Is Tinder Worth It? A Comprehensive Guide (2024)

Co-authored byTravis BoyllsReviewed byJohn Keegan

Last Updated: July 5, 2024Fact Checked

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1. It depends on what you are hoping to get out of Tinder. Tinder has a reputation as "the hookup app," as it focuses on casual dating and hooking up with other people rather than finding love. However, some people use Tinder to meet people when they are new to an area or when they are traveling. If this is what you are looking for, Tinder may be worth it for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for true love, Tinder may require more time and effort than it's worth.

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   Tinder is one of the largest dating apps. While Bumble has now surpassed Tinder in users, you'll still have more opportunities to find a match on Tinder than you would on less popular apps.^[1] This means that you have more options and more opportunities to find a match on Tinder. Tinder allows you to scroll through thousands of singles from your area. This is especially useful if you are new in town or if you are living in a rural area with fewer people around.

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   Tinder is easy to use. You don't have to go through a lengthy signup process to get started on Tinder. You just sign up for an account, upload a few good pictures, write a brief bio and you're ready to go. Finding matches on Tinder is also easy and straightforward. You are presented with one profile at a time, and you just need to swipe left or right.

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   Tinder is good for casual dating and hookups. If you're not looking for anything serious and just want to have some fun, Tinder can be a great way to find people who are also looking to have fun with no strings attached.

   EXPERT TIP

   

   John Keegan

   Dating Coach

   John Keegan is a Dating Coach and motivational speaker based in New York City. With over 10 years of professional experience, he runs The Awakened Lifestyle, where he uses his expertise in dating, attraction, and social dynamics to help people find love. He teaches and holds dating workshops internationally, from Los Angeles to London and from Rio de Janeiro to Prague. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Humans of New York, and Men's Health.

   

   John Keegan
   Dating Coach

   Make sure you're still clear about what you want in your bio, though. If you're only looking for casual encounters, keep your bio light and humorous. That way, potential matches know you're seeking something fun and laid-back, not a long-term commitment.

4. See Also

   Video explains why it's so hard for the average guy to find love on dating appsU.S. Tinder usage by gender 2020 | StatistaTinder is a waste of time for most people7 Steps for Men to Boost Their Tinder Game

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   Tinder can also help you make friends. Even if you're not looking for a relationship, Tinder can be a great way to meet people in your area, or to meet people who can show you around while traveling.

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   Many users say that using Tinder can boost their confidence. This is especially true if you are more conventionally attractive and you upload a really good profile image. When you first sign up for Tinder, your profile is boosted and you get more likes. Receiving likes and compliments can be a confidence booster for a lot of people. However, some users find that using Tinder has the opposite effect.

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   Tinder can be a lot of fun. For many users, scrolling through profiles and liking or disliking them can be a lot of fun. You may find yourself spending an inordinate amount of time on Tinder. Even if you don't find a relationship or hookup on Tinder, you may have some great experiences with other people.

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   Tinder is not the best option for finding long-term relationships. If you are looking for true love, you're probably not going to find it on Tinder. That's not to say that it's impossible, but the chances are pretty low. Tinder may be good for casual hookups, but finding a long-term commitment may be more trouble than it is worth. If you're looking for something serious, you might want to check out Hinge or Bumble.

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   Profiles can be shallow and repetitive. Because it doesn't take a lot of effort to create a Tinder profile, you will see a lot of profiles that are pretty basic. When you spend enough time looking at other people's profiles, you may start to notice the same patterns repeatedly.

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   Conversations can end quickly. Because Tinder offers so many options, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Especially when you are new. You may have a dozen or so conversations going on at once. It's easy to let some fall by the wayside. Some people don't even reply to their messages. It can take a lot to keep a conversation going on Tinder.

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   Tinder can be very competitive for men. Nearly 74% of all Tinder users are men.^[2] Couple this with the fact that women tend to be much more selective than men. On average, men swipe right on about 53% of the profiles they encounter, whereas women only swipe right on about 5% of the profiles they encounter.^[3] Together, this means that men tend to have a much tougher time on Tinder than women.

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   Ghosting is common on Tinder. "Ghosting" is the term for when someone you are communicating with suddenly disappears and ceases all communication with no explanation. They may go so far as to block you. It can happen on any social media platform or dating app, but it is especially common on Tinder. You may hook up with someone, only to have them completely disappear from your life afterward. It can happen while you are just chatting with this person or after you have hooked up. This can be devastating and confusing if you had an emotional attachment to that person.

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   It's easy for people to lie on Tinder. Because it's so easy for people to create a Tinder account, it's easy to create a fake account. Many people lie on their profiles for the purpose of scamming or deceiving other users. These people are often called "catfish." If you're going to use Tinder, learning how to spot scams and fake profiles is a good skill to learn. There's nothing worse than investing some time (and possibly some feelings) for someone only to find out they aren't who they say they are.

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   Meeting people on Tinder can be dangerous. Creepers and stalkers have been a problem with online dating for as long as it's been around. You may have heard a few horror stories yourself. When you meet someone in person, you really don't know if they are who they say they are. It's always best to arrange a few meetings in a public before hooking up in private. You may want to consider performing a background check on the person you are meeting.

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   Here's what you get with a subscription to Tinder Plus:^[4]

   • Unlimited Swipes: You can swipe right on as many profiles as you want, but the algorithm frowns if you swipe right on too many profiles.
   • Unlimited Rewinds: This allows you to take back the last Like or Pass you made. If you accidentally swiped left or right when you didn't mean to, you can go back and undo it.
   • Access to Passport: This allows you to change your location and chat with singles from any area.
   • No Ads: You can browse without seeing advertisem*nts.
   • Incognito Mode: This allows you to hide your profile. Tinder will only recommend your profile to other profiles that you have liked.
   • Control your age and distance: This allows you to limit the age and distance of people who see your profile.
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   Tinder Plus may be worth it if you want more control over who sees your profile, you travel a lot and want to chat with singles from other locations, and you want to browse without ads. If you don't mind ads, don't care who sees your profile, and don't travel, Tinder Plus might not be worth it.

   • It should also be noted that Tinder Plus does not guarantee you will receive more matches.

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wikiHow Quiz: Which Dating App Should I Use?

When it comes to dating apps, the problem is that most people are on the wrong platform. Looking for a thrilling fling? Then you probably shouldn’t be swiping through serious daters. Searching for your soulmate? That’s great—just be sure that your app is for hopeless romantics, not hookups. Take our quiz to find the perfect dating app for you!

Which answer best describes what you’re looking for right now?

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   Tinder Gold includes all of the same features as Tinder Plus, plus the following features:^[5]

   • 5 Super Likes per week: Super Likes are when you tap the blue star on someone's profile. The person will get a notification that their profile received a Super Like. Your profile will appear in their feed with a blue checkmark and blue star. If they swipe right on your profile, they will see the match was from a Super Like.
   • 1 free Boost per month: This will boost your profile for 30 minutes and prioritize your profile in the queue of other users.
   • See who likes you: When you open Tinder, you will get to see who has swiped right on your profile since you last opened the app. Then you can like or dislike as many profiles as you wish. You can also swipe right on multiple profiles that like you at once.
   • Access to Tinder Picks: You will get 4 to 10 profiles presented to you every day that have been curated by Tinder.
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   The biggest advantage to Tinder Gold is being able to see who has liked you before you swipe on their profiles. It's also helpful if you plan to travel. If you use Tinder a lot and you get a lot of matches, Tinder Gold may help you save some time and allow you to meet other people more quickly. Tinder Boost and Super Likes can help your profile get noticed, but it does not ensure that you will get more matches. Other than that, Tinder Gold probably isn't worth it for most people.

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   Tinder Platinum includes all the features of Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold, and includes the following additional features:

   • Send a message before you match: With Tinder Premium, you don't have to match with somebody before you can start chatting.^[6]
   • Priority Likes: Tinder prioritizes the Platinum members so that the people you like or Super Like will see your profile faster.
   • See Likes from the past 7 days: This feature lets you see all of the profiles you've liked over the past week—a feature that isn't available on other tiers.
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   Being able to send a message with your Super Likes can help break the ice and increase the chances you will receive a like. Prioritizing likes may help you be seen faster. However, if you don't have a good profile and you don't get a lot of matches, Tinder Gold and Tinder Platinum are not going to fix that for you. For most people, it's probably not worth it to upgrade to Tinder Platinum.

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