Best dating apps in India: Tinder, Truly Madly, and more

For the longest time, online matchmaking in India was limited to various matrimonial websites. However, dating, casual or otherwise, has become less taboo and more commonplace over the years. This has also led to the steady growth of online dating apps that attempt to make it easier for you to find that special connection. From the globally popular to the apps created specifically for Indians, here is a roundup of some of the best dating apps in India!

See also: Best dating apps on Android

Tinder

Tinder is easily the most popular dating up in the world, and that remains true for the Indian market as well. You need a Facebook profile to get started, and once you have your profile set up with images and your preferences – distance, gender, and age range – you are ready to start swiping.

Tinder is actually one of the better options around if you aren’t looking to spend any money. However, there are a bunch of additional features that you can pay for to really get your profile out there. These include Boost, that makes yours the top profile in your area for half an hour, and Super Like, that lets the other person know that you have liked them.

You can also sign up for Tinder Plus. This gives you unlimited right swipes, one free Boost every month, the ability to see other users that have been active recently, and five extra Super Likes a month. You can also go back if you’ve accidentally swiped someone away and have the option to find matches in any city around the world. Of course, signing up for Tinder Plus also removes all ads.

Tinder Plus is priced at 650 rupees per month, with long-term plans allowing for discounts up to 50%. The 6-month plan will set you back 2,250 rupees (375 rupees per month), while the yearly plan is priced at 3,550 rupees (296 rupees per month). If you’re looking for dating apps in India that are universally used throughout other markets as well, Tinder is a great choice.

Truly Madly

Truly Madly is a dating app that is specifically for India and has proven to be a popular alternative to Tinder. You do need a Facebook or LinkedIn profile to sign up, but setting up a profile can be a bit of task. Apart from adding images, you can add up to five #adjectives to describe yourself, list your favorite movies, TV shows, music, and restaurants, and even add a short 15-second video.

The app does a better job of weeding out fake profiles with the use of the Trust Score, that gives you points for linking your Facebook account, LinkedIn account, a phone number, and an ID to verify who you are. You can also ask for recommendations from Facebook friends and other Truly Madly users to get your profile to stand out. If you don’t want to wait for a match, you also have the option to send a Spark, a personalized message you can send without needing a mutual like.

As good as the app is, the number of profiles you have access to as a free user is severely limited, so you’ll definitely have to pay to get the most out of it. Signing up for Truly Madly Select gives you access to double the number of profiles a day, your profile shows up as a priority, and you can complete an additional relationship quiz to stand out. Of course, all ads will be removed as well.

However, the Select service is pretty pricey, starting at 599 rupees per week, and going up to 1,196 rupees for 4 weeks (299 rupees per week), making it one of the more expensive options out there.

Woo

Woo is another Indian dating that goes far beyond the simple criteria of age and distance. Like Truly Madly, you can set up a profile by syncing your Facebook and/or LinkedIn information and add descriptive hashtags to describe who you are. There is a slew of other features as well, like an audio introduction and questions that other users can ask to get to know you better, even without a mutual match.

There is no profile limit per say, but you tend to run out after a while, with the list then refreshing only the next day. Subscribing to Woo Plus gives you access to skipped profiles and you can also see the who has visited your profile or asked you a question. The Plus subscription also unlocks Woo Globe, giving you access to profiles of people who live in other cities in India and around the globe.

A month-long subscription to Woo Plus is priced at 900 rupees, with more discounts available with long-term plans. The cheapest monthly rate is possible with the annual plan of 3,000 rupees (250 rupees per month).

Aisle

Aisle is a very different dating app from the others on the list, with finding the perfect match and long-term relationships the goal instead of casual dating or hookups. Aisle requires a Facebook or LinkedIn profile to log in. However, you then have to answer a really comprehensive 5-page long questionnaire.

Aisle guarantees no fake profiles with the fact that your submitted questionnaire is then verified by someone before you are approved to join. Aisle also doesn’t offer any free use beyond a short trial period, after which you have to pay if you do like another profile.

The price to send these invites isn’t cheap either, so you will have to be really serious about sending one. This ranges from 1,999 rupees for three invites, all the up to 3,999 rupees for seven. Aisle is definitely not for everybody and the company prides itself on its exclusivity. You are guaranteed to find some great profiles on it though.

Happn

While most dating apps use your location as a key criterion, Happn happens to bring that concept closer to home, quite literally. Or wherever it is that you tend to spend time outside your house. Basically, Happn matches you with other users you have crossed paths with after you sign up with a Facebook profile. It also tells you where and at what time this happened, which takes the guesswork out of it, but is also kind of creepy?

You can then send a secret like to these other profiles and you will connect with them if they like you back as well. A more direct approach is available by sending a “Hi” to get noticed. The number of Hi’s you can send a day is limited, and you will have to sign up for the premium service to send more.

Signing up for Happn Essential gives you access to not only more Hi’s a day, but you can also see who has secretly liked you. The premium service is priced at 790 rupees per month, with additional discounts available for long-term plans. The 3-month plan will set you back 1,900 rupees (633.33 rupees per month) and the 6-month plan is priced at 2,850 rupees (475 rupees per month).

Hinge

Hinge is a dating app that should be a lot more popular than it is. It does a great job of addressing the bot and fake profile issue by requiring an upload of at least six pictures and you also have to answer a series of any three (out of close to a hundred) questions to serve as the “about me.” All the info you add is laid out in a beautiful dating profile. While you can still look through other profiles, you will need to complete your own to match with someone.

You can sign up with your email address or phone number and then connect your Facebook and Instagram accounts. You have the option to set some preferences with the free version of the app, but a slew of advanced preferences are available with Preferred Membership. The monthly subscription also includes the ability to send unlimited likes, see everyone who likes you, and also get access to experts to get all your dating queries answered.

Preferred Membership is priced starting at $12.99 (~920 rupees) per month, with three-month and six-month subscriptions available at discounted rates of $20.99 (~1,485 rupees) and $29.99 (~2,120 rupees) respectively.

Badoo

Badoo is one of the world’s largest dating apps with more than 400 million users in 190 countries. It works a lot like Tinder, but with a more detailed selection of preferences and interests to help find the best match for you. You have the option to sign up with your email address, but connecting social media accounts and verifying your phone number and photos makes your profile more likely to be noticed.

A “near me” section lists all users close to you, while the regular like/reject section shows everyone in your city. Badoo also comes with a live stream section where you can start your own video chat and talk to users directly or join, watch, and send virtual gifts to other users that are live streaming around you. Live streaming earns you credits that you can spend on being listed at the top of the “near me” section, getting more visits, and showing others when you’re online.

Credits are priced starting at 90 rupees (~$1.3) for 100 credits, with discounts available when you buy higher credit amounts. You can also activate Badoo Premium to know who liked you, who added you as their favorite, chat with popular users, and enable an invisible mode. Badoo Premium is priced starting at 220 rupees (~$3) per week, with a lifetime subscription priced at 5,045 rupees (~$71).

OkCupid

OkCupid is another really popular dating app that has an ever-growing user base in India. Adding more to the mix than pictures and a self-summary, OkCupid asks a series of questions during setup to allow for a better selection of potential matches. The “double take” section works with the usual like/reject options, while the “discovery” tab lets you find profiles based on the particular preferences that you’ve selected.

Apart from a self-summary, you can add a lot of information to your profile, ranging from the last TV shows you binged to what your perfect day would be. You can also select “topics” to showcase your interests and further fine-tune potential matches.

You can buy Boosts to get more likes, priced at 140.14 rupees (~$2) per boost). You also sign up for the A-List, a monthly subscription that lets you see who likes you, fine tune your preferences, and get read message receipts, and remove ads. The Premium A-List also gives you a free boost per day and the ability to see everyone’s answers to the preference questions.

The OkCupid subscriptions are expensive though, with the A-List starting 1,407.79 rupees (~$20) per month, while the premium option sets you back 2,464.17 rupees (~$35) per month.

That’s it for this quick look at some of the best dating apps in India that are currently available!