Hinge vs Bumble: Pros, Cons & Featured Compared
by John Santana
It is not the first time you have come across falsely advertised online dating apps. Every matchmaking agency claims to be the best but few live up to the expectations. As two big names in the industry, Hinge and Bumble see millions of matches every day.
Both apps seem to offer exceptional features to find you everything you have ever dreamt about. So, which one suits you best?
Take a look at this detailed comparison between the two leading giants to see which one is the stronger dating app.
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Hinge Vs. Bumble At a Glance
Hinge Advantages:
- Specific advanced filters including ethnicity and education
- Very affordable pricing
- Member profiles are more diverse
- Features are made with users’ needs in mind
Hinge Disadvantages:
- Affair-seekers may hide their identity with the incognito mode
- Bio/profile description is not available so all matches are based on physical attraction. Not ideal for serious daters
Bumble Advantages:
- Female-oriented to protect women from sexual harassment
- Profiles are built to attract possible long-term partners
- Flexible subscription model
Bumble Disadvantages:
- Huge limitations on matching and messaging for men
- More expensive price tags
- Special features only further hinder male members’ mobility in finding dates
Winner: Saving your time for actual matching instead? Here is the conclusion in case you just can’t wait. Whether you choose Hinge or Bumble, or both, you will not be disappointed. These two are some of the higher-quality online dating apps out there with their respective pros and cons.
Based on our analysis, Hinge is the sensible choice because it is a mutual ground for both genders with lots of fun features to explore. Bumble’s strict approach leads to a lower activity level on the platform. Shy women and eager men will not have their dating needs satisfied there.
If you are unsure about both Hinge and Bumble, there are other options available as well. These names may be the most well-known but they may not fit your dating style. There are other incredibly popular dating platforms with millions of active members and affordable pricing, including Adult FriendFinder, Ashley Madison, and Bang Locals.
What Is The Difference Between Hinge And Bumble?
User Group
Currently, there are about 13.5 million active users on Hinge and 12.5 million on Bumble. Among them, 50% of members are females on Hinge and 59% on Bumble. Upon the first look, the ratios are healthy and give a fair ground for both genders to find dates.
With less than 2% of members over the age of 50 on both dating apps, users on both Hinge and Bumble are usually young working professionals between the age of 24 to 35. College students are also a big component of the member base.
Hinge may give off a more casual vibe as both genders can initiate chats. It is a less restrictive dating app compared to Bumble. On Bumble, only women can start the first message, granting absolute power to female members.
Since Bumble is very female-oriented, the female-to-male ratio is much higher than on Hinge. Bumble is considered to be a prestige dating app for women to safely find serious relationships. While both apps advocate mature dating, Hinge is visibly more casual with lots of men using it to find hookups.
Perhaps the illusion of having a protected community makes women more susceptible to dating scams, Hinge has seen a surge in women being involved with cheaters.
On the other hand, women on Bumble are usually opinionated and independent. As the platform requires them to make the first move, they have to be bold about their wants. Depending on the personality and age, not all women prefer to initiate first. Hence, shy women are unlikely to go on Bumble. At the same time, men on the app can only reply to messages, most of them are only passively using the app without investing too much.
Verdict: It is a tie in this category as both platforms focus on serving different customers. Although Bumble has every intention to make the app a safe place for women, its limitations mean it only attracts certain types of women and men. Some women are reluctant to sign up because they do not prefer to send the first message while men feel they have no control over their dates.
Therefore, Hinge offers a more diverse dating scene where matching is a two-way street. On the other hand, Bumble provides a more secure place for members as cheaters can use Hinge to lure in their victims.
Profiles
Profile description is not available on Hinge. Users can display a motto that best describes themselves as a self-introduction and the rest is basic personal information. On Bumble, you can have a bio like on most other dating apps. The bio can be about your greatest strengths, relationship goals, and career achievements.
With the option to present yourself, Bumble creates a more holistic look for each user. Hinge focuses on physical attraction as you cannot tell much from a brief glimpse.
Furthermore, Bumble bans the presence of topless non-beach photos, which is a tactic used by many to bag dates home. There are no restrictions on photos on Hinge except for nudity. It is clear that Bumble wants to create a sophisticated vibe for the platform.
Verdict: In the absence of bio alone, Hinge loses this round. Not having an introduction section is a big disadvantage. Users cannot filter out undesirable profiles based on the bio. They can only judge the match by the photos, which hardly translates to true love. Bumble’s detailed bio section lets users present themselves better. Members can perform a pre-screening before messaging the profile.
Features
Winning the throne of “best dating app” highly comes down to the dating features. In terms of searching and filtering, Hinge offers more options. It allows users to filter profiles by ethnicity and other specific requirements that Bumble fails to offer.
Searching profiles by ethnicity is a popular filter that most dating apps mysteriously omit. Most people prefer to date someone of similar background or have a cultural tie to certain ethnic groups. It is common for daters to seek profiles with specific requirements.
Both apps have the “incognito mode.” Its aim is to protect privacy but it also acts as a way for cheaters to go on dating apps unnoticed. Incognito mode essentially allows users to conceal their profiles publicly and only appear to members that they “like.”
This hides their profiles from everyone else. For cheaters, this is the best opportunity to hunt for prey since they can discretely match with others by hiding their profiles from those that know them personally. Backlash on this feature is frequent as users criticize the apps for condoning cheaters and scammers to exploit this feature.
As for other features, Bumble requires men to reply to messages within 24 hours before the request expires. If you do not reply before the deadline, you lose a date.
It aims to sweep outdated matches so users can allocate their time to serious daters. However, the 24-hour limit is harsh, considering how many on the app are working professionals that do not always have time to go online every day.
On Hinge, members can keep track of all their matches and conversations as they are categorized systematically. You can strike up a conversation with an old date that did not work out to give it a second chance. It is quite forgiving in allowing users to go back and swipe of previously rejected profiles as well.
Verdict: In this category, Bumble has once again shown its rigidness in limiting members’ freedom by heavily imposing rules that hinder free dating. Hinge wins this section with its thoughtful features to push for better-quality dates.
Bumble does not seem to be offering many features but only restrictions to create an almost-hostile environment for men to compete in. Despite that, both apps’ “incognito mode” may be a safety threat for members and the platforms should address that.
Pricing
Hinge and Bumble are pleasantly generous with their free membership plans. Users can enjoy a fairly decent range of features without having to upgrade their membership. On Hinge, free members can message matches and conduct searches with limited filters.
You can give 10 likes per day with a free rose every Sunday for your special match. The only thing you need to do as a free member is to add six photos to unlock these features.
Premium search filters such as ethnicity and education are not accessible to free members. You have to upgrade your plan for other special features like the incognito mode and “dealbreaker.” A one-month membership plan is $13, which is a good deal for an app this size. The pricing is competitive and not aggressive at all. The three-month and six-month membership plans cost $7 and $5 per month respectively.
For an app with Hinge’s member base and features, its low pricing scheme is alluring, especially to the younger audience with a limited budget for online dating. Its success is hugely due to its careful pricing strategy.
For Bumble, you can buy out the membership for a lifetime at $150. Surprisingly, this price tag is not vulgar as you will find dating apps charging you this rate monthly.
If going all in sounds too risky, you can always opt for the day-trial or week-trial at $4 and $14. To secure a one-month membership plan will cost $19 whereas the three-month and six-month premium plans cost $20 and $16.7 per month.
With Bumble, users have the option to take it at their own pace with its flexible subscription model. However, when you look at the pricing, this feminine app is on the pricier side. It is triple the amount you will pay on Hinge for the same subscription duration.
Verdict: This is a well-deserved win for Hinge. Its unbeatable price points make it a desirable choice for young working adults and those that want to get a taste of the online dating world. When you get a fair offer like this, it is hard for users to look elsewhere. Although Bumble’s pricing strategy is not outrageous, it is slightly expensive for the young demographics.
Should You Choose Hinge Or Bumble?
The differences between Hinge and Bumble project your potential experiences with them. Neither app is for the mature group so if you are over 35, you may want to opt for other dating platforms like Adult FriendFinder or Ashley Madison.
Hinge works much better for timid women that only want to be chatted up. For women without the courage or patience to initiate conversations, Bumble is a boring place. But for women with a stern approach to avoiding sexual harassment and taking matters into their own hands, Bumble makes each lady the queen in deciding her dating life.
For men, Bumble will only work if you are taking it casually as if you are waiting to win the lottery. You will never know when you will get a new match. It suits people taking a chill attitude toward online dating.
People’s intentions tend to be more genuine on Bumble if you are absolutely fearful of meeting an affair-seeker. On Hinge, all genders are treated as equal, giving men the same freedom in locking in the best match.
Conclusion
Overall, Hinge is a more well-made dating app. Users will find what they are looking for with the extensive search filters and simple messaging system. Bumble may want to review its policies to get more men and women to join the community to bump up the engagement rate.
As a final note, it is essential to compare your needs as each dating platform serves different purposes and goals. It is perfectly fine if neither option fits you. Don’t limit yourself to only Hinge and Bumble just because you have only heard of them.
There is plenty of fish in the pool. Switch things up a little and get your hands on Adult FriendFinder, Ashley Madison, and Bang Locals to give yourself a fresh new look at online dating.
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