Study Reveals What Women Really Want on Tinder, Bumble, Hinge
We conducted the ultimate test of Tinder vs Bumble vs Hinge.
Here’s what we found.
We Conducted a Study Comparing Tinder vs Bumble vs Hinge
At The Match Lab, we study the science of online dating.
We conducted a study to find out what it is, exactly, that women look for on dating apps, including Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge.
Our Study Methodology:
In our study, we surveyed 100 women across the United States. All the women we surveyed were single, straight, and actively using either Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge.
We asked these women a variety of questions about why they use the app, how they swipe and message on the app, and how they decide which guys to match with.
Here’s what we found.
Our Findings: Which is the Best Dating App for Guys?
From our study, it’s clear that Bumble is the best dating app for guys, with Hinge coming in at a close second.
Tinder is far worse than either Bumble or Hinge.
Here are some stats that explain why.
Are Women on Dating Apps Looking for a Long-Term or Short-Term Relationship?
Across Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge…
- 79% of women say they are looking for a long-term relationship.
- 21% of women say they are looking for a short-term relationship.
Bumble wins this category:
Of the three apps, Bumble has the most women looking for a long-term relationship, with 86% saying they are seeking a long-term partner.
Meanwhile, Tinder has the most women looking for a short-term relationship, with 27% saying they seek a short-term partner.
Women on Hinge scored in between the women on Bumble and Tinder in their long-term vs. short-term dating intentions.
That means Bumble is the best dating app for guys looking for a long-term relationship.
Are Women Using Dating Apps Seriously or Just for Fun?
How seriously are women using dating apps? Are women using the apps just for fun and attention, or actually to date?
Across Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge…
- 65% of women say they use dating apps seriously and are actually looking to meet up with guys.
- 35% of women say they’re just using dating apps for fun and don’t plan on meeting up with anybody.
Bumble wins this category too:
Bumble has the most women using the app seriously, with 77% of women on Bumble saying they’re looking to meet up with guys from the app.
Meanwhile, Tinder has the most women using the app just for fun, with 43% of women on Tinder saying they don’t plan on meeting up with anybody from the app.
Women on Hinge scored in between the women on Bumble and Tinder in terms of how seriously they use the app.
How Many Different Conversations Are Women Having on Each Dating App?
Another question we asked is, how many guys are women talking to at once on each dating app?
Across dating apps, at any given time, the average woman is actively messaging 2-3 guys at once.
Hinge is quality over quantity in conversations:
Women on Tinder have the most active conversations with multiple matches happening at any given time; women on Hinge have the fewest.
Women on Bumble scored in the middle but were closer to the women on Tinder than on Hinge.
93% of women on Tinder and 91% on Bumble say they have an active conversation with more than one match at any given time.
In contrast, only 58% of women on Hinge say they have an active conversation with more than one match at any time.
Does a Guy’s Dating Profile Pictures or His Bio/Prompts Matter More?
Next, we wondered whether a guy’s dating profile photos or his written profile (his bio and/or prompts) matter the most for getting matches.
Basically, what really makes women on dating apps swipe right on a guy?
Across dating apps…
- 48% of women say that they care more about a guy’s photos than his written profile.
- Whereas 52% of women care more about a guy’s written profile than his photos.
Read: 7 Best Photos for Your Dating Profile
Breaking it down by Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge:
Out of all the apps, women on Tinder care most about a guy’s photos, with 55% of women on Tinder saying that a guy’s photos matter more than his bio.
Women on Bumble care most about how a guy writes his profile, with 64% of women on Bumble saying that a guy’s bio and prompts matter more than his photos.
Hinge was in between Tinder and Bumble, with women on this app putting a more even emphasis on guys’ photos and prompts.
Read: 12 Best Bumble Photos for More Likes & Matches
Read: 6 Best Hinge Pictures for More Likes & Matches (Guys, Women)
Take-Home Point, Photos vs Bio:
Both components of the profile matter a lot, with a few points tipping the scale one way or the other, according to the app you’re on.
If you’re on Tinder, make sure you have good photos. If you’re in Bumble, spend more time writing a good profile.
Read: 9 Best Tinder Pictures for More Likes & Matches (Guys, Women)
What’s the #1 Factor Women Look for on Dating Apps?
So, what makes women want to match with a guy on Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge?
Personality Matters Most
Across all of these dating apps, women say a man’s personality is the most important factor they consider in deciding whether or not to match with him.
51% of women say that they pay attention to what a guy’s personality seems like more than anything else about him.
If you think your personality is your most attractive feature, then Bumble may be the place for you.
Women on Bumble care more about a man’s personality than women on either Tinder or Hinge, with 55% of women on Bumble saying that how a guy’s personality seems is the quality they value most in deciding whether to match with him.
Looks Are Second
Next to personality, a guy’s looks rank second, with 30% of women saying a man’s physical appearance is the most important factor they consider in deciding whether or not to match with him.
For looks, women turn to Tinder.
Women on Tinder are most likely to care about a man’s physical appearance, with 34% of Tinder women saying a guy’s looks are the most important factor they consider in deciding to match with him.
Bumble women care the least about looks, with only 18% of women on Bumble ranking physical appearance as the most important quality in a man.
Women on Hinge scored in between these two ends.
Women Are Interested in Your Interests
In third place is a guy’s interests.
Across all of the dating apps, 8% of women say the most important factor in deciding to match is what a man’s interests are.
If you think your interests are what makes you attractive to many women, then Bumble may be the place for you.
Women on Bumble care more about a man’s interests than women on either Tinder or Hinge, with 14% of women on Bumble saying that what a guy’s interests are is the most important factor they consider in deciding whether or not to match with him.
Read: How to Write Good Bumble Prompts (Best Tips, Examples)
Read: 10 Best Hinge Prompts & How to Answer Them
Emotionally Available
Across Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, 7% of women say the most important factor in swiping is whether a man seems emotionally available.
Height, Job, and Wealth
Very few women (only 1-2%) said that a man’s height, job, or wealth is the most important thing about him in deciding whether to match.
What Women Want in Your Opening Message on Tinder and Hinge
Now, how to message women on Tinder and Hinge.
What does it take for a guy to get a reply from a match?
Once a woman has deemed your profile worthy of a match, it’s time to have that first conversation.
For many, this is the most crucial part of determining whether this match will turn into an in-person date, a promising relationship, or just another missed opportunity.
Get to Know Her First
More than any other type of message you could send as your opener, the best message you could send is one that shows your match that you care about getting to know her.
Our study discovered that 49% of women say that the best first message a guy could send on Tinder or Hinge is a message that shows a genuine interest in getting to know her.
Read: The 40 Best Bumble Openers to Use on Guys
Read: 15 Best Questions to Ask on Hinge (And Why They Work)
Humor is Attractive
The second-best message to send a woman on dating apps is a funny one.
We found that 44% of women say that the best first message a guy could send on Tinder or Hinge is a message that makes her laugh.
Read: 38 Funny Tinder Openers That Actually Get Responses
Don’t Flirt Yet
Only 7% of women on Tinder or Hinge say that guys should send them a flirtatious opening message.
Length Matters
No, not *that* kind of length. The length of your opening message.
Most women on Tinder and Hinge say that the ideal length for a guy’s opening message is one sentence: a whopping 65% of women say a guy’s opener should be one sentence, no longer or shorter.
21% of women say a guy’s opener on Tinder and Hinge should be 2-3 sentences, and 12% say a guy’s opener should be just a few words.
Across the board, all women agree that a guy’s opener should never be longer than a few sentences.
Plainly put, women don’t want to read an essay in the first message from a guy.
Read: The 39 Best Hinge Openers to Start Conversation
How Many Messages Before Asking Out on Hinge, Bumble, Tinder?
How many messages does it take before you can safely ask a woman out on a date from a dating app?
Across dating apps, on average, women say a guy should ask her out after she and he have exchanged around ten messages each.
But our study revealed some significant differences across Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge.
More Messages on Tinder and Bumble, Fewer on Hinge
Women on Tinder want to exchange the most messages with a guy before agreeing to go on a date (between 10-20 messages each, on average).
In fact, 68% of women on Tinder say a guy should wait until she and he have sent more than ten messages each on the app before asking her out. Similarly, 64% of women on Bumble say a guy should wait past ten messages each before asking her out.
Meanwhile, only 45% of women on Hinge say a guy should wait until she and he have sent more than ten messages before asking her out.
Women on Hinge want to be asked out sooner, after fewer messages (between 5-10 messages each, on average). On Hinge, 46% of women say she and a guy should exchange 5-10 messages before he asks her out, while 7% of women say a guy should ask her out after only 3-4 messages.
Read: 15 Best Tips for Messaging Women on Hinge
Which is the Best Dating App for Getting Dates?
How many matches turn into a date on each dating app? Which dating app has the most success: Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge?
Across all three dating apps, on average, women say they end up going on a date with 5-10% of the guys they match with.
But our study revealed some significant differences across Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge.
Matches on Bumble are most likely to lead to dates, while matches on Hinge are least likely to lead to dates:
Women on Bumble say they end up going on a date with around 20% of the guys they match with.
In contrast, women on Hinge go on a date with only around 5% of their matches.
Women on Tinder go on a date with fewer than 5% of the guys they match with.
Read: New Study Reveals 6 Best Tips for Getting More Hinge Dates
What’s the Best First Date off a Dating App?
What’s the best first date for Tinder dates, Bumble dates, and Hinge dates? What first date do women on dating apps want to go on?
1. Grab Coffee
Across all dating apps, most women say their ideal first date is coffee.
We found that 39% of women on Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge say they want a guy to suggest coffee when he asks her out on the app.
Read: 12 Tips for Having a Great Coffee Date
2. Get Drinks
The next most popular first date of choice by women is drinks, with 22% of women saying drinks are ideal.
Women on Hinge are more likely than Tinder or Bumble women to prefer grabbing drinks for a first date, with 26% of Hinge women saying drinks are their ideal first date.
Read: Should You Do Drinks or Coffee for a First Date?
3. Have Lunch
The third most popular first date preferred by women is to have lunch, with 17% of women saying that lunch is the ideal first date.
4. Have Dinner
The fourth most preferred first date activity by women is to have dinner, with 14% of women saying that dinner is the ideal first date.
Interestingly, we found that women on Bumble are more likely than women on Tinder or Hinge to prefer having dinner as a first date, with 22% of women on Bumble saying dinner is their ideal first date (only 9% of women on Tinder want dinner as a first date).
Read: Which is the Best First Date? Coffee vs Drinks vs Dinner
5. Go For a Walk
The fifth most popular first date of choice by women is to go for a walk, with 5% of women saying a walk is ideal.
Women on Hinge are more likely than women on Tinder or Bumble to prefer going for a walk on a first date, with 10% of women on Hinge saying going for a walk would be their ideal first date (only 2% of women on Tinder and 5% on Bumble want to go for a walk as a first date).
Read: Is Going for a Walk a Good First Date?
Conclusion: What Do Women Want from Guys on Dating Apps?
When it comes to what women look for dating apps, there are a few key points to keep in mind.
First, women don’t want a long essay as an opener when messaging them on dating apps. Keep your opener to a sentence or two.
Second, on average, women say a guy should ask her out after she and he have exchanged around 10 messages each on a dating app. If you’re on Hinge, you can ask her out a little sooner, closer to five messages each.
Third, the percentage of matches that lead to actual dates varies depending on the app. Each match has the highest chance of leading to a date on Bumble and the lowest chance on Hinge.
Lastly, most women prefer a low-key first date, such as grabbing coffee or drinks. Some women would prefer to have lunch, have dinner, or go for a walk, but these preferences tend to be less common than the preference for coffee or drinks.
Read: Creating Chemistry on a First Date: 7 Tips for Feeling a Spark
Want Dating Profile Help & More Dating Tips?
For more dating insights and for dating profile help, head to The Match Lab. We use data, research, and years of experience to create dating profiles that get high-quality matches.
If you’re struggling to write a good dating profile, or don’t know which photos to use in your dating profile, we can help. We’ll select the best photos for your dating profile, write your dating bio, write your profile prompts, and more. We can make you a dating profile for any app, whether it’s Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge, Match, eharmony, OkCupid, or any others.
Stop guessing how to make a good dating profile, and start using a profile that actually works. Try our dating photo analyzer and dating profile writing service today.
