A pioneer in the online dating service, Tinder is one of the most widely-used apps for finding dates and relationships. Launched in 2012, the app has quickly gained a huge user base, with over 57 million users, and introduced the “swiping culture”. And not only does the swiping system is pretty cool, but Tinder’s matching algorithm is also pretty great, helping people find a person based on their interests and preferences.
What’s also great – Tinder is free to download for both iOS and Android users. After that, you follow a simple registration process that requires a valid phone number to prove that you’re a real person.
You automatically start as a basic user, and while using the free version, you can only get 50 free swipes per day without being locked out. And if you want more features there is an option to upgrade your plan.
There are three paid subscription packages: Tinder Gold, Tinder Plus, and Tinder Platinum premium subscription, with different costs and respective features
But here’s the thing – do you really need to upgrade? Or is a free Tinder subscription enough for you to find a good match! We’ve decided to sort it out, and finally decide which Tinder option would be more practical – free vs. paid?
As Tinder doesn’t impose any major limitations to free users, buying one of the 3 Tinder subscription plans is completely your choice. The whole app is available for free to all users, including swiping, communication, and other browsing options.
But with the Tinder Premium packs, you get several features that will help boost your profile and make your search for love a lot easier.
So let’s see what Tinder Premium provides!
The two profile boosters of the app bring your account to the top for matching users, to increase the chance of finding a match. To be specific, the Boost feature puts your account on top of the queue for 30 minutes letting more people view it quickly. The Super Boost is one of the best Tinder hacks for you to be put at first to increase viewership amongst potential matches. In fact, with the Super Boost feature, the chances of matches increase by 100 times during peak hours.
There is one available Super-Like every day for free users, but you need to subscribe to one of the three paid subscriptions to avail of more. The blue star icon on profiles in Tinder subscription makes you stand out from other accounts in the queue and lets the user know that you’re interested.
Since Tinder uses geolocation to find you matches, so if you’re interested in connecting with people away from you or from around the world, you can specify your location preference. The Swipe Around The World feature lets you find people even from the other side of the world for an extensive area preference.
With the addictive swipe feature, it’s quite easy to swipe left or right by mistake on some profiles. So if you happened to accidentally swipe the wrong person, you can use the option to go back to the previous profile and undo your left swipe and express interest again.
The Tinder Premium algorithm is well-known for its match-making, and the top picks section gives you the profiles that can potentially develop into your ideal partners. The top candidates, especially suited for you, are mentioned here and mostly match your preferences and specifications.
The Traveler Alert feature makes the app a safe and secure platform for LGBTQ+ community members. While mentioning your sexual orientation, the app notifies the members when they travel to countries where they might get penalized or even worse.
The users can temporarily hide their profile or keep it visible, in which case their sexual orientation and gender identity will be hidden until they leave the place.
Tinder has integrated its platform with the personal safety app Noonlight with a panic button built in the app. The app lets users share details, including location and time to alert contacts during emergencies. However, this feature is only available only for US members.
Tinder Premium uses visual verification with real-time selfies to prevent catfishing and prevent any scam or fake profile. Initially launched in Japan, the ID verification is a voluntary option to make sure users are above 18.
There is a fun game on the app that you can participate in and choose your adventure from a story given. Your match suggestions here happen based on the similarity of decisions made. Passions let you choose 3-5 top favorite things from a list to highlight on your profile, thereby attracting more users with similar interests and hobbies.
Made especially for university students, Tinder U lets you restrict connections and keep matches within the campus. There is an option to integrate among other schools and colleges as well.
Tinder Premium users can purchase packs of 5, 10, or 20 to hide if they’ve read messages or not. By blocking certain phone numbers, accounts, and matches, you can prevent inappropriate or suspicious viewers and flag them if necessary.
The newest option on Tinder, Vibes, lets you answer a questionnaire to find compatibility regarding pop culture references. It facilitates a great conversation starter and helps you match quicker. The Are You Sure? AI on the app prompts a pop-up if an offensive message or media file has been detected. It is based on past reports and is still under development to ensure safety.
Under the Explore section on the app, you can find features like Hot Takes, Passport Mode, Swipe Night, Tinder U, etc. The Hot Takes option lets you have a conversation before having a match where both users need to pick from multiple choice answers. The event takes place every day between 6 PM and midnight.
To keep your personal/ dating life separated from your work you can click the briefcase icon to quickly switch from the Tinder desktop page to a sample project management tool with data graphs and statistics.
It is the free version of Tinder with only the essential features. There is a limitation on the number of swipes and Super-Likes, after which the app locks you out to come back after 12 hours. There isn’t any boost feature or the ones from the list mentioned above. There are a couple of add-ons you can purchase separately in packs to enhance the usability of the free app.
The Tinder upgrade/ subscription pack is a great option for users who love the free version and use several add-on packs. It adds three main features to the free version of Tinder. You can get 5 Super Likes instead of one and an extra free boost each month.
You can avail of unlimited swipes and likes and browse through apps endlessly. Secondly, you can rewind the last swipe, which means if you mistakenly swiped left or right on someone, you can undo the mistake before swiping on the other person. It is beneficial for those who are absent-minded sometimes and go on swiping without checking the profile.
Another great thing that makes us agree that Tinder Plus worth it, is that you also get the Tinder Passport feature where you can change the location on the app and use Tinder to find matches when you are on vacation.
Tinder Plus needs a subscription of $9.99 per month (more details are written below), which is quite cheaper than when you need to buy the add-ons, which costs you almost $ 85 in the basic version of Tinder.
Other than that, the Plus has two different Tinder prices, and the cost depends on your age. You can only pay for this service one month at a time.
Adding to the benefits of Tinder Plus, Tinder Gold offers two additional and significant features as a distinction between the two. First, you can quickly know who swiped right on your profile. The other addition is that you can easily hide your location and age from others.
Like Tinder Plus, it has the unlimited likes feature and has 5 Super likes per day and one rewind per month. It also has the Tinder Passport feature to find people from around the world like the Tinder Plus.
It offers a few more features than Tinder Plus, but if you want a longer subscription, it could cost as little as Tinder Plus. Moreover, Tinder Gold’s cost does not depend on the age of the user.
It is the newest subscription that Tinder introduced this year. This package has two unique features – Messages Before Matching and Prioritized Likes. These two features allow you to get more matches on Tinder.
In the message before the Matching feature, Tinder allows you to send one message to the profile you have liked. This message introduces you as a person adding to the pictures in your profile, boosting your chances of success.
The second Tinder Platinum feature includes the Priority Likes feature. It means that if you have swiped right on someone, they will be able to see your profile at the top list before the non-subscribers (people who do not have Tinder Platinum).
The age-based payment makes it convenient for users under 30 as they have to pay less. Tinder Platinum is a new launch, only available in certain countries.
Tinder Platinum costs:
The cost for Tinder Platinum changes once you buy the subscription, and it may differ for someone under 30.
While Platinum is a recent package and has two new features, Tinder Platinum includes many more functions and gives a lot more access to the user. Apart from the Tinder prices of these two packages, the difference between Tinder Gold and Tinder Platinum is to message before getting matched and prioritized likes (Priority Likes).
A comparison table between Tinder Platinum and Tinder Gold is given below:
Tinder Gold | Tinder Platinum |
You can hide your age and location | You can hide your age and location |
Five super Likes every day | Five super Likes every day |
Unlimited Likes | Unlimited Likes |
Unlimited Rewind | Unlimited Rewind |
One boost per month | One boost per month |
No advertisements | No advertisements |
Tinder Passport feature | Tinder Passport feature |
See who liked your profile | See who liked your profile |
– | Priority Likes |
Costs $29.99 per month | Costs $39.99 per month |
Tinder Plus has all the features that Tinder Gold has except for the two options added in Gold.
Tinder Plus has five super likes per month and unlimited likes and rewind; both the packages get one boost per month and have no advertisements. The Tinder passport feature allows users to change their location and find matches when they are on vacation or out of town. This feature is available in both subscription packages.
The options which are included in Gold and not in Tinder Plus is the one that allows you to view who looked through your profile and who liked it. Another feature, included in the Gold Subscription Package, is that you get full access to the Top Picks feature of your profile.
Apart from this, the other difference between these two Tinder subscription packages is the cost. The Tinder Plus package costs around $ 9.99 per month, and the Gold Subscription Package costs about $ 29.99 per month.
A comparison table between Tinder Gold and Tinder Plus is given below.
Tinder Gold | Tinder Plus |
You can hide your age and location | You can hide your age and location |
Five super Likes every day | Five super Likes every day |
Unlimited Likes | Unlimited Likes |
Unlimited Rewind | Unlimited Rewind |
One boost per month | One boost per month |
No advertisements | No advertisements |
Tinder Passport feature | Tinder Passport feature |
See who liked your profile | See who liked your profile |
See who liked your profile | – |
Costs $29.99 per month | Costs $9.99 per month |
Here are a few tips you need when using Tinder. They are pretty easy to understand and are comprehensive:
Yes, once you match with a profile, it is free to message them. But to text users without a restriction on the number, and if you need to message users without having a match, you’ll have to upgrade to a paid Tinder subscription plan.
Tinder has several basic features, including swipes, likes, messages, and a Super like every day. The free package is great if you’re not in a rush, and it’s recommended that you try it out with a couple of add-ons before you get a Tinder Upgrade.
There are 3 Tinder premium plans you can choose from. They might look expensive at a glance but come with many features like Passport, Tinder U, Rewind, and other such options. The app offers no limitations on the number of swipes or messages, making every penny worth it.
Tinder is a well-trusted app for online dating and meeting new people. The free version is good enough if you’re not in a rush, but the premium plans are highly recommended. They roll in with additional features to enhance your experience, boost your profile, and get more matches on Tinder!
Samantha Miller is an expert who has been working in this field for a significant number of years. She uses her adventurous and easy-going nature to come up with quick solutions for common problems. Samantha's previous work experience as a volunteer assistant coach and camp counselor allows her to offer genuine, appropriate, and sensible support to her clients. Her specialty is managing anxiety and breakups.
Education
RH Certified Relationship Expert
Expertise
Dating, Relationships.