The 10 most important questions about Tinder

Since the app saw its launch in 2012, Tinder soon became one of the world's most famous dating apps. Tinder boasts more than 75 million monthly active users all over the world - but what are all these active users looking for anyway? We continually hear that there are numerous men and women who don't seem to be interested in a relationship at all.

So, what's the deal with the dating app that has made swiping socially acceptable and even has its own academy? Is it a reputable provider that lets you meet someone quickly, or at the end of the day is it just a waste of time swiping left and right?

Tinder is a science in its own way and is a source of controversy. Even in our editorial team, there are different opinions about the world-famous dating operator. To shed some light on the subject, we asked ourselves ten questions, which we will be answering in this article:

1. Is Tinder pointless?
2. Is Tinder really free?
3. Which target groups is Tinder suitable for?
4. When is one too old for Tinder?
5. What do women want to see on Tinder?
6. What do men want to see on Tinder?
7. Which men are really successful on Tinder?
8. Why don't women text back on Tinder?
9. What are women really looking for on Tinder?
10. Is Tinder still popular today

In the end, you should have all the relevant questions about Tinder answered and know if the app is right for you. Ready to get to the bottom of it and debunk the Tinder myth? Let's dive in!

1. Is Tinder pointless?

There's no general answer to this question. It always depends on what you hope for when using Tinder. There have even been studies conducted on the success rate. Norwegian researchers asked 269 Tinder members about their success. The results showed that the users had around 100 matches. A number that is quite respectable. However, only two dates resulted from the approximately 100 matches, which sounds sobering. Furthermore, the study, which was published in "Evolutionary Psychological Science", showed that more than half of them were unsuccessful within that period.

What could be the reason for this?

Tinder basically works on a very simple principle. Members are shown profiles, with a clear focus on the pictures. At first glance, a member decides whether he or she finds someone hot or not hot. And this is where many men fail, because they don't make any effort with their pictures. Blurred shots or pictures that directly show a whole group of people and invite to the search game. Whoever designs his profile in this way does not have to be surprised if he is swiped to the right and disappears from the scene.

Admittedly, the dating app's system may be quite superficial, but it can also work. If you make an effort, especially with the pictures, and hence make a good first impression, you increase the chances of being considered hot.

Matches (two members find each other hot) are the basis for being able to make contact on Tinder. And again, we hear from a lot of men in particular that they have matches but don't get responses. Rather than thinking about whether it might be their contact strategy, it's much easier in that case to blame the app. But we'll get to that later.

But is Tinder pointless or not?

Simply put: No - Tinder is by no means pointless, but rather a challenge. Since contact is only established after a match, you have to do your best when designing your profile. In addition, it is a question of intention, because not every Tinder member is looking for a romantic relationship. Some just want to have an erotic adventure or simply want validation and an ego boost.

2. Is Tinder really free?

In fact, Tinder is a dating app that you can use completely free of charge. With the basic membership, you have access to all the features that have made the app so world famous.

This includes the entire profile design, which is not just about uploading pictures. You can specify different interests, write a profile text, and even have the option of uploading short clips. The match function and the associated swiping are also among the features that the free membership provides. And yes, chatting is also possible without investing a dime in Tinder. As mentioned above, contact only works if there has been a match in advance.

Thus, with the free membership you have all the important functions, although there are of course also paid subscriptions, with which you can unlock even more possibilities. With a Plus membership, for example, you can change your decisions and take back the likes and dislikes you've given out. With the platinum version, you don't even need to have matches anymore to send messages to contacts on Tinder.

To get a rough overview and try out the app at your leisure, even the free basic membership is enough.

3. Which target group is Tinder suitable for?

Is Tinder more suitable for the younger generation or is it a dating app where different age groups cavort? To answer this question, take a quick look at the cost structure of the world-famous app.

Here, it quickly becomes apparent that the operator tends to cater to the younger crowd. Why? Because members under 28 save handsomely, and those who have already cracked 28 have to dig deeper into their pockets.

Age discrimination on Tinder?

Since the app basically provides all functions free of charge, there is no question of age discrimination. After all, members over 28 don't have to resort to a paid subscription to use the features. After all, Plus, Gold, and Platinum are all about unlocking useful gadgets anyway, which includes a profile boost.

Nevertheless, the younger target group tends to congregate on the app. The majority of members are in the 18 to 25 age bracket. There are also over-30 members, but the field thins out beyond that.

This is probably due to the fact that the app does not enjoy the reputation of being the perfect place to find a romantic partner. Many members want to let off steam or merely hope to receive many likes and thus confirmation.

But...

4. When is one too old for Tinder?

Okay, the app may be aimed primarily at a younger target group. But is there a certain age at which signing up is pointless?

In reality, you can still try your luck on Tinder when you're over 40. Especially women who are mainly interested in flirting or uncomplicated arrangements should have an easy time here. Many younger men use this opportunity to seek contact with so-called "MILFs". So, if a woman of an older age registers, it may well happen that she can hardly save herself from Likes.

And how does it look with the men?

As a man, on the other hand, it becomes much more difficult to have a chance of success after a certain age. Anyone who is really looking for a partner here from the middle of 45 must definitely be able to convince people of their worth.

5. What do women want to see on Tinder?

First of all, a disappointment for a large part of the men's world: No, these are not the popular dick pics that currently seem to be in vogue.

If not that, then what?

Even in 2018, a study by the University of Ghent already dealt with this topic. It came out that 91 percent of the women surveyed do not only pay attention to the appearance. Career status was also important to them in their decision-making process. Consequently, they were more interested in men who, in addition to nice pictures, also had something to show professionally.

But what else do the women want to see? Naked torsos?

Indeed, the six-pack pictures don't seem to draw in many women at all. Rather, they say, it's pictures that show the man authentically and aren't too posed. So, snapshots from real life and pictures that show the complete man are far in front. But not only the gallery should be filled with care, because the profile description is also important for many women. Whoever proves his unimaginativeness here does not need to count on sparking even the slightest interest in the other person.

Women are also much more selective when it comes to swiping left. They first take a closer look at the profile and then decide.

And what about men?

6. What do men want to see on Tinder?

Men tend to be more simple-minded in this respect. While women don't like everyone, male members seem to like everything they see. This may be due in part to the fact that for many men, Tinder is still considered a dating app for erotic adventures.

Another possible reason is that the success rate for men is much lower than for women. While women have dozens of matches every day, many male members can count their weekly matches on one hand. So, it only makes sense to link indiscriminately and hope that more matches will come out of it. The principle of "quantity instead of quality" applies here. Accordingly, men seem to pay only peripheral attention to the content of the profiles and simply swipe on it for luck.

This raises the question...

7. Which men are really successful on Tinder?

Are there any men at all who have an above-average success rate on Tinder? You bet there are! "People" magazine even regularly awards the most beautiful 50 men on the dating app. And one of them is named Andy Mizrahi, who even spills the beans and reveals how he gets numerous likes.

As we have already found out above, successful men are already at an advantage. But there are other points that play into the cards of success. According to Mizrahi, the gallery should be a mix of different images. One with a nice smile, one with the complete body (dressed) and in the best case one with a pet.

But are a few pretty pictures enough?

Of course not! Since women who are seriously interested in dating will look at the complete profile, the description should also hit the spot. Hollow phrases are an absolute no-go here. Instead, the profile should include interests and hobbies and provide information about the person behind the account. Men who put a lot of effort into designing their profile increase their chances of success enormously.

And when it comes to a match?

If there is match, then things really get started. Here, many men fail because they seem desperate and are pushy. Asking for a number after just two messages is not a sign of interest, but of desperation - and that is anything but sexy. Being patient and showing interest in the woman are the keys to success here.

So, if you're convincing with a likeable profile, have something to show professionally and know how to behave in a chat, you can definitely date successfully on Tinder.

But...

8. Why don't women text back on Tinder?

"I have dozens of matches, but no woman replies to my messages," is a classic statement heard from many men. First the ladies liken, the man takes the initiative and then follows a radio silence. What could be the reason?

First of all, men should know that there are also many women on Tinder who are just looking for validation. They enjoy the attention they get from Likes and incoming messages. So, it doesn't always have to be your fault that you don't get a response. There are just women who push their ego in this way. 

But it could also be because you are simply writing boring messages. There are two numbers you need to keep in mind: 70 and 30, which represent the gender ratio of Tinder members in many countries. And you can probably guess - the 70 percent is the percentage of men who use the flirting app. So, as a man, you're entering a big competition and you have to stand out from the crowd.

For women, Tinder is like a candy store and for men, it's like an antique store. While they have free choice and receive dozens of messages daily after matches, men have to push the right buttons.

So, should you not get any responses, you should rethink your contact strategy. Maybe you don't respond to the profile enough or not at all and write only superficial stuff. Even if you belong to the "Hey, how are you?" faction, you shouldn't be surprised if you don't get a response.

Okay, got it! And.

9. What are women really looking for on Tinder?

One-night stands, hot flirtations or maybe true love after all? This question is a source of headaches for many men. But not only for men, but also for researchers. That's why the Norwegian University of Science and Technology conducted a study.

The result: neither relationship nor eroticism are the main reasons why women use Tinder. The main intention that leads to signing up is the desire for affirmation. According to the study, boosting self-confidence is one of the main reasons why women register on Tinder.

However, with more than 75 million male and female users worldwide, this result cannot be generalized. In fact, there are also women who use the dating app to meet men. Here, however, the reasons differ, because while some are only looking for one-night stands, others are really looking for a permanent partnership.

The bottom line is that the Tinder game is really extremely multifaceted and has not caused a lot of controversy in the past for nothing. But how does it look after ten years of Tinder?

10: Is Tinder still popular today?

More than ten years have passed since the dating app first appeared. But what about the app today, which is considered the inventor of swiping and has made sex dating an increasingly popular topic?

This is where the figures available on Tinder can help us. The dating app is represented in 190 countries and has a membership of more than 75 million users worldwide. Accordingly, Tinder is still one of the most popular and well-known providers when it comes to dating apps.

So even after ten years of Tinder, it is still worth signing up. However, the app no longer enjoys the reputation of being ideal for hot dates. If you are looking for interesting contacts, you should definitely check out the free features of the flirt app.

In summary

Many myths surround the world's leading dating app. While many men complain that the women don't respond, the ladies complain that the men don't make an effort - a real vicious circle. Still, it is still worth the try to sign up for Tinder and try your luck. It is important that men take their time and fill out their profiles. There should be appealing pictures here and information about interests and hobbies should be shared.

It's true: Women are definitely pickier and can afford to be. Especially because they only make up 30 percent of Tinder members in Germany and therefore have a much larger selection to choose from. The focus group is definitely defined by a younger audience, but that doesn't mean that signing up in your mid-30s isn't worth the effort.

As with other dating apps, it all depends on how you present yourself. However, we cannot deny that women in particular also like to use the app to get their regular dose of confirmation.