Tinder vs. Bumble: The Dating App War

By Jenise Jackson
Blog Content Contributor

There was a point in time when I was completely against dating apps. I would tell myself that I had to let some opportunities just present themself to me, I couldn’t go searching for them. Well, let’s just say I got extremely bored with the waiting game and felt I needed to initiate some opportunities for myself. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with an occasional date here and there, right? This is what led me to the two top dating apps for young adults, Tinder and Bumble. While I haven’t found a potential partner as of yet, I’ve spent enough time on the apps to analyze them thoroughly. So for now, let’s look at a few of my pros and cons for both Tinder and Bumble.

Tinder

Pro: Great for casual hook-ups

The fact that I knew most people used Tinder to simply hook up was what scared me away from it at first. I’ve now learned from my own personal experience that hooking up is still a high interest on the app. I’m not really a fan of hooking up for myself, but if it works for other people than that’s just fine. So if a casual hookup with no strings attached is what you’re looking for, there’s a 99.9 percent chance you will find someone who is looking for the same thing.

Con: Matches can be basic and boring

I got on Tinder to keep myself from being bored, but 80 percent of the time I’m left unentertained. Most of the people don’t know how to hold a decent, stimulating conversation, which is a major turnoff for me. Matter of fact, most of the pick-up lines I’ve been hit with are trash too. Tinder has proved to me that good looks don’t mean anything when you don’t have a personality to back them up.

Pro: You can make good friends

Although it’s labeled as a dating app and there are people who have left me uninterested, I’ve been introduced to a few great people. While we may never pursue anything romantically, it’s cool getting to talk to and hang out with people who are truly enjoyable. Whether you are looking for a hookup or romance, Tinder might just help you find a great friend.

Con: Relationship-seekers will probably have a harder time

While I’m not necessarily looking for a relationship, I’m not just looking for sex either. Of course I do see myself in a relationship in the future, but I know using an app like Tinder in our generation probably isn’t going to get me there. So far, I’ve been absolutely right. There are people out there just looking for sex and others who would prefer something serious, with the former being the majority. So if you’re like me or you’re actively looking for that someone special, use Tinder with caution.

Bumble

Pro: Better chances of finding a relationship

Unlike Tinder, a lot of the people I’ve matched with on Bumble are more interested in pursuing relationships. It seems like a lot of old-school romantics lie within Bumble. Some people would find that to be very intriguing. So if you’re one of those hopeless romantics looking for love, your match might just be a swipe away.

Con: There might not be a lot of Bumble users in your area

A downfall I’ve found with Bumble is there aren’t a lot of users to choose from. Like I’ve said before, our generation is living through a hookup culture. Because of this, people are going to use dating apps that are more hookup-friendly. Since Bumble caters more to the people who are looking for something serious, you might not find a lot of matches in your area. It kind of makes things feel repetitive when you see the same people over and over again.

Pro: Women make the first move

One thing I can say I love about Bumble is that it allows only the woman to make the first move in terms of initiating contact. The ladies have 24 hours after a match has been made to contact the other individual before the match disappears. As a modern woman, I like the idea of putting a spin on the normal approach to dating. This feature has also allowed me to avoid plenty of unwanted attention that I might receive anywhere else. That’s definitely a plus.

Con: Not very gender inclusive

While Bumble’s biggest competitor has made an effort to offer more gender inclusive options for their users, Bumble still only allows users to label themselves as female and male. While this doesn’t directly affect me, I’m pretty sure there are plenty of individuals in the dating world who are comfortable with how they identify gender-wise and would like to be upfront about it as well. The Bumble app is marketed as a dating app for everyone, but the lack of gender inclusiveness makes me disagree.

So which app is the winner…

I’ll just say both because I honestly can’t pick one. I think it all just depends on the type of person you are and what you are looking for. Whether it is a hookup or something serious, all I have to say is always put your consent and safety first. I hope the pros and cons I’ve given are some useful insight for those who have considered joining Tinder or Bumble. If you will be using or are currently using these dating apps, I wish you happy and safe swiping and I hope you find whatever it is you are looking for!

Featured image by Jenise Jackson.