Hinge vs Bumble: which is the better dating app for you?

Hinge vs Bumble, Chipotle vs Taco Bell, Coke vs Pepsi—the preferences for dating apps are as subjective as your favorite fast-food joint or soft drink. But that doesn’t mean we can’t judge two of the biggest and best dating apps against one another, especially if it means we find the one that suits us best.

While there are many different ways to online date out there, from the Thursday app to the highly-exclusive Raya, two apps lead the pack in popularity: Hinge, the dating app that is “designed to be deleted," and Bumble, the one-stop-shop for dating, business and friendship.

But between Hinge vs Bumble, which takes the top spot in the dating apps battle? First, we need to know what makes them stand apart. We’ve broken it down for you before you even have to download anything from the App Store, to help you find out if Bumble vs Hinge will work best for you.

Hinge vs Bumble: which is the better dating app?

Whether you prefer Hinge or Bumble, it's worth bearing in mind that the goal of both apps are pretty much the same. Like the Tinder vs Bumble debate, on both Hinge and Bumble, you declare whether or not you like a profile, by swiping right or left (left for no, right for yes) on Bumble, and either 'hearting' or 'x-ing' a profile on Hinge. And if they like you back, great! 

Of course, there are different ways in which both apps do this though, which is important to understand before you choose one over the other. So in the Bumble or Hinge debate, how does each app work?

What makes Hinge different from other dating apps?

In one corner we have Hinge, a strong contender in the dating app world, with an interface that pushes personal connections and forces the user to make more effort with their profile than ever before.

A series of question prompts like “I won’t shut up about…” allows users to start conversations with something other than a basic “hey.” ( And psst: we've also asked people for the best Hinge answers to give your profiles an extra boost!)

What makes Bumble different from other dating apps?

Fighting Hinge for the heavyweight champion title of superior dating app, Bumble is a platform that’s been around for a while and instead has more of a focus on women as the driving force behind creating connections.

On Bumble, women users have to message first; from then, the countdown is on, as their match has 24 hours in which to respond.

Sticking to a classic "swipe right or left" system, Bumble doesn’t overly complicate matters but improves on the original format laid out by dating app competitor Tinder.

So between Hinge vs Bumble, which do users prefer?

For the people using these apps, these small distinctions can be the difference between bagging a partner and being pied (one of our fave Love Island quotes). Speaking to an open casting of single and officially matched ladies, the ups and downs of both Hinge and Bumble became totally apparent. 

Why some prefer Bumble

Women who like taking the lead prefer Bumble. Camilla, who met her current boyfriend on the dating service, commented that she “liked messaging first, it made it less likely to get a horrific or gross message in my experience.” She continued, also explaining that: “I like the amount of info it gives, and I prefer to swipe.”

Caitlin, a fellow Bumble user, also confirmed that not only is this app better for swipers, but for serial monogamists. “I’ve been on 10+ dates from Bumble”, she explained. “I also met my last ex and current boyfriend there.” 

With all that in mind, it’s also worth noting that the need for women to message first can be overwhelming for some—especially when Bumble doesn’t require users to fill in questions, answers, or even a bio for daters to interact. 

Why some prefer Hinge

For this reason, Jane instead prefers Hinge. “I do like that on Bumble girls have to message first, but sometimes I don’t want to or people’s profiles don’t give away anything interesting for me to say other than ‘hey’.” 

Jane continued: “As much as I hate answering the question prompts on Hinge, it does open up more interesting conversation starters and I prefer having the option for others to message me first!”

Hinge vs Bumble: which is better?

It's also worth considering not just the capabilities of certain dating apps, but their clientele as well. Sian, a dating app connoisseur, summarizes the difference in one sentence: “I used to rinse Bumble but the dating pool there didn’t feel as sophisticated as Hinge. Less ‘I wanna see your tits’ and more, my ‘you have lovely breasts.'” 

Because Hinge’s interface requires personality-filled questions and answers, as well as swipeable selfies from their online daters, London-based Rachel explains that your choices become fine-tuned. 

“Hinge is generally superior, even if it leaves room for a lot of repetitive ‘banter’ ('let's debate this topic: pineapple on pizza' or ‘I’m overly competitive about: everything)—but that makes it very helpful in weeding out boring personalities instead of having to guess at it.” 

In the case of Hinge vs Bumble, it seems that more is more, and Hinge provides interesting answers that Bumble literally does not. Or, as Rachel puts it: “Hinge requires men to list their height, whereas on Bumble it is optional; and I’m shallow, so this is important.”  

So in summary: picky daters (armed with some handy online dating tips) should pick up Hinge, while those looking for multiple matches and instant gratification should download Bumble. In saying that though, it's important to test out both apps to see which works best for you; and hey, you don't even necessarily have to decide between Hinge or Bumble—you can easily use both for a time. Happy swiping!