • Age, Ethnicity, Height
  • Religion, Occupation, Employer, School, Degree
  • Finish the following sentences:
    • I am...
    • I like...
    • I appreciate when my date...
• Photos
  • Import images from Facebook or choose from phone gallery
  • Add 140 character captions
  • Can upload up to 9 pictures
  • Use the Photo Lab feature to crowdsource feedback on what your best photo is
• Ice Breakers
  • Add up to 3 icebreakers to your private profile
  • They should be something interesting about yourself that isn't on your public profile
  • CMB will use these fun facts to break the ice with some of your Bagels

Below are the matching preferences you can set which Coffee Meets Bagel uses (along with your Facebook friends data if connected) to generated your Suggested matches list every day at noon.

• Preferences
  • Sexual Orientation (women, men, or both), Age Range, Height Range, Distance
  • With Religion and Ethnicity you can select multiple items

As an incentive and to keep people checking their matches and messages everyday (not that a potential date is enough) member can earn "Login Rewards" for logging into their account daily. The more days you log into in a row the more rewards you get. Rewards are given in the CMB currency called Beans. For example logging in on day one, you will receive 10 Beans which can be used towards the purchase of a premium feature (more on this in costs below). If you log into the next day you will receive even more Beans.

If you do not log into your account in 14 days it will be autmoatically put on hold. This means you will stop appearing in "Search" and "Discover" matching. You will still get any messages sent to you and once you log back in your account becomes active again.

Coffee Meets Bagel Costs

Coffee Meets Bagel has a free and premium membership.

• Prices last confirmed February 11, 2020. Please check Coffee Meets Bagel[*1] 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:
  • Create a profile and upload your photos
  • Receive Suggested matches every day at noon
  • Like, Message, or Pass Suggested matches
  • Discover new potential matches
  • Chat with other members who have liked you
• Premium Subscription includes:
  • All free features
  • Viewing other members Activity Reports
  • See when your messages are read
  • Unlimited Takes - Browse and Take as many bagels in the Discover section (see Story)
  • Priority Likes - Of members you have liked, your profile will be placed before others so the member will see your profile quickly in Suggested matches
  • Includes 6,000 Beans every month
  • Cost (USD)
    • On a per month basis at $44.99
  • Renews monthly at the same price until canceled

CMB also has a credit system which uses a currency called Beans (as in Coffee Beans). These Beans can be purchased or earned by performing certain activities in the dating app. You can see how many Beans you have by looking at the counter in the top right of the screen. Clicking on the counter will bring you to the shop and your wallet where you can purchase and manager your subscription and beans.

• Beans
  • Use Beans for:
    • See the section below for more detailed explanation of these communication tools. Cost of using the features below can vary from user to user
    • Take
      • Allows you to send Bagels (or matches) in the Discover Section a "Like". Please note that Suggested matches are recommended over Discover matches since they meet the criteria of each person
      • Costs 385 Beans
    • Open Sesame
      • Find out what friends you have in common with your matches
      • Costs 50 Beans
    • Photo Report
      • Poll Coffee Meets Bagel members to find out which of two profile photo you should use
      • Found in the Photos section of your profile
      • To access the feature, you’re required to participate in a few rounds of voting
      • Costs 100 Beans
    • Reopen Chat
      • Reopen old expired conversations from the Chats section of a bagel you still like
      • Costs 205 Beans
  • Cost (USD)
    • 100 for $2.29
    • 2000 for $27.99 (save 40%)
    • 3000 for $28.99 (save 60%)
  • Earn free Beans by performing the following activities
    • By logging into Coffee Meet Bagel every day. The more days in a row you login the more Beans you will earn. From 10 Beans on day 1 to an extra 500 Beans on day 7
    • Using the Photo Lab (100 Beans)
    • Follow Coffee Meets Bagel on Twitter (100 Beans)
    • Tweet about CMB (100 Beans)
    • Follow on Instagram (200 Beans)
    • Invite a Friend (500 Beans per friend)

Coffee Meets Bagel Viewing & Communication Features

Coffee Meets Bagel offers a number of tools to ease communication between matches, help break the ice, and indicate your desire to know more about the match to see if a real date is a possibility.

Most of these features can be found when viewing the profile directly of the match, in the Chats section, or when viewing your own dating profile.

• Chat Messages
  • Found on the main bottom bar in the app called "Chats"
  • Send, receive, and reply to messages from other members
  • Remember, once a mutual match happens you have a week to send chat messages to each other to set up a date. On the 8th day your match will expire and disappear
  • Chatting with your matches is free
• Reopen Chat
  • Want to get to know a Bagel better. Reopen expired conversations from the Chats section for 30 days.
• Takes
  • A Take is a Like in the Discover section. When viewing Bagels in the Discover Section, tap the Heart icon to "Take" the Bagels that catch your eye. CMB will let them know you are interested
• Likes
  • When you 'Like' someone (regardless of how you received that Bagel -- either by Discover or your Suggestions (use to be called Daily Bagels) your profile will automatically be sent to that person on the soonest day they do not already have a match lined up. Typically, your profile will be seen within 1-3 days
• Open Sesame
  • When you and a Bagel have a mutual friends, unlock then with Open Sesame. Tap on the circle under your Bagel's photos to see who you know in common
• Photo Report
  • Need help picking the perfect profile photo? Poll the CMB community
• Comment
  • Send a comment to a Suggested match before you like them. This allows you to assess compatibility before sending a like and becoming invested in a match
• Push Notifications
  • You will receive a push notification and an email if a Bagel 'Likes' you back

Searching and Matching

To find your matches, Coffee Meets Bagel has 2 options. "Suggested" and "Discover":

Suggested

You can access the Suggested matches by clicking on the Suggested icon on the bar at the bottom of the app. The icon does indicate how many new matches you have. You view these matches one by one and get to see their photos, full profile information, and Activity Report (if unlocked by purchasing a subscription). The Activity Report of a member updates every 72 hours, and is based on the most recent 10 connections for that bagel.

Suggested Matches are ones that Coffee Meets Bagel thinks you are the most compatible with. These are based on information from your profile, your location, and friends information from Facebook (if you have your account connected). As a member you will get new matches every day at noon. Coffee Meets Bagel will curate the best potential matches for women among the men who expressed interest, they can receive up to 5 matches per day. Men on Coffee Meets Bagel will be able to view 21 potential matches per day (men like more choice).

With each Suggested match you have 3 options but you only have 24 hours to use one or the match is gone. To connect with the potential match you can LIKE them directly by pressing the Heart icon. A better option that increases a chance of getting a LIKE back (which is required for chatting) is by sending them a comment or message by pressing the text bubble. This allows you to send a short message and is designed to help you spark interest and access each other's compatibility. Your last option is to PASS by clicking the X icon.

Remember you have until the next day at noon to LIKE or PASS on the match. Once you LIKE your match (also called a Bagel), they are sent your profile on the soonest day they do not already have a match lined up so they can LIKE or PASS in response. If there is a mutual LIKE, the app connects you and your match via a private, in-app chat and gets the conversation started with an icebreaker. With a match you have a week to chat with each other and decide if you want to meet in real life for a date. Once the week is up the match will disappear.

Discover

These profiles are found under the "Discover" icon on the bottom bar. They are matches in your area that do not necessarily meet your complete criteria nor do you necessarily meet theirs. Therefore, Discover isn’t as curated as Suggested Bagels. Discover is where you will find a pool of matches to people you might not consider otherwise. You can scroll through the Discover matches and view their profile summaries and photos. It is possible to filter Discovery matches to further refine the profiles you are viewing. You can filter by:

• Range for Age, Height, and Distance
• Multi-select for Degree and Ethnicity
• Specify members who have only been active in the last 72 hours

You can also view there detailed profile and Activity report (same as Suggested matches). If you like what you see you can click on the red heart icon when viewing the profile. This is called the "Take" (basically you are likeing the member) option and does cost Beans. Doing this will add your profile to their Suggested matches. If they end up liking you, you will then be able to chat. There is also a "Give" option that allows you to play matchmaker and give that match to a friend. Giving a Bagel to a friend will earn you Beans.

Other Coffee Meets Bagel Information

Coffee Meets Bagel's creators were featured on Shark Tank, where they turned down $30,000,000 for the company. The service launched in 2012 by three sisters with the main idea to empower women in the online dating world. Coffee Meets Bagel currently calls San Francisco home.

Coffee Meets Bagel received its last major rebrand and design update late in 2018. They refreshed the look and feel of their logo and apps giving them a more minimalist and modern feel.

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

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