They exploit the location tracking, the frictionless snap-and-send of smartphone photography and the always-on bantering of messaging software to create a less formal experience than web-based sites. Ease of use, slick design — often more like a game than just a useful tool — these apps provide not just a connective launch pad but a source of entertainment for their users. And unlike dating sites, most of these apps are free though how their business models work is still rather vague. These apps are obviously popular: based on the number of users logging in and swiping their evenings away Tinder alone has reported 75 million matches but I have to wonder, is app dating becoming more of a game in itself, desensitising us from the real experience, or is it the key to successfully finding a match? Log in via Facebook, select a few pictures — adding a line or two of description of yourself is optional. You can start swiping yay or nay to what appears to be a generated by your GPS position and age preferences. Works best in cities where there are more users. Tinderly Photograph: PR Free, iOS, Android Following the success of Tinder, a tiny ecosystem of apps has grown up to allow men, at least, to game the app. The popularity of this app and similar apps may make Tinder a more irritating experience for female daters, so they may not be around for long. Despite this, it is one of the most popular dating apps, with 30 million users and over 1 million daily logins. When you first join the app, you are asked a selection of multiple choice questions. Matches are made, based on the answers. The randomly selected questions determine matches, so the more of them you answer, the more likely it is you will find a match. Since its launch in 2009, Grindr has been popular with gay and bisexual men. The location-based app has been downloaded by more than four million people worldwide. Users have the option to chat and share photos — mainly of their abs and penises. Tickr Photograph: PR Free, iOS, Andoid Tickr is a video-only dating app, relying on up to three 30-second movies to connect people. This idea behind the app, created by north Londoner, Daniel Freeman, is that it is a more truthful way of getting to know the personality of each person. It is also that much harder to hide behind the flattering angled selfies which are often highly misleading with the photo-based apps. A good place to meet extroverts. Hinge Photograph: PR Free, launching in the UK early 2015 Hinge may look a lot like Tinder and rely on Facebook to gather its information, but it digs deeper into the past, looking at the people previously dated, education, religion, profession and interests to find appropriate matches. You can swipe to choose your matches, but you are visible to those whom you have friends in common with regardless of if you are a match or not. It has a web app, ie compared to these others it is refreshingly quaint: essentially a smartphone-shaped version of the desktop site. Once you subscribe, you can find out more about other users and contact the ones that take your fancy. There are more than 236,000 members the average user is 34. It analyses the iTunes library on your iPhone and, if you wish, info from last. Filtering options mean that you have control over your matches. Plenty of Fish Photograph: PR Free, iOS, Android, Windows One of the oldest dating sites founded in 2003 , it has a significantly older pool of users, with 44 being the average age. Free membership has made it the most popular internet dating website in the UK and the US since then. The signup alone takes an hour, supposedly to find a better match, so it is certainly for the more time-rich date seeker. This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. The links are powered by Skimlinks. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that Skimlinks cookies will be set.
