Selective in Dating? This App May Help You Find Love

Amor - Inner Circle

When I coach singles on dating and finding love, I always suggest casting a wide net, scheduling a second date even if there’s no instant chemistry, and expanding your social circle. It’s called social dating and with your mobile phone attached to your hip, you should leave no digital stone un-turned.

With this in mind, there are many dating sites and apps for the masses which can help with this quest.

Taking the opposite approach, some newer apps are considered exclusive, or as The Inner Circle CEO David Vermeulen calls his, “the selective dating app.”

The Inner Circle, launched in Europe in 2012, has now widened their reach by expanding into the U.S.

Now in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, the app will help you find the best-of-the best, or at least ones with the highest of education or the coolest job.

Inner Circle Julie Spira, David Vermeulen Julie Spira and Inner Circle CEO, David Vermeulen

At their Los Angeles launch party, held at The Bungalow in Santa Monica, I sat down with Vermeulen to talk about the success of their app and how one can get off the wait-list and approved to start dating.

According to Vermeulen, The Inner Circle has 550,000 users spanning 12 countries. Their wait-list is about the same, with about 500,000 circles hoping to get accepted to the selective mobile dating app.

I asked Inner Circle’s CEO about their vetting. How can one get approved, instead of getting sent to the wait-list, with the hope of moving to a full-member?

According to Vermeulen, The Inner Circle has a team of four full-time people who view the 4000 new applications every day.

Here’s How to Register and Become a Member

1. Download The Inner Circle App
2. Create a Profile Using Linkedin or Facebook to Sign Up
3. Make Sure Your Education is Listed on Your Social Media Profiles
4. Have Other Friends and Connections as Members
5. Upgrade to Premium for Additional Features for More Access

Getting an invitation to Inner Circle isn’t that easy, and neither is getting approved.
When you register, their team looks at your education, profession, how many connections you have on social media (numbers count), and your photos.

When I asked why half of the potential members get put on the wait-list, Vermilion replied with, “The goal of inner circle is focused on the quality and the people who are a bit more serious. We also focus more on people the like-minded people that are ambitious, and inspiring.”

He added, “Not everybody that registers takes it that seriously.”

Does education matter?

I asked if someone didn’t go to college, do they automatically get put on the waiting list?

It turns out while 94% of their members are highly educated, there are many in creative positions as well as members of the app.

The Quest for Being on an Exclusive App

Exclusivity is hot right now. Many singles want to join the bandwagon of exlusive apps. How does Inner Circle differentiate themselves from The League or Raya?

With a community themed app, they are hosting offline events all over the world, so get your Passport renewed and be ready to meet like-minded travelers.

On Tinder

With dating in the Tinder world become the norm and mainstream, the Inner Circle CEO said, “Tinder opened up the dating markets. Everybody’s on Tinder, so that’s a good thing. What we also see is that most people become what I call “tinder-tired” with endless swiping and swiping.”

Inner Circle believes dating should be about the quality, not the quantity of members, and with such a huge wait-list, perhaps it’s time to update your LinkedIn profile to make sure it reflects your current fabulous job.

FOLLOW @JulieSpira on Twitter and Instagram.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating and Mobile Dating Expert. She’s the CEO and founder of Cyber-Dating Expert, and as an early adopter of Internet dating, has been coaching singles on finding love online for over 20 years.

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CLICK HERE to join The Inner Circle

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Lawyers are the Most Desirable Jobs for Singles on Happn App

Thinking of going to law school? If love is on your mind, your odds of finding a date by joining a non-drinking bar are at the top of the list.

A survey from mobile dating app Happn analyzed 2.9 million users in the United States between April 1-11, 2017. They found that singles matched, or “crushed” with dating profiles of lawyers most often.

RELATED: Top 10 Mobile Dating Apps

Highest Ranking Matches Per Job Category

For both men and women, the desire to date an attorney ranked as number one in the top five list.

Other sexy professions of guys include being an Analyst, Engineer, Salesman, or Doctor. Happn’s list of the 5 most crushed women also include Designer, Teacher, Marketer, and Physician.

This list is a bit different from Tinder’s most popular jobs that received right swipes, where being a lawyer ranked lower at #11 for men, and didn’t appear on the list of most right swipes of women. Instead, being a Pilot ranked as the top spot for men, while being a Physical Therapist received the most right swipes on women’s profiles.

Tinder Jobs

Tinder’s Most Swiped Jobs Differed from Happn’s

According to Tinder, below being a Pilot, if you’re a Founder/Entrepreneur, or Firefighter, you’re in the top 3 careers that will get more right swipes on male profiles. We get it. A Pilot can be sexy, but he won’t be around much. A Founder/Entrepreneur might be creative with a big bank balance, or at least some stock options, so he’s got long-term potential. A Firefighter or Doctor will save lives and can become your own personal hero. In short, women loved a man in a uniform.

As for the women, being a Physical Therapist tops the list as men are imagining her personal touch, somewhere, somehow, or anywhere. An Interior Designer was a bit surprising at number 2, but there’s something intimate about decorating a bedroom with candles and more. As far as number 3 is concerned, it’s enlightening to know that a man is interested in both beauty and brains, so kudos to those who want to date a smart and confident woman. Perhaps they’ll remember to leave the Board Room out of the bedroom.

Taking it a step further, Mashable released a list of most swiped jobs city-by-city to show there’s not a one-size-swipes all best job across the country.

For more dating advice, FOLLOW @JulieSpira on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating and Mobile Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She was an early adopter of the Internet and has been coaching singles for over two decades with her Irresistible Profiles programs.

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Single Daters Decide Which Candidate They’d Like to Hang Out With

As the Presidential candidates continue to debate, our friends at Happn, one of our recommended mobile dating apps, have shared with us which candidate their single members would rather hang out with, either Donald Trump (R) or Hillary Clinton (D).

Happn polled 965 of its users about what activities they would prefer to do with Trump or Hillary. The six options are based Happn’s latest “See You There” feature, which gets users to meet IRL for fun activities.

Are you ready to jog with Hillary or go on a night on the town with the Donald? See a movie with the Clinton’s or grab a drink with Donald? Before you turn on the television to watch the debate, read the results of this poll.

Get ready for the digital drum roll!

Presidential Debaate Happn

1. Go out on the town: Trump slightly beat Clinton with 52% of the votes. The Donald also wins over swing state voters in this category with 65% over Clinton’s 35%. Fifty-five percent of millennials (20-29 year old respondents), 52% of both Gen Xers (40-49 year olds) and baby boomers (50-59 year olds) all want to party it up with Trump. But 66% of women choose Hillary along with 30-39 year olds, while 59% of men choose The Donald.

2. Go for a run: Happn users are clear about who they want to hit the pavement with. Hillary ran past Donald with 64% of the votes opting for her as their “running mate.” Trump gets the vote from 18-19 year olds (65%), while Hillary leads with women (82%) and just barely takes the swing state vote (51%).

3. Get a drink: Do single daters prefer sipping martinis with Hillary or a (non-alcoholic) daiquiri with Donald? This vote was split 50-50. Women favor Hillary (72%), while men (59%) are down for a drink with Donald. But in the battleground states, Happn voters raise their glasses to Donald at 58%.

4. Catch a movie: And the Oscar goes to… Hillary. She is the overall fan favorite (65%) and also takes home the award among women (84%) and in the swing states (55%). But Trump steals the show in a supporting role: 59% of 18-19 year olds would rather see a film with him.

5. Grab a bite to eat: Happn users want to break bread with Clinton (61%) in addition to 20-29 year olds (60%), 30-39 year olds (64%), 40-49 year olds (57%), 50-59 year olds (64%), men (54%) and women (78%). But Trump won’t end up dining alone with 18-19 year olds (53%) willing to grab a snack with the Republican candidate.

6. Go for a walk: When it comes time to slow it down and take a stroll, most Happn users choose Hillary as their “sole” mate. Nationally, 68% of users are interested in taking a walk with Hillary, as are 20-29 year olds (68%), 30-39 year olds (71%), 40-49 year olds (66%), 50-59 year olds (67%), women (83%), men (62%) and in the swing states (60%). But once again, 18-19 year olds are rallying behind Trump with 53% of the vote.

What about the Swing States?

Happn reports that the six swing states backing Trump include: Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, and Virginia.

Meanwhile, Clinton gets the backing of the following six swing states: Colorado, Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and Utah. Pennsylvania can’t decide who they’re putting in the White House – half want Hillary, half want Donald. (sigh).

Democrats or Republicans?

Forty-two percent of Happn respondents identified themselves as Democrats, with 16% saying they were Republicans. Forty-two percent have either no political affiliation or selected “Other” (i.e. Libertarian, Green, Constitution).

*This article published by Cyber-Dating Expert, LLC and it’s affiliates do not endorse any political candidate

Will you be watching the debate?

P.S. If you haven’t registered to vote, we urge you to do now right here.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating and Mobile Dating Expert. She’s the founder of Cyber-Dating Expert and has been coaching singles for over two decades on how to find love on the Internet and on mobile dating apps.

Julie Spira on Chicago’s WCKG Radio with Eddie Volkman

Eddie Volkman - WCKG On Wednesday, June 8th at 6p/CT, I’ll be a guest with Eddie Volkman on WCKG Radio in Chicago.

Eddie and I had such a blast last time I was on the show, that I’ve been invited back for a lively discussion on dating in the digital age.

We’ll be talking about finding summer love, as Match is predicting the hottest day of the month will be June 27th for online dating.

From ghosting, the epidemic disappearing act, to the best tips for your online dating profile, and swiping right on mobile apps, we’ve got you covered with the best dating advice.

Tune in and listen LIVE or visit WCKG.com to listen to the live stream. Call in with your questions about dating, love and romance.

We’ll be live tweeting as well, so follow @EddieVolkman , @JulieSpira, and @WCKGChicago to join the conversation.

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Why WhatsApp is Making Singles Anxious

Mashable Logo

Recently we wrote about non-traditional dating apps that were used to find a date.

When Rachel Thompson from Mashable asked me to weigh in on the anxiety singles were having staring at their SO’s ‘last seen’ timestamp on WhatsApp, the popular messaging app purchased by Facebook for $19 million, I wasn’t surprised.

In her article, The One WhatsApp Feature Can Make or Break Relationships, Thompson took a deep dive into the activity and hearts of singles wondering if their boo was cheating on them, or to check on someone who might have ghosted them. Ouch, it’s a digital pain that stabs at our hearts.

Some singles were staying up until after 3am to see if the person they’ve been dating was awake texting someone. What they knew for sure, is they weren’t the recipient of sweet nothings late at night, or possibly at all that night.

Thompson even spoke to an attorney who was president of the Italian Association of Matrimonial Lawyers who said, “WhatsApp messages sent by cheating spouses play an integral role in 40% of Italian divorce cases citing adultery.”

I told Mashable, “the incessant checking of the ‘last seen’ timestamp should sound alarm bells in your relationship, regardless of what you find.”

“If you don’t have trust in your relationship both online and offline, then then it’s not a healthy relationship and you should think about calling it quits instead of staring at his or her ‘last seen’ timestamp.”

via Giphy

Where staring at the timestamp becomes a problem, is when someone stalks an ex, is unsure of their relationship status, and these days, more frequently if they’ve suddenly been ghosted and don’t know why.

This feature, where you can check up on someone to know there digital whereabouts, helps people stay connected, but It can become very obsessive and isn’t limited to just WhatsApp. Some are checking the last online status on online dating sites such as OkCupid or to see if they have a green button on Facebook chat.

This need to cyber stalk gets worse when the person you’ve been checking up on decides change their privacy status to hide their last seen feature, or even takes it a step further and blocks you. Ouch, again.

Still, the need to peek can become addictive and it can negatively affect a relationship when one jumps to a digital conclusion about the relationship status solely bases on online activity. It appears WhatsApp is now responsible for many breakups.

Are you gazing a little too often at the timestamp feature on WhatsApp?

Your comments are welcome.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She was an early adopter of Internet and mobile dating apps. Julie has been coaching singles for over 20 years with her Irresistible Profiles programs.

For more dating advice, sign up for the FREE Weekly Flirt newsletter and follow @JulieSpira on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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Hinge Says Goodbye to 24-Hour Timed Feature

Hinge Mobile Dating - Cyber Dating Expert They say that timing is everything in life. Today, mobile dating app Hinge decided to say goodbye to their 24-hour timed feature.

This was one of my favorite features on Hinge, as it forced people to respond quickly, rather than waiting and having the momentum of the match fizzle away.

Still, we are living very busy lives these days, and if you’re only getting a handful of matches each day, sometimes it’s hard to make sure to log on to view them.

Other apps such as Coffee Meet Bagel and Bumble still have the 24-hour timing feature, which sets them apart from other mobile dating apps.

With over 100 million singles using mobile dating apps, narrowing the search can result in less dates, but more quality dates for some daters.

So as we bid Hinge’s 24-hour clock a adieu, remember, you still only have 14 days to communicate with your match on Hinge, so makes sure to grab his or her digits, before the match sadly expires.

How do you feel about having 14 days instead of 24 hours to connect with a potential match?

Your comments are welcome.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She’s been helping singles find love online for over 20 years with her Irresistible Profiles programs. For dating advice, follow @JulieSpira on Twitter and sign up for the free Weekly Flirt Newsletter.

Did you hear our good news? Our bestselling book, The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online is now available as an audio book. It’s been completely revised for Valentine’s Day and includes a new epilogue with a magical twist, along with a fairy tale ending to help you believe in love.

Listen to our book trailer here:

Order our book on Amazon and Audible, as well as iTunes.

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Tinder vs. IRL: A Digital Peek at #OnTinderAtTinder

Tinder #OnTinderAtTinder Recently, media outlet Someecards asked their readers to submit what they look like in pictures on their Tinder profiles compared to what they look like while browsing Tinder. The striking difference between the two is hilarious as, according to Someecards, the tweets sent in “fully support the stereotype that women on dating sites are mostly cat lady shut-ins.”

The hashtag’s full meaning is “How I look on Tinder” vs. “How I Look at Tinder” to expose the truth behind the photos we select for the mobile dating profile, as compared to how perfect we try to look to guarantee a right swipe on dating apps.

#OnTinderAtTinder Tinder Viral Hashtag

#OnTinderAtTinder went viral and the submissions are still pouring in. We all put forth the best, most swipe-able versions of ourselves online, according to Bustle, and I don’t disagree.

While you work hard to present the best possible pictures of yourself on social media, and especially on dating apps, it’s important to remain genuine and real. Since you can select the best 6 photos from Facebook, and now from your camera roll as well, we’ll leave the swiping frenzy up to you.

Posting any photos online, whether it be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or even Tinder, you should take the extra care to look your best. From choosing the right angle and proper lighting to picking the perfect filter (or sometimes multiple filters), you need to constantly make sure you’re putting your best digital foot forward. This new movement of honesty is a gentle reminder to be “just you” on social media, while still poking fun at the striking difference between our online and in-person appearances.

This viral hashtag sheds light on the fact that singles don’t show who they really are online. It also pokes fun at the superficial premise of Tinder.

With over 10 million members, over 9 billion matches and over 16 million swipes per day, now you can see your potential date in real time and decide if the real Tinder pictures are worth swiping right on, or not. Then again, it’s sill the quickest way to fill up your date card for Valentine’s.

Follow @JulieSpira on Twitter and Instagram

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She was an early adopter of the Internet and is the CEO of CyberDatingExpert.com. Julie and her team create Irresistible Profiles for singles on the dating scene. For more relationship advice, sign up for the free Weekly Flirt Newsletter.

View our book trailer for The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online, NEWLY REVISED with a magical epilogue and Bonus Audio Dating Advice.

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Julie Spira to Speak at Digital LA Dating Apps Panel

Just in time for Valentine’s. It’s an honor and joy to be speaking at Digital LA’s Mobile Dating Apps panel in Los Angeles on Cyber-February 3rd.

The mobile dating apps panel will be held at Control Collective in Los Angeles (Playa Vista).

I’ll be joined by Three Day Rule, Grindr, Cuddli, Textpert, and more.

Dress in red, nibble, on chocolate and find out which profile photos belong on your mobile app and how to swipe right for love.

It’s peak season for online dating. There’s no way quicker to fill your date card than by using mobile dating apps.

The panel will have you fully armed to find a date by Valentine’s.

Buy tickets here

AGENDA
– 7-7:30p Check in and Networking
– 7:30 – 8:30p Panel
– 8:30 – 9p After panel networking

PARKING

– Complimentary parking after 6p in the lot while space available, or park in the street

WHEN: Wednesday, February 3, 2016 from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM (PST) – Add to Calendar
WHERE: CTRL Collective – 12575 Beatrice Street Los Angeles, CA 90066 – View Map

Click here to buy tickets:

Digital LA Mobile Dating Apps

ABOUT JULIE SPIRA

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating and Mobile Dating Expert. She’s been helping singles find love online for over 20 years with her Irresistible Profiles programs.

Follow @JulieSpira on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Listen to our new book trailer for The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online. This revised edition includes a magical epilogue guaranteed to warm your heart.

Filed Under Mobile Dating, Mobile Dating · Leave a Comment

Celebrities Swiping Right for Love

When Tinder came out with verified profiles in 2015 to eliminate people thinking they ran into the Ryan Gosling instead of a fake, it was helpful for a while, but not exclusive enough for some celebs.

Recently a few apps have launched that are exclusively for celebrities. Much like some of the hottest clubs these celebs go to, these dating apps are private, invite-only apps that put them in touch with other high profile people.

The League Mobile Dating App

One app, The League, which started out in 2014 with a beta launch in San Francisco, invites users based on their LinkedIn profiles and their friend networks. The League uses an advanced screening algorithm to keep their dating pool well balanced and high quality.

The greatest thing about The League is that it uses your LinkedIn connections and completely hides your profile from your friends, business contacts, and coworkers. Who wouldn’t want a little stealth in their online dating? The app also uses your Facebook account to pull photos, personal information, and interests from your profile to match you more effectively

The downsides are that you’re only given 5 potential matches per day, and if you match with another user and don’t reach out to or respond to that match in 3 weeks, the match expires.

However, there are a couple of great things I noticed that I wish everyday folks on Tinder would get to experience.

Users of The League can set ultra-specific preferences for potential matches, including height, education, and ethnicity, as well as the Tinder-offered gender, age, and distance preferences. Matches can also be sorted into different categories based on how good of a match they are, how recently you matched, and how flaky the user is. Another cool thing about the app is the concierge service they offer to users. Every user gets a concierge to answer any questions they have about the app and to let them know about in-app updates.

Raya Mobile Dating App

The other celeb-only app, Raya, aka the “Illuminati Tinder,” is an exclusive dating app and networking platform for people in creative industries. Raya launched in spring 2014 and has somehow, unlike The League, stayed totally out of the press until the recent announcement I viewed on Mashable that Amy Schumer met her new beau on Raya.

Raya is made of up a diverse group of people, but a group that is generally more Internet famous, like vloggers, artists, models, pro skateboarders and dancers, clothing designers, and even YouTube beauty guru. A secretive, anonymous committee admits each member to the app, based in part on their Instagram presence. Like The League, an algorithm that considers a few very key factors evaluates applicants on:

Overall Instagram influence,
Who recommended the applicant, and
How many active Raya members follow the applicant on Instagram

Instagram was the chosen platform for users to log in with because they believe it’s the most creative and expressive social network, which makes sense, considering Raya is designed for creatives.

There are two downsides to Raya. One, it charges users a membership fee, but Raya states on their website that it’s purely to “keep the lights on” and to eliminate advertisements that would cheapen the Raya experience. The other is, you’ll probably end up on their wait-list.

Celebrities on Tinder

As cool as these exclusive apps are, you still might find a celeb or two while you’re swiping through Tinder, or you’ve watched Jimmy Fallon’s frequent segments on Tinder for celebrities. A few celebs, like Hilary Duff and Britney Spears, have been spotted on Tinder. Duff even turned her Tinder experience into a music video for her song “Sparks,” off her 2015 album, Breathe In. Breathe Out, her first release in over 7 years. Mariah Carey also took to dating sites the rest of us use to promote her music as well by creating a profile and debuting the video to her break-up song, “Infinity,” on the site. Other artists, such as Ed Sheeran, were offered verified profiles, but the singer/songwriter turned it down, claiming he didn’t have time to be going on a lot of dates and that he’d rather spend his time talking about his music.

Dating pools on both The League and Raya are still relatively small since they’re so selective, so you may have better luck on apps available to non-celebs. It may take you a while to actually find an A-lister on an app like Tinder, but they’re out there, so keep swiping!

Let us help you find your dream date with SwipingRight

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating and Mobile Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She’s been helping singles find love online for over 20 years with her Irresistible Coaching programs.

Follow @JulieSpira on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Sign up for the free Cyber-Dating Expert Weekly Flirt newsletter.

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6 Dating Apps You Should Be Using in 2016

Mobile Phone It’s safe to say this past year that went down in digital history as the year of swiping right and left for love with popular mobile dating apps.

Once singles got used to spending time on Tinder, the curiosity of newer released mobile dating apps got the best of them. If you thought you could find your soul mate on one of 5 mobile apps, would you download them to your smartphones now? I think so.

Here are 6 mobile dating apps recommended by Cyber Dating Expert that you should be using, right here, right now. It’s time to speed up your search and fill your date cards.

Ready, Set, Swipe!

1. Bumble – Android and iOs

Bumble is the mobile dating app which gives the ladies all of the control. I call it the “Sadie Hawkins” of digital dating. Created by Whitney Wolfe, a former co-founder of Tinder, Bumble is free to join. Users sign up from Facebook and then select their photos, distance they’re willing to search up to, and age requirements in the app.

How it works: Women view profiles of potential dates and they make the first move to select who to “like” by swiping right or who to “dislike” by swiping left. If there’s a mutual like, you’ll get a pop up with the two of you that says BOOM! Connected. You both liked each other.

You then have the choice to click on “More Bumble” to see more matches, or “Start a Chat” so you can get the conversation going. Then, it’s up to the women, who have 24 hours to strike up a convo in the chat bubble on the top right of the app. Otherwise the match will disappear. Your current chats will appear in the “Conversations” section of the app until you decide to delete them.

The app also let’s you know when a potential match is about to expire. Did you swipe left by mistake? No problem. Their “Backtrack” feature allows you to shake the phone to get that last cute guy back in the game, but shake wisely. You only get three backtracks a day.

Why we like it: The ladies are enjoying being the one in control and let’s face it, the guys are competitive. They want to get selected and know they won’t be rejected if she starts the conversation.

2. Tinder – Android and iOs

We featured Tinder back in 2013, before swiping right became a household term. Tinder is the fastest growing location-based mobile dating app and Tinder-like apps are being launched every day. No longer the new kid on the block and not just for hookups. I know what you’re saying, you can’t say you met on Tinder, right? Singles are swiping left and right to the tune of 16 million swipes a day.

This year, Tinder announced Verified profiles since so many celebrities had joined the Tinder bandwagon. From Hilary Duff to your next door neighbor, everyone seems to be swiping. While Tinder is free, they launched a premium service, Tinder Plus, which costs between $9.99 and $19.99/month. Singles can now “Super Like” a potential match, giving them a digital heads up that they’re more than just a swipe away. Other premium features include “Passport,” which allows you to search in another city to help you fill your date card, before you hop on a plane or travel elsewhere.

Swipe regret? Premium members can also get back that last left swipe, just in case you swiped in error. New in 2016, Tinder will allow you to take photos on your camera roll and won’t limit you to using only photos that were posted on Facebook. Another new feature announced this year is the ability to send GIFS through GIPHY. It ramps up your flirt, big time.

How it works. Users download the mobile app on their iPhone or Android phones and connect through Facebook to create a profile. You can set your distance and age range (from 18-55+)in the “Discovery Settings.” Users anonymously swipe through potential matches nearby. If you’re interested, you swipe right. If you’re note, you swipe left. If it’s a mutual match, you can start chatting in text message style directly through their app. Once you swipe left, that profile will never appear again. You can also decide to unmatch yourself from someone if the conversation has a lull or if you had a date that wasn’t worth repeating.

Why we like it: It’s simple to use, free, let’s you see your Facebook friends in common, and is the fastest growing mobile dating app. It’s also a fun way to make new friends, as not everyone is single. You can view a variety of potential dates in a digital moment and anonymously decide whether you’re interested in them or not. Tinder boasts 9 billion matches to date with over 10 million active users.

3. Hinge – Android and iOs

Hinge is a mobile dating app that will only match you with friends-of-friends on Facebook and you can see where they work, as it pulls your data from Facebook. This is appealing to daters. Singles believe this app has less of a hookup tendency than others.

Coming on the scene as the more serious version of Tinder (or anti-Tinder), Hinge gives you a limit of 5 -15 matches a day and this limit creates value and appreciation for each potential match. Once you’re matched, you’ll have 14 days to start a conversation. Their new handy countdown clock will let you know how much time you have left to message your mutual match. Basically, you’ll need to exchange digits within their time limitations or the match will disappear.

How it works: Singles download the app and log in using Facebook. Once you confirm your location, you’ll start receiving matches. You can see who you are connected through on Facebook and can even ask your mutual friend what he or she thinks about your potential date. You can set your age preferences and check off some of your passions from their curated list.

Once you start receiving matches, click on the heart or swipe right if you’d like to make it a mutual match or click the X or swipe left if you want to decline. When you become a mutual match, you can start communicating through the app. Once you hit your match limit, you’ll be notified to check back and are encouraged to invite a friend to join Hinge. If you recommend a friend, they’ll send you more matches.

Why we like it: Their profiles include the first and last name of the potential date. It gives you a feeling of confidence knowing the person is genuine and authentic. Women love the app because it makes them feel safer while dating. Plus: There’s a 50/50 ratio of men to women.

4. Coffee Meets Bagel – iOs and Android

CMB has won the hearts of many singles looking for love online, especially the women. Featured on Shark Tank, the creators, the Kang sisters turned down a $30 million offer from Mark Cuban to buy the company.

How it Works: Users sign up through Facebook to create their free profile. Every day at noon, you’ll receive one match (a bagel) from a friend-of-a friend. You then have 24 hours to “Like” or “Pass” on the daily bagel, or even give the match to a friend. If you miss one of your bagel dates, you can request to be rematched.

Users can visit the CMB bean shop to buy coffee beans to pay for upgraded services at the cost of $1.99 to $24.99, but can also easily win free beans by recommending a bagel to a friend and liking their social media pages. Once matched, you can then start texting with your match in a private chat, but remember to act quickly, as the chat is only active for 8 days.

Why we like it: For those of you who feel overwhelmed with too many choices, or are too busy to log on regularly, this is a more manageable dating app. Users look forward to receiving their daily “bagel” at lunch time. CMB believes your dating life, including your name, birthday and email should be private. They also claim that your friends are the best conduits for your dates, and that meeting quality people doesn’t have to be so awkward or complicated. It also feels like you’re playing a fun game, as you receive coffee beans when you respond to a match.

5. Happn – Android, iOs, Windows Phone

Remember Craig’s List Missed Connections? Happn is a more modern day approach to matching with someone you’ve already crossed paths with, but never really connected. Every time you pass by a spot with another member IRL, you’ll get an instant push notification that another member is nearby and boom, you can meet instantly. Some may find it very efficient. Others may think it’s creepy, and might not want to meet after a sweaty yoga class. But then again, they wouldn’t be on this app if that were the case, so go ahead and be spontaneous.

If you think you might miss out on a digital crush who hangs in the same h0od as you, but are on the shy side, this app is for you. Note: The app was created in France and is available in 25 cities around the world. They are starting to expand in the U.S. and may not have rolled out in your city yet. New in 2016, Happn has added a voice feature, so you can hear the sound of your future date’s sweet nothings.

Related: Happn Adds New Voice Feature

How it works: Download the app and log in to Facebook, where yo can edit which information in your Facebook profile that you want to appear in your bio. You must enable your location services for the app to work. Every time you cross paths with another member, it will appear on your timeline feed. You can like someone’s profile by tapping on the heart button. If the feeling is mutual, you’ll be notified and you’ll be considered in the crush stage. You can also view how many times your paths have crossed.

If you want to take it a step further, men can pay to to send a charm. There is no cost to women at this point. Charms are similar to Tinder’s “Super Like” feature, except you buy them in a package. Each charm is equal to using one credit.

Why we like it: You won’t have to wonder about the one who got away. You can also now sync with Instagram to see your potential date’s feeds and interests.

Honorable Mention – Tastebuds – iOs

There was a great Shakespeare quote, “If music be the food of love, play on.” Now you can celebrate #MusicMonday every day of the week with a potential date who has the same musical interests as you do. Concert dates can be a lot of fun and sharing music is passion that many have on their list as a must-have. With this in mind, although Tastebuds is a social networking app, we feel it belongs in the dating category as you can share playlists and more with your potential date.

How it works: Users can sign up easily through Facebook or via email. You can send a message bomb for free to eight of your matches. Your music library can be added or you can add your favorite artists and bands manually. Searches can be fun as you can search by the name of the band that you’re a fan of and within a certain age criteria. Within seconds you can be matched with someone who also loves Pink Floyd and the Beatles.

Why we like it? Perhaps I’m biased as a former music radio DJ, but music is a shared experience. Who would want to go to a concert with someone who didn’t know who David Bowie was?

Do you have a favorite mobile dating app that you’d like to share?

Julie Spira is an online dating coach and mobile dating expert. She was an early adopter of Internet dating and has been helping singles find love online for over 20 years. Julie is the creator and host of Mobile Dating BootCamp and founder of Cyber-Dating Expert. For dating advice, follow @JulieSpira on Twitter and Instagram. Sign up for the Free Weekly Flirt newsletter.

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