Tinder, Grindr, and Bumble are old news. The new wave of dating apps has arrived, and they will completely change the way you virtually date. All of them focus on matching people by their personalities, not their appearances.
Israel Irenshtain of The Dating Academy believes that these dating apps are a great way to make connections.
“These new dating apps don’t have to be strictly focused on dating,” says the WeWork Bryant Park member. “People can use them to share a cab from an airport, network, or to meet up and attend events together.”
But Irenstein adds that no matter which app you try, you should start talking to each other on the phone as soon as possible.
“Texting chemistry,” he says, “doesn’t translate into the real world.”
Squad
During a weekend trip to Montreal, Adam Liebman put pictures of himself and his four friends on Tinder so they could meet other groups of people out on the town. Liebman went on to create Squad, a Tinder-style app that allows groups to meet each other. Users swipe left or right on different squads, and if matched everyone communicates in a group chat.
But unlike Tinder, Squad is not based exclusively on romance. Squads of two to six people can be mixed-gender, and can meet up with other squads without the pressure of a one-on-one date.
Dwindle Dating
When app founder Jake Gelyana realized that most Tinder matches were made solely on the basis of a user’s profile picture, the WeWork Promenade member set out to develop a platform that fostered a more meaningful connection.
Dwindle Dating is designed like a game. After you download the app, you sign up with your Facebook account and are instantly thrown into a conversation with a match based on your preferences and interests. You see five pictures, but you only chatting with one of them. After a certain amount of time, the photos “dwindle” down until only your match’s photo remains.
AirDates
Ever get bored at the airport? AirDates helps you meet potential friends and partners on an airplane. This in-flight app allows users to connect with other passengers in the terminal and up in the air.
Created by WeWork Spitalfields member Michael Richard, the app allows users to meet in the terminal and continue chatting on the plane. Users can even opt to keep their location private and continue to chat. It’s a fun and way to meet people who are also on the go.
The Inner Circle
The hottest new service for young ambitious professionals, The Inner Circle lets members to connect with potential partners in cities around the world. The website is designed like a Facebook page, except all of your friends are hot, hardworking, and well educated. You can view who is looking at your profile in real time, instant message with other members, and check out everyone’s travel plans.
The app version brings you directly to a wall of men or women who are available to chat. You can send them a message, a like, or even a wink. But the best part? Every member is screened before they can join. Founder David Vermeulen of WeWork Gramercy created this service to curate a quality dating pool, so say goodbye to those creepy randos. But this exclusivity comes at a cost: there are over 100,000 people on the waiting list.
Photo credit: Wyatt Fisher/Flickr