Easy to Use
Despite its lengthy sign-up process, the Hinge app is still easy to use once you’ve become accustomed to its features. It’s simple and hassle-free, with all features accessible via the app’s primary interface. You’ll see four tabs at the bottom, with numbers in bubbles that inform you of your most recent notifications. The Hinge app is clean and aesthetically pleasing, using bright colors and fun illustrations. Special features include ‘Who liked me?’ which lets you see who has sent you like, and ‘We met,’ which allows you to tell the Hinge team about your date with a match. The matching system is easy to understand, with Hinge showing you the profiles of your matches vertically rather than requiring you to swipe. You can either send a like or tap ‘x’ to move on to the next profile. If you send someone a like and they send one back, that’s a match, and you can then start messaging each other.
Search Functions
You’re probably wondering how to search on Hinge. Well, once your profile has been set up, you can search mobile and start interacting with your matches right away. Unlike competitor apps like Tinder which require users to swipe, Hinge shows profiles vertically – much like the Facebook newsfeed. This is a nice touch, with most members being familiar with this layout. Knowing how to use the Hinge search is very straightforward once you’ve used the app a few times.
What’s great is that liking photos and sending comments is free to all members, and you can search profiles of everyone who’s liked you too. The process of letting someone know you like them isn’t as straightforward as some other apps, as once you’ve decided you’d like to connect, you then need to either comment on one of their photos or respond to one of the profile answers to get matched with them. When you add a comment or a like, you can start a conversation with them. The key point here is that you can only contact mutual matches. So, if the person you sent a ‘like’ to sent you a ‘like’ back, Hinge will let you know that you like each other. Hinge’s matching system is different from other dating apps; however, it’s easy to understand once you’ve been using the service a while. It also makes serious relationships much more likely, which is the ultimate aim of the app.
Sending messages to members on Hinge is completely free, and what’s more, is that there’s no daily limit. However, the downside is that you can only message mutual matches. Once you’ve been successfully matched with another user, you can begin chatting via the messaging tab. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to send photos or videos via Hinge – just text messages.
Safety & Security
The team at Hinge takes the dating safety and security of its members seriously, which is why SMS verification is required during the sign-up stage. People are only able to use the app once they’ve created an account. Whilst Hinge has very few fake profiles (largely due to the lengthy sign-up process!), it’s still important to be vigilant just as you would on any other dating app. If you come across members who are abusive, you can block and report them to the team. Simply tap the three dots in the right corner of the user’s profile and then click ‘Report.’ Reporting them will instantly block their profile, meaning they won’t be able to contact you again. There aren’t any FAQs for members to read; however, Hinge customer service is generally pretty good. You can easily contact the team via email if you have any problems or concerns, and they’ll respond quickly.
Summary
Hinge is fast becoming one of the top dating apps for singles seeking long-term relationships and with good reason. Easy to use, and with a slick interface, it allows users to take a no-nonsense approach to find love. If you’re tired of swiping aimlessly on other apps and want to take a more serious shot at love, Hinge may be for you.