Swiping on a dating app is an addicting process. However, on the free plan, swiping right through profiles often comes to an immediate halt once you hit the limit.
In this article, were going to break down how each mobile dating app operates and how you can best use your free swipes to maximize your matching potential.
When dating apps first started, there was no limit on swipes. Users could go left and right for as long as they wanted to until they got tired or ran out of people in their area.
From there, they would be more apt to pay for a premium service, which would allow them to have unlimited swipes.
Each app is different in the sense of timing. Most mobile dating apps will often restrict your ability to swipe for free matches by 12-24 hours.
While the user is in the limbo stage of not swiping, a modal or a popup will often appear that entices the user to sign up for their premium service.
The sell is, if they sign up, they will get unlimited likes and can swipe as much as theyd like.
On Tinder, youre allowed anywhere from 25 likes before it restricts your swiping for 12 hours. Once the 12 hours are over, Tinder will give you another 25 likes. Tinder will not penalize you for swiping to the left for dislikes.
Once the right swipe maximum is hit, a screen then shows up that prompts you to pay for Tinder Gold or one of their premium services.
Other apps dont give you a timer, so you have no clue when you are allowed to get back swiping on the app.
Bumble will allow you 25 likes; then, youll be locked out for 24 hours. This seemed to be pretty standard, as theyre trying to push you right off the bat to buy their premium service.
Bumble allows anywhere from 25 right swipes before getting locked out and being forced to pay for their premium service.
Bumble used to be the front runner for dating apps as it had unlimited swipes, and users typically found quality matches on it.
On Hinge, the user gets anywhere between 8 free likes before theyre prompted to pay. The user is then forced to upgrade to their premium plan for unlimited likes. The likes will reset at 4 am each day.
If youre not looking to pay for unlimited likes, youll have to wait at least until 4 am before youre able to get eight more free likes.
Hinges motto is that they want you to delete their app, meaning theyre trying to help you find love so you can get off of it.
This often brings quality candidates to the app experience, so 6-8 may seem low, but they may also be better quality matches.
The closest thing weve seen ( and its since been patched up) is by Bumble, where they had the user on a total swipe limit for a short time it seems as if theyve gone away from that.
If the user isnt happy with the profile on their face, mobile dating apps dont typically penalize them by blocking their swiping.
The goal is for the user to see enough pretty girls and handsome guys stay on the platform for as long as possible.
They are under heavy pressure to keep investors happy; theyre consistently finding ways to get money out of the users pocket.
Swiping for free and for an extended period is a thing of the past. Users now get on average 50-75 likes on swiping platforms to get the user addicted to the process.
Mobile dating app companies are brilliant in user behavior and know the exact trigger when locking you out and asking for your credit card.
If youre serious about dating, we recommend paying at least a month to see if you like it and if its worth it.