“I’ve found most of my relationships via Tinder, and as a 25-year-old queer woman who prefers women/female-presenting, there are many pros and cons,” Sarah tells Bustle. “Tinder is a great way to explore your sexuality, find people who have similar interests, and gain a sense of control over who you date. ”
According to Statista, more than 75% of the app’s users identify as men, so finding women to match with can be more challenging. “Sometimes I’m shown just men and have to keep switching back and forth between ‘everyone’ and ‘women only’ just to have an accurate variety,” Sarah says.
Should I Use Bumble?
Bumble was initially made for dating but has expanded to become a platform for making connections of any kind. They have options to search for friends or career mentors. According to a 2021 Bloomberg report, Bumble had over 42 million active monthly users as of . Originally, it was designed to be an app that empowers women to make the first move once a match is made. In same-sex or nonbinary matches, there’s no restriction on who can message first.
Using the app is pretty simple. To create a profile, you’ll just need to add some photos and fill out the About Me section, verify your profile so people know you’re really you, and fill out some Basic Info Badges like what you’re looking for, your height, zodiac sign, political affiliation, and more. You can even add your Instagram account or fill out a profile prompt for people to get a better idea of who you are.
They also have paid features and a premium subscription option to help you maximize the experience. These paid offerings include unlimited access to advanced filters like education level, height, and feelings about having kids. Bumble also has a travel mode that allows you to change locations to another city before you get there, an ability to rematch with people whose matches have expired, and more.
“Bumble, in my opinion, is a great option for someone who is newer to online dating and may be looking for something more connected and intimate,” Martinez says. “It requires the woman to make the first move, which is a pro for men as it takes the antiquated pressure off being responsible for small talk or beginning a conversation. It’s also a pro for women who may be more extroverted and willing to let someone know they have interest.” For some, it can also feel like a safer option than other dating apps where anyone can just message you regardless of whether or not you’re a match.
But according to Schiff, Bumble’s model of restricting who messages first still works because it can result in more quality conversations, dates, and maybe even a long-lasting relationship
If you’re someone who doesn’t like messaging first, Bumble may not be for you. Although there is an Extend feature that allows matches to show you they’re really interested, you could still miss out on someone great if you don’t take that first step.
Marisa, 25, from San Antonio has used both Tinder and Bumble and says there are pros and cons to each. “I chose to sign up on Tinder specifically because I had several friends who met their boyfriends there, even though at the time I wasn’t looking for another serious relationship. I liked how easy it was to build your profile, but the simplicity makes it a little harder to select a match based on personality or common interests,” she tells Bustle. For her, matches on Tinder felt a little shallow.