By Mary Peter
My virtual dating experience so far:
First five:
In today’s generation, both social media and the internet generally play a huge part in our social lives, particularly during the lockdown period. As well as helping us keep in touch with existing friends and family, it has also become a common way for us to meet new potential partners. We’re definitely not short of options for dating websites and apps, with there being over 1,500 sites in the UK alone, so it can be slightly daunting when figuring out where to even start creating your dating profiles. I’ve put together my top five dating apps for you to try, either for the first time or even getting back into the dating game.
- FoodateX
One of the most recent apps that really stood out to me is FoodateX. Launched in 2020, this app is still fairly new to the dating market however comes with the USP I’ve been waiting for. This dating app has been specifically designed to match people according to their food preferences. The few most awkward things I personally find on a first date is deciding what to do, where to eat and the expectation of who’s paying, so what I love about this app is that it almost gives you one thing in common with the other person before you’ve even had the chance to have that initial conversation. I’m a real foodie and I feel like the first date is always much more relaxed if both people are comfortable in their environment and enjoying their food if you decide to go for a bite to eat. What stood out to me most about this app is the option to “split the bill” before you head out on your date, so there wasn’t even a question when it came to paying the bill. I haven’t yet seen an app that matches people according to the food they enjoy eating, and getting all this for only £1 a month, this app definitely gets a high rating from me. It is clear that the app is under some development as it is still fairly new, so I’m excited to see what the final product brings but the overall concept gets a big thumbs up from me.
Rating: 5/5
- Happn
Happn has been around for about six years now, with the aim to match you to people you may have crossed paths with. On the face of it, this seemed like a really clever concept – imagine seeing the love of your life but not having the opportunity to introduce yourself properly, yet this app could reconnect you to them? The reality however, was very different. The problem I found with the app was that it almost overloaded you with people, making it seem even more impossible to find who you’re looking for in the first place. Then it was a question of how safe is the app to actually use? The idea that people could see where they have crossed paths with me on a map as well as how many times I had been in their vicinity made me feel slightly wary in case I was matched in places I regularly visit but the match didn’t actually work out too well.
Rating: 3/5
- Tastebuds
Tastebuds was first launched in 2010, with the concept of matching people according to their music preference. For music lovers, I can see this being an extremely good app to find both friends and potential partners with the same music interests. However for me personally, it wasn’t enough to build a good foundation for a date because I feel like that’s more of a question I could ask the person, rather than meeting them purely on the basis of it. The reality for me was that the differences in music taste doesn’t necessarily turn me off meeting a person.
Rating: 2/5
- Raya
So I’ll be honest, I fell into the trap of curiosity with this one. Raya, known as the “celebrity dating app” was launched in 2015, which to even be able to join in the first place, you must be invited by two friends and then have your profile approved via your social media. This app costs £23.99 a month and you are only able to access up to 25 profiles at any one time. The real issue I found is that I ended up liking people from other countries rather than where I actually was so this app made very little sense for me to use, as flying out to LA to meet for a first date seemed like quite the stretch. There seemed to be this “exclusivity based on privilege” culture about Raya, where you’ll find you’re swiping across displays of wealth rather than actual people? I guess it works for some, but for me personally, there’s got to be more than just the watch on your wrist.
Rating: 2/5
- Hinge
And finally, Hinge. This app suggests it is designed purely for relationships and not “one-night stands” or hook-ups. The questions and information required in your profile allows you to put across your personality much more in comparison to other dating sites, which was great for higher quality matches. However the flip side to this is it could be one of the more time-consuming apps when it comes to actually matching with people. The app seemed like a more controlled version of Tinder but the major turn off for many people including myself was the “racial preference” filter – a BIG no no!
Rating: 3/5