Nowadays, it is very easy to create a mobile app like Tinder. In order to create a Tinder-like app for dating you need to have three key elements such as design, app itself (iOS, Android, or both) and API.
In fact, dating apps have made it easier for people to find someone they are compatible with. It is considered that, online dating is a great, non-intimidating way to put yourself out there.
In the last few years, online dating has taken the concept of relationships to a completely different level.
In fact, statistics says that approximately 27% of relationships are the result of online dating. Thus, it can be said that the online dating phenomenon is no longer a taboo.
A whopping 40% of heterosexual couples have been estimated to have met via dating websites and apps in the US alone.
There is little doubt that access to smartphones is one of the key reasons for this meteoric rise in online dating. The percentage of online dating service users via smartphones is as high as 48%.
Data predicts that approximately 50% of married couples globally would have initiated their relationship online by the end of 2031. An active user spends a staggering US$ 243 on an average on online websites and apps offering dating services.
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The ARPU or average revenue per user presently amounts to roughly US$ 4.30 for dating services.
The Dating World Has Transformed
Posting pictures of the meal you’ve had, or expressing your thoughts on Twitter, no wonder you need an online platform to find your love too.
With such platforms on trend, experts predict that over a 5 year period, the dating industry revenue is likely to increase by 11.9% and as of 2018 has reached $3 billion.
But what is more popular with users – websites or apps? That’s the question you need to answer.
Websites or Apps: Which One Should You Opt For?
The debate between which one is a better platform – websites or apps, still ensues.
But most people are likely to opt for mobile apps when it comes to online dating. A number of reasons support this thought. The main reason is accessibility which has led to such rising popularity of dating apps.
This segment has shown promise and is only expected to grow in doubles and quadruples. Create an app like Tinder is now easier if you hire the right developers and support team to do the job.
With so many online dating apps flooding the dating market, there is one that has achieved phenomenal success.
So, if you are aiming for the best, then Tinder is your benchmark. And there has never been a better time than now to create a dating app like Tinder.
Getting to Know Tinder
What made tinder famous Since the time the platform was made live, a significant single population has had it on their smartphones due to its revolutionary swipe right (like) and swipe left (dislike) feature. But there is a secret weapon that Tinder has – a gaming spirit.
By means of gamification, Tinder completely overcomes the stigma of online dating. And users simply love swiping and looking for their ideal match to date at the same time, undeniably, leading to the app’s increasing popularity.
Let’s look at statistics showing Tinder’s success:
Features in an App Like Tinder
The features of the dating app will generally determine your overall development and design cost. The top functionalities that you should definitely consider in your online dating app are as follows:
1) Logging In
The login process is pretty straightforward. It can be done using your phone number or Facebook.
Your basic user information is extracted by Tinder algorithms from Facebook which means that you can skip the conventional form-filling steps to create a profile.
2) Profiles
The app can import basic user information from your Facebook account, or you can also choose to do it manually. Add photos and short description and you are good to go.
Typically, you will need the following information to make your profile live:
- Age
- Location
- Brief description
- Mutual friends on Facebook
- Mutual interests
3) Location
The concept of tinder depends on connecting people on the basis of their present location. Therefore, proximity is absolutely vital. Therefore, geolocation in the app is an essential feature that Tinder uses to fetch the user’s location constantly.
4) Discovery Settings
Tinder allows users to adjust discovery settings by age, sex and distance. Even in the free version, a Tinder user can set a search radius of 10 miles.
5) Swipe
This functionality is a unique proposition that Tinder offers to its users. The idea behind the feature was to improve the process of searching for a date.
With the swipe right to like and left to dislike has made online dating easier and more entertaining.
6) Matchmaking
A match is possible, only if there is a mutual interest between users. Users can begin chatting when the match has been made.
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7) Real-Time Chat
A private chat becomes accessible as soon as users are matched. They can exchange messages, emojis and GIFs too.
8) Social Media Integration
Your dating profiles on Tinder can be seamlessly integrated with your Snapchat and Instagram accounts. This feature enables more interactions and conversations within the app.
9) Push Notifications
For a dating app, this is a must-have feature that makes sure that your users are engaged and are returning to the app often. With push notifications in place, users are alerted of new matches, messages and app updates.
Tinder App Features and Technologies in Use
The features discussed are functionalities that has more to them. Implementing them requires investment in terms of time and money.
Let’s look at them one by one.
1) Authorization and User Profile
Facebook authorization engine is what you should use when you consider to create an app similar to Tinder. An open authorization protocol like OAuth can be used to get it done.
With this implementation, the app does not save the login and password of the social media account but only uses the credentials to create a new account within the application.
Alternatively, using your phone number to login can also be done.
This step should be followed by an introduction to the app’s functionality with the assistance of a sliding tutorial.
Allow room for users to edit their profiles on the application and have the architecture to save the necessary records on the server side.
Tinder has the feature where users creating a web profile can use it beyond the Tinder app. This is something that you too can consider for your dating app.
2) App Settings and Notifications
In order to create the app convenient to use, Tinder allows an adjustment of settings. For instance, the user can enable or disable the notification alerts for new matches, receive messages, super likes and likes.
You can also adjust the distance of measurement as per your preference in miles or kilometres.
In addition to the usual adjustment of settings, Tinder allows specifics enabling and disabling of their discovery feature. This basically means it is up to you when prospective dates can look at your profile through search parameters like age and distance.
3) Geolocation and Communication
The actual foundation of a dating app of this standard is its geolocation feature. Without this functionality, there is very little use of this app as the purpose is to find matches within easy distances.
By integrating either of the Google / Apple Locations and Maps services, this feature can be implemented easily.
With the concept of mutual likes in play, Tinder users are able to chat with each other. This function is implemented via the RESTful API or through HTTP.
Integration with third party applications like Instagram is possible with profiles on Tinder. However, the Tinder content must not be showcased on these external applications in any format.
Monetizing the Application with In-App Purchases
Tinder, like a number of apps has a premium version where users can purchase a subscription to access more features. For any dating application, this can be achieved by integrating an In-app Billing API for Android applications and Store Kit framework for iOS.
Other than these key features and functionalities, you must consider essential elements like database structure, data access object (DAO) layer, Rest API, etc. when it comes to create an app like Tinder.
Techniques That Make Tinder-like App Popular
Even though the features in an app like Tinder may be quite simple. In fact, the fairly complex algorithms stay hidden from the users.
You need to consider these key points, while creating Tinder like app
- While there may be thousands of possible matches, users should be able to see only one individual at a time
- The profiles should be structured into different groups at the developer level so that each user can view people in a separate order
- Matches that are shown to users should be a mix of attractive and unattractive people in a non-repeatable frequency
- Algorithms should be in place to define who, when and to whom should be shown to create a match in applications like Tinder
Implementation of all these logics should be from the application’s server side which can be supported with backend comprising of PHP, .NET, Java, Python, or other server-side technologies.
Tinder App Design
The design element, though simple, has maintained a standard of quality which is one of the primary reasons why users are eager to be on Tinder.
Moreover, the user interface (UI) of Tinder is simple and easy to navigate, hence, more and more users like to spend time on it, as they find the app quite intuitive.
The placement of buttons on the app’s interface also ensures that the users get a highly rated user experience.
Therefore, the UI/UX should be one of the biggest investment outlays that you should plan for when your dating app is at its planning stage.
Creating an App Like Tinder: Development Team
The composition of your development team will determine the quality of your dating application. You need to pay attention to the location of your development team.
If you are thinking of a team based in Europe or USA, the cost of your project will be too high. However, Eastern Europe will cost you less.
So, if you want to build Tinder clone, the project team will consist of:
- 2 backend developers
- 1 designer
- 2 Android developers
- 2 iOS developers
- 1 project manager
- 1-2 QA engineers
Taking this into consideration, let’s find out how much it costs to create a dating app like Tinder.
Cost of Developing an App Like Tinder
With the features and functionalities outlined, you will be looking at a development time such as this:
- Authorization – 22 hours
- GPS location – 7 hours
- Settings – 60 hours
- User profile – 85 hours
- Matching functionality – 90 hours
- Notifications – 25 hours
- Communication – 125 hours
- 3rd party services integration – 30 hours
The above is applicable for both Android and iOS developers working on the basic functionalities of a dating application like Tinder.
Do bear in mind that it is not enough just to be aware of the development timelines of the application. You should be well-prepared to cover expenses, if the timelines extend which can add to your overall expenditures.
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Wrapping It Up
In the next few years, you are looking at a massive revolution in the dating app segment. This is because although there are significant players in the game, there has not been a definite unicorn yet.
While you look at incorporating all or a selection of these features, there must be something that sets your online dating app apart from the rest of the pack.
