Zoosk vs Bumble: Which is a Better Dating Platform?
by John Santana
Once you start looking into dating apps, big names like Zoosk and Bumble will come across the search. But are these big names synonyms for premium quality?
Knowing which dating app will work best for you is a skill we have mastered. We know the trick. You don’t have to handle the hard part alone.
Just read this comparison and it’s easy to see which is the right app to meet your prince/princess.
Zoosk vs. Bumble At a Glance
Zoosk Advantages:
- Balanced gender ratio
- Special features to enhance your social skills
- Smart system that generates matches based on your behaviors
Zoosk Disadvantages:
- Less flexible pricing scheme
Bumble Advantages:
- 100 million users around the world
- Ideal for more serious relationships
- Flexible membership plans
Bumble Disadvantages:
- Restrictive matching regulations that hinder the success rate
- Male members can only wait on the cold bench for someone to message them
Editor’s choice: Zoosk
From the pros and cons above, you are probably weighing up which ones matter the most to you. If that already satisfies your curiosity and you just want to get to the bottom of it, here is the answer you seek.
We believe Zoosk to be the better dating app here for several reasons. Anyone can initiate a request. It does not limit members’ mobility. Letting women initiate exclusively is not a sustainable move as some might not feel comfortable doing that.
Its features aim to bump your confidence in presenting yourself, which is a good lesson to take. Its unique behavioral matching system adapts to users’ matching history to generate similar results in the future.
That said, Bumble is not half bad. It is still a strong competitor with lots to offer. If you are in the market for promising matchmaking services, on top of Zoosk, have a go for Adult FriendFinder, Ashley Madison, and Bang Locals.
Zoosk And Bumble Overview
Founded in 2007, Zoosk currently serves in more than 80 countries, available in 25 languages. The fast profile creation on Zoosk is a big attraction for users looking for a quick date. There are continuously new features being introduced to the app each year, attracting more people to join the mix with diverse backgrounds.
Bumble was created by a former Tinder VP in 2014. Labeled as the “feminist dating app,” it provides protection to women against online sexual harassment and discrimination by granting the sole authority to women. Unsurprisingly, Bumble and Tinder share a strikingly similar outlook with the same swiping feature. Previous Tinder users will have no issues adapting to Bumble.
What Is The Difference Between Zoosk And Bumble?
Members
Zoosk and Bumble are quite similar in their audience. As of now, there are nearly 30 million users on Zoosk against the 100 million signups on Bumble. In essence, you have a higher chance of meeting more dates on Bumble based on the number.
Both dating apps operate internationally but most members are based in North America. The next similar thing about the two is that they share roughly the same demographics. Young people tend to enjoy Zoosk and Bumble because of the easygoing vibe.
Members are mostly under the age of 35 with some exceptions. While the outliers may not have a smooth dating experience as others, they are still very much included in the mix.
One thing that sets the two apart is their gender ratios. Zoosk is showing a relatively even split between men and women whereas, Bumble is heavily female-centric. Having a higher female percentage is not necessarily a good phenomenon. There could be issues for men competing in a sea of competent men.
Verdict: Despite having three times the member base, Zoosk still outperforms Bumble thanks to its balanced gender ratio, which is essential in creating a fair dating scene. Bumble may be too fixated on creating a female-led environment that it forgets it takes two to tango. Giving the sole power to one party does not foster a loving community.
Dating Style
Zoosk and Bumble are rather neutral in the dating spectrum. They are not going out of their feet to tie the knot for members but do not encourage hookup marathons either. Both platforms are networking tools for people to meet. How the development goes is completely out of their scope of business.
Therefore, you can expect to find all kinds of relationships there with Bumble slightly tilted towards the serious romance type. Due to Bumble’s female-led dating style, there are more serious relationships brewing from it than on Zoosk, though the difference is not significant enough to separate the two.
Perhaps it is easier to secure several dates within a short time on Zoosk than on Bumble as you do not have to wait for others to initiate. There are plenty of people looking for an FWB on both apps. But that does not take away their ability to find you a soulmate. They share a high success rate in helping members connect with their perfect husband/wife.
The good thing is that neither Zoosk nor Bumble feels trashy. Usually, casual dating apps are filled with creeps looking to get laid in the trashiest way. But, both of these apps maintain a high quality throughout.
Besides, members are genuine. Whatever they are looking for, they will make it clear on their profiles. The chances of falling in love with a cheater are not high. This is due to both sites’ transparent policies, making anonymous dating difficult. Cheaters will not touch these apps as the risk is too high for them.
Verdict: Both apps share similar backgrounds but Bumble overpowers Zoosk slightly. You have an equally high chance of finding an FWB on both apps but you will likely find your meant-to-be lover on Bumble. There are more serious daters on Bumble and members are open to the idea of marriages.
Matching And Messaging
Zoosk has an excellent learning system for each user that learns of your preferences and matching habit. For example, if you tend to click on outdoorsy profiles, the system knows to prioritize these people on your next search results.
This feature is extremely beneficial in saving users’ time. After all, even if you put in 30 advanced filters, given Zoosk’s size, there could still be 100,000 matches in your area. It is not possible to let those filters determine your best matches.
Hence, enlisting the help of the smart system is a brilliant method. Furthermore, it reduces the time required to sign up as you are not obliged to fill out a lengthy questionnaire when you first sign up.
Bumble relies on the traditional dating method to extract possible matches from its member pool. You can apply multiple filters to narrow down the suitable range. Its advanced filters include Zodiac signs, exercise habits, education level, smoker/drinker, height, and more. They suffice to eliminate unfit profiles.
As for messaging, again, both apps share a similar messaging system. Members can send videos, conduct live chats, and put some matches into different folders for better organization.
They provide a comprehensive messaging channel for people to stay on the platform. There is no need for anyone to take it off the app to build a relationship, which in turn minimizes the risk of having scammers on it.
However, there is a huge limitation on Bumble. Once a girl hits like on your profile and initiates a chat, you only have 24 hours to reply. After that, the request expires and you are no longer able to connect with her.
This measure greatly prevents like-minded people from connecting. Most people are not active on dating apps daily. If you skip a day, perhaps you will miss the love of your life on Bumble.
Verdict: Another win for Zoosk. Given their equally awesome messaging channels, the thoughtful matching system divides the two. Zoosk’s effective process to generate profiles is a big plus for those wanting a more compatible match without answering 200 questions for a personality test.
Moreover, the restrictive messaging regulations on Bumble mean you are running against time to reply to everyone. It is incredibly stressful. It is questionable whether this rule is boosting the success rate or simply turning a happy dating app into fierce competition.
Features
On Zoosk, its features act to strengthen your social skills. They teach members some crucial pickup skills that will enhance their chances. You are given some prompts that the system thinks would best generate a positive response. These prompts are here after the platform has analyzed millions of messages.
In addition, Zoosk regularly gives you a breakdown of your profile, highlighting the personality types that you best click with and what kind of people check out your profiles the most. Knowing how others react to your profile helps you strategize. You can rearrange your priorities and preferences accordingly to score better dates.
Everyone on Zoosk is romance-centric. Although it is not branding itself as a serious dating app, its features do suggest commitments. Members can find compatible dates with these special features.
In comparison, features of Bumble seem to be helping users rectify mistakes only. They allow users to extend the 24-hour limit by another 24 hours, undo a swipe, rematch with expired profiles, etc. These features are not enhancing anyone’s social skills but undoing the strict rules that should not have existed in the first place.
There are other premium features that pin your profile to the top of each search and give you extra visibility. But these features are quite standard so they hardly stand out.
Verdict: Zoosk proudly wins this round with its caring features to increase users’ social skills. That is something that will not only benefit members on the platform but also in their daily lives.
Compared to Zoosk, Bumble’s special features are more or less created to pinch more pennies from users. All its features are practically highlighting the fault in the system. And members are expected to pay more to clear the mistakes. It is a pretty sneaky move for Bumble to require users to buy their freedom by initially restricting it.
Pricing
The premium membership plans start at $30 on Zoosk. Users can choose a six-month or one-year membership plan to lower the cost. It gets to as low as $10 per month for the longest commitment.
On Bumble, there are various options for those unsure about it. You can choose a day trial for $4 or extend it to a week for $14. Since you can get a full month for only $20, it is probably more economical to do so. Then, you can get the six-month or one-year plans that cost $17 per month on average.
Note that members can buy out Bumble for life for only $150. This could be a very tempting choice for those determined about it. With the lifetime premium plans, you can enjoy all the features on the app, plus the new ones introduced after you join.
Verdict: The pricing scheme on both apps is acceptable, but Bumble’s flexibility is unmatched. Having the option to join for as few days as you want or buy out the entire membership is good news for users. You are not tied to any commitments as you can craft the best plan for yourself.
Pricing-wise, being able to buy lifetime access to a dating app like Bumble is a very good deal. For some luxurious dating sites, $150 is merely three months’ worth of membership fees.
Summary
Comparing two powerful dating apps is hard. They are both outstanding matchmaking service providers with millions of members around the world. Still, Zoosk has proven to outperform Bumble in almost every category with various merits. It caters to a wider range of audiences with more fun features to explore.
There is no hard in signing up for both to see which one speaks to you the most. In addition, if you are still looking for more options, take a look at Adult FriendFinder, Ashley Madison, and Bang Locals to expand your circle!
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