How To Build a Dating App Similar to Tinder: Features, Cost and Process

There's no turning back from online dating. Apps for dating have exploded in popularity in recent years. The global pandemic has influenced the growth and evolution of dating as much as any other unlikely domain. There are a lot of dating apps out there now, like Tinder, Bumble, Badoo, HER, Hinge, DateMyAge, Feeld, and Plenty of Fish.

It's no secret that online dating portals are trying to kill Tinder and Bumble's market share. Here's a comprehensive guide to dating app development if you're interested in making your own app like Bumble or Tinder.

Now let's get started!

Tinder

Founded in 2013, Tinder revolutionized online dating with a swipe-based system. Instead of going through thousands of profiles, users are allowed to pick someone they like based on a few photos. In emerging markets like China and South East Asia, casual dating apps are far more popular than long-term dating services.

Here are some stats and data about dating apps. Check it out below. Statistics about dating apps:

• Around 20 million people pay for premium features on dating apps around the world
• The most downloaded app in 2021 was Tinder, followed by Bumble
• Dating app Tinder is king in the US, while Badoo is king in Europe
• Revenues from dating apps have been going up every year since 2015, reaching $5.61 billion in 2021.

If you're wondering if it's worthwhile to make a dating app, check out this image.

The global dating app revenue growth from 2015 to 2021 ($bn)

Why Does Tinder Have Such a High Number of Users?

It's not enough for a dating app to just match, it should have other features as well. Login With Social Media

Users should be able to sign up using their social media accounts, like Google, Twitter, Facebook, etc., in addition to registering their mobile numbers.

User Profile

Dating apps should synchronize data from users' social profiles with their basic profile.

Private Messaging

Users can find potential partners fairly easily by communicating privately with the matches.

Swipe

If you want, you can swipe left and right on the suggested profiles too.

Using Geolocation

Users can narrow their search by setting the location where they want to meet people.

Authentication System

In order to keep the app's users safe, security verification features should be strict so as not to attract criminals.

Video Call

Adding live chat to a dating app makes sense since it helps two people match and communicate.

Enhanced In-App Search

Choosing a partner is an individual choice. Some prefer dating partners or friends who hang out, while others seek serious relationships. Age, gender, religion, cast, and astrological sign might also influence a person's choice. Filters help narrow their search by providing advanced search options.

Protecting Data

Since a dating app will have the user's personal data, high security and transparency are highly recommended.

Real-Time Notifications & Alerts

Adding real-time notifications and alerts is essential whether you want to run a promotion on the dating app or match a user offline.

Profile Recommendation

In order to increase the chances of finding the ideal match, the dating app should suggest compatibility profiles based on the common interests of users.

Privacy Settings

Regardless of their reasons, users should be able to block or report the profiles of other users on a dating app.

What Can You Do to Make Your Dating App More Interesting?

The following features can boost user engagement in your dating app and help you build a dating app that people will love:

The ice breaker: It is not guaranteed that users will initiate the first conversation even after a match is made. A good icebreaker can help here. To boost engagement and retention on your dating app, you will want to use trivia questions and quick conversations to get them talking.

In-app games: You can get creative here because in-app games aren't often listed on dating site features lists. If some of your ideas work, you can roll them out to your entire user base.   Chatbot powered by artificial intelligence: Your app would be unique from others if it offered AI-based chatbots. You will also be able to help your users build relationships. In an automated chat, a chatbot would suggest a few ways to begin a conversation. Additionally, it could provide suggestions for how to respond to a particular message.

Meetups and events: This feature can help people discover nearby events matching their interests with your dating app. Similar interests can bring people together and take their relationship to the next level.

Check profile performance: Each user should check their profile before clicking "Send Friend Request." Providing your users with a profile performance checker in your app will help them to build a profile that will lead them to finding the partner of their dreams.

A lookalike search tool: The use of AI's facial recognition technology can help people find partners who resemble their ideal partners. The app lets users upload a photo of a celebrity, public figure, or even their ex. This is an innovative feature for a dating app.

Swipe reversing: Swiping left instead of right can cause users to miss matching possibilities. With swipe undo, users can change their swipes.

Emergency button: In case of an unsafe date, users can hit the panic button and alert the app administrator who will look into the issue and call the authorities. Users feel safer when using the application with this extra layer of safety.

The Top Dating Apps That People Love

• Bumble

Women can take the lead with Bumble, one of the best dating apps for encouraging them to initiate contact. Users can find dates or make new friends using the app, with women having the power to connect. For people looking for friendship instead of dates, Bumble has a BFF feature. It also has a business contact section.

• OkCupid

With a huge user base and simple dating tools, OkCupid is one of the most popular dating sites. While other dating apps rest on their laurels, OKC never does. It continues to refine and add features, including a "Flavors" feature that lets users see evocative flavors, like Kinky Nerds, Beard Lovers and World Travelers. All this is in addition to OkCupid's free and premium features.

• Hinge

Dating app Hinge opts not to follow apps like Tinder, which focus on swipe-driven relationships. The company scorns swipes for a more detailed profile filled with photos and stories. A mutual conversation can be started by liking and commenting on something on that profile.

• Match.com

It offers users a freemium dating experience on Android and iOS. Users can set up free profiles, upload a few pictures, flirt online and receive new matches on a daily basis. With a Match.com subscription, users can see who has looked at their profiles and liked their photos.

• Grindr

Grindr brings gay and bisexual men together. It's a fairly simplistic process, with a photo, user name, and a few questions, and then you're up and running, chatting up other users in no time.

• Her

This app is designed especially for lesbians, bisexuals, and queer people. Her lets you view activity from verified users both local and global using Facebook and Instagram accounts. By liking other users' photos, the app will connect you for a chat if the interest is mutual.

What Technology Stack Should You Use to Make a Dating App?

What's the best way to make a dating app on a budget? Here we will examine the technology necessary for building a dating application. You can choose the technology stack based on your needs. It basically comes down to native or cross-platform.

Native app development for dating apps: Android and iOS native apps require different tech stacks. The iOS app development process uses Swift, a general-purpose, compiled programming language developed by Apple. It is a fast-growing technology that is error-free, open source, and fast. An iOS developer may also use Objective-C, which is a well-tested and stable programming language.

Kotlin, a type-inferable language, is needed for Android development. The language is known for its intuitive syntax and Java compatibility. Android has long been a popular platform for Java, a language with a large community and a wide range of modules, libraries, and tools.

Cross-platform development for dating apps: Developing cross-platform apps accelerates development by allowing two apps to be launched from a single codebase. The Flutter framework is a good choice. The toolkit provides platform-independent UI development capabilities. Creating native-like user interfaces is also possible with React Native.

Interested in finding out more about how long it takes to make an app like Tinder? Contact Neetable.

What Does It Take to Create a Successful Dating App?

Before we learn how to create a dating app, we should consider other factors as well.

Discover Your Niche

It is quite difficult to find a dating application that does not have a significant amount of competition. It is important to find a niche that allows you to stand out. The key to a successful dating application lies in identifying a group whose needs have been neglected and creating a platform that caters to their needs.

A Dating App's Matching Algorithm

A location-based approach: Matching codes for dating apps are often based on proximity. Users look at the profiles and photos of other app users nearby, swipe them, and start a chat in the app. It doesn't require complex math, but puts the onus on the user to choose the right partner.

A questionnaire-based method: There is no doubt that this is one of the most popular matching systems in dating apps. Interacting with the application involves a wide range of questions, forms, scenarios, games, etc. By analyzing the information, the app matches the candidate with someone who has similar dating preferences, dreams, etc.

A behavior-based approach: Most people don't answer questions honestly. A behavior-based profile of the user is built using their social media information and historical data from the app. With this profile, your platform is less susceptible to catfishing and is more objective.

Identify a monetization strategy

A clear monetization strategy can help you build a dating app that generates steady income. In terms of how much money dating apps make, there is no clear answer. The amount of revenue you generate depends on a number of factors. The features of the app can be limited to paid subscriptions in order to monetize it. Your app can also be monetized with in-app advertising, promotions, and affiliate marketing.

Protecting your data

It is crucial to ensure security when developing an app, but it becomes even more important in an online dating setting. You connect strangers through your app, and they trust your service to conduct some degree of vetting to make sure everyone is safe. Tinder's panic button and account verification are included in this section.

How To Create a Dating App?

Discovery Phase: With best practices, our dating app developers plan every aspect of the future project through the discovery phase. Create extensive documentation and development plans after recording all requirements, researching the market, and building prototypes.

Hire a software development firm: Technology and market knowledge are essential to developing a Tinder competitor. In the event your company lacks seasoned experts, you can outsource your project to Neetable.

Getting started: Having set requirements, prepared a development plan, and choose the tech stack, you and your vendor can move forward with developing. Ensure you have regular updates via calls or meetings.

Assured Quality: Testing starts early in the development process. The later a bug is discovered, the more it will cost to fix. Fixing bugs after production is more expensive than during development. Get feedback and launch: Beta-test your application with a small group of users and collect feedback. Make sure you apply this feedback when you release future updates.

How Much Does the Development of An App Like Tinder Cost?

There are several factors that determine how much it costs to develop a dating app like Tinder. It is estimated that the development costs for an app like Tinder range from $25,000 to $150,000. Additional factors affect the cost of a dating app, such as its complexity, feature list, developers' hourly rates, and location.

Simple app creation: $25,000 to $80,000 - 3 Months Medium complexity app creation: $80,000 to $100,000 - 3 to 6 Months High complexity app creation: More than $120,000 - Over 8 Months

Nevertheless, this is just a rough estimate. Creating an app like Tinder costs money, but you must first understand what affects the price. Feel free to contact us if you would like a quote based on your unique business needs.

Conclusion

Online dating is predicted to grow exponentially in the future. It is becoming more acceptable for people to use dating apps as they spend more time online. Consider creating a dating website or app that caters to your target audience and connects people with new people. The software development company Neetable can assist you in achieving your goal. With our team of professionals, you will get high-performance apps with bold UX/UI designs. Learn more about creating a dating app with Neetable's free consultation.

FAQs

What would it cost to make an app like Tinder?

It costs $40,000 for a cross-platform MVP, while $55,000 for a native app.

How do I make a dating app?

Learn about your target audience before choosing a niche for your dating app. During the discovery phase, gather project requirements, and hire a software development team.

What is the revenue model for dating apps?

For dating apps, there are three main monetization strategies: in-app ads, in-app purchases, and subscriptions.

Which dating app is most popular?

In terms of market share, Tinder holds the position of most popular dating app worldwide.