Fed up with swiping left on unsuitable dates? It's probably time to try one of these free, new Tinder alternatives
Are we over the Tinder swipe already? Maybe one of these new Tinder alternatives could help you find a hot date...
Tickr How much? FREE What? The new video-dating site and app that promises to put the real life back into dating again. The promise: This app aims to end the ambiguous nature of allowing an algorithm to judge your compatibility with other humans. Instead, it takes things old-school, bringing back face time and gut instinct to help you connect. How it works: Members create short videos (up to 30 seconds) showcasing their interests and personalities, earning 'ticks' if they're liked and 'icks' if they're not. A mutual tick means you can chat with your match via text or video messaging. happn How much? FREE What? The app that uses geolocation technology to hook you up with people you've already crossed paths with. That hot guy who eyed you across the train carriage, the man who offered you the last brownie in Pret, it's time to revisit your own Sliding Doors moments. The promise: happn is dubbed the first real-time dating app that helps you discover or reconnect with people you may not have noticed the first time around, or those you very much noticed and would like to find again. It now has 1.7 million members worldwide and they can't all be wrong. How it works: Turn your location settings on and every time you cross paths with another happn member, their profile immediately appears on your app. The best bit? You can 'like' them secretly, and they won’t know unless they like you too, in which case you can start chatting. If you're feeling brave, you can send a charm to notify them that you’re interested. Cute, huh?
Hinge How much? FREE What? The app that matches you with friends of friends who you're most likely to have lots in common with. You no longer have to recruit a mate to set you up, this app does all the Paddy McGuiness-style matchmaking groundwork for you. The promise: It launched in London last Valentine's Day as a solution for those bored with endlessly swiping through strangers. Hinge gives you a limited set of potential matches each day and, unlike other Tinder alternatives, allows you time to consider each potential date based on their listed profile, rather than make a snap judgment based on one photo. How it works: The app pulls in your interests, work history, education, religion, and mutual friend lists from Facebook (Hinge also lets you edit these as you go!) and looks at who you like and dislike – it magically knows if you always dismiss short guys, or vegans, or people who like Coldplay. It then combines all this data to show you matches you’re most likely to be into, without forcing you to answer awkward questions or sell yourself in a GSOH small ad way.
tastebuds How much? FREE What? A social networking app that hooks you up with potential dates based on your music tastes and your iPod playlists. Great if you have an aversion to death metal and specifically want a guy who knows his house from his garage music. The promise: This app scans your iTunes library – with the option to link up to your other online music profiles, e.g. Spotify and Last.fm. How it works: Tastebuds then picks your ‘favourite’ artists and genres, and you can connect with people with similar tastes. You can send a song at the click of a button as a fun alternative to just saying hello. Much cooler than a poke, right? Wingme How much? FREE What? We all need a little dating help from our friends and this app allows your closest pals to vet any potential suitors before you take the plunge. The USP compared to other Tinder alternatives is that it relieves you of tiresome dating admin. The promise: Wingme insists that you can find better matches with the help of your friends, so this app enables you to chat with your wingmen or wingwomen about potential dates before you commit. How it works: Your pal can build an invisible profile to search for the perfect match for you, based on your pre-specified criteria. The ability to chat in-app makes the online search a seamless one, and your friend’s opinion easily accessible as you try to find the right date.
