Nobody I know in person has an opinion on actual dating apps that aren't just for hookups, so here we are. If you're evaluating actual dating apps, start with how the interface holds up on mobile once you are past sign-up — everything else follows.
What I keep running into with actual dating apps is that the answers split by city and by year, so recent replies matter more than thorough ones. For actual dating apps, what happens after you block someone after the first week is the difference between useful and a waste of an evening.
The rough checklist I use for actual dating apps after a few false starts:
- Time what share of the layout is advertising on mobile data, not office wifi
- Check how long it takes before the first upgrade prompt lands on the first evening, not the first month
- Compare whether last-active timestamps look plausible in your own city rather than the default radius
- Compare how the web version differs from the app with the age filter set narrow
Anyone with recent time on actual dating apps, what should I check first? Recent wins and recent regrets all equally useful. Specific details are the only thing I can act on.