Hinge vs. Bumble: Which Dating App Is Right for You?

These days the dating app market is getting crowded because online dating is more popular than ever.

But with so many dating apps to choose from, it can be difficult to know which online dating app is best — or at least the best dating app one for you.

Hinge and Bumble are two of the most popular dating apps on the market and for good reason. Each one allows you to make a free account, and both Bumble and Hinge have features that make them stand out from other dating apps.

How does Hinge work?

Hinge is serious about standing out in the dating market. Rather than endless swiping, Hinge is designed so that users will put more thought into their choices. You're only given 10 "likes" a day, so you need to make them count.

But here's where it gets interesting. On Hinge, a "like" isn't just an up or down vote. Instead, you can like one of the elements on someone's dating profile, such as one of their pictures or one of their Hinge prompt answers.

Even better, your "like" can come with a comment or note the person will see. This is essentially a chance to send a message before there's been a match.

How does Bumble work?

Bumble's mechanics are similar to Tinder. You swipe through profiles, right for the ones you like, and left for the ones you don't. Like Hinge, Bumble still puts a limit on daily "likes," if you're a free user but their limit is 10 times higher.

Where Bumble is different from Tinder and Hinge is once there's been a match, or mutual like, only women can send the first message. Not only that but there's a 24-hour countdown. If she doesn't message within that timeframe, the match expires.

It's this feature that sometimes gets Bumble labeled a feminist dating app, though the Bumble founder explains it as a way to keep women from receiving too many unwanted messages.

In addition to finding dates, Bumble has modes for finding friends and for business networking.

Which is better, Hinge or Bumble?

Hinge and Bumble each have their pros and cons.

Bumble has been around longer, so in many areas, it has more users. This can be a deciding factor if you live outside of a big city. Dating apps aren't very useful if there aren't enough other users to meet. However, Hinge is quickly growing in popularity and may catch up to Bumble before long.

Meanwhile, Hinge works by providing prompts for you to answer instead of a generic bio. If you're good with words, Hinge's prompts are a chance to stand out and show your strengths. Not only that, but sending a note along with your "like" of a user's photo or prompt answer is another chance to use your words to win more dates.

Which app is better for hookups?

Tinder is still the king when it comes to hookup apps, but between Bumble and Hinge, Bumble - and its Speed Dating feature - wins for more casual dates. And unlike Tinder, Bumble allows you to set a filter for "casual" so you can find potential matches who are looking for the same thing.

Which app is better for serious relationships?

Hinge's marketing campaign centers on the idea of finding users a long term relationship, and this attitude shows in the way the app is used.

While not everyone on Hinge is looking for a serious relationship, the structure of the profiles allow more flexibility for finding your perfect match.

Matching and messaging

Hinge is the innovative player. It was actually the right move! Users loved it. Now you are really incentivized to add a message.

That's great if you have some game or witty line to use.

It also helps a lot to have an interesting conversation.

Bumble however fights back. If girls have to engage in the conversation, they often do not know what to say. A classic.

The app therefore helps by proposing little questions to use. Girls seem to love it!

You can't see the answer of the other party before you have answered yourself.

My advice: think outside of the box. Emotional impact is always a good choice!

Ease of use and design

Both apps follow the same basic format you'd find in any other dating app. When you sign up, you're walked through the process of setting up your profile by adding photos and either writing a bio or answering Hinge's prompts.

When it comes to searching for matches, the user experience is also fairly similar, we consider Hinge better than Bumble. Because of the mix of photos and prompts, each profile you land on gives you a bit more to look at, as well as more ways to engage — by liking a specific photo or answer, and even leaving a comment if you're inspired.

This can make for a more interesting swipe experience than Bumble's simple right or left approach. In that way it can feel a bit more like scrolling through an Instagram account.

Both apps also offer premium features and upgrades that you can pay for. A month of preferred membership with Hinge costs $9.99 while a month of Bumble Boost costs $24.99.

Conclusion

In the showdown of Hinge vs Bumble, the final verdict is... up to you.

There's no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to online dating. The right dating app for you is the one that plays to your strengths, and the one where you find yourself getting more matches.

It's worth giving each dating platform a chance and tracking not just the number of matches that you get, but the match quality. After all the true test of success might be whether you get to a second date.