What Is an Online Dating Free Membership? How “Free” Has Changed Over the Years

Until recently, I’d thought paid dating apps weren’t really for me — and I didn’t personally know anyone who had gotten one. Or so I thought. 

Then I went on a date with a guy who had been paying for the premium subscription of Hinge (the dating app where we’d met). He said without it, he wouldn’t have managed to go on nearly as many dates. He explained that with only the free membership to the app, he’d felt powerless to stand out and ended up upgrading to the paid subscription so that he could send more Likes and Roses to prospective dates — myself included.

Free dating memberships offer basic features to get users interested in online dating. Messaging isn’t always part of the deal.

Truthfully (and there’s no way of saying this without pissing someone off), I didn’t relate to his experience because I get plenty of matches — and I know that, as a woman, I’m not the only one. 

Women, on average, have about a 10.5% match rate on dating apps, compared to about 0.6% for men. This doesn’t necessarily mean that women have it easier than men. Women have a filtering problem, while men have a getting-attention problem. Studies show that 70% of online dating accounts are male, and men swipe right more frequently than women do, but that’s a story for another time.

My point is that free online dating profiles don’t always get the job done, and the very nature of the free membership is changing in the industry to meet user demand.

In this comprehensive article, we’re going to unpack what it means to have a free membership and how they’ve evolved over the past two or so decades. Keep reading to get the whole scoop — the good, the bad, and the money-hungry. 

How Free Dating App Memberships Work

At first glance, a free dating app membership is probably exactly what you’d think: a subscription to an online dating service where users can join without paying. 

The specifics will look different from platform to platform. Generally, free users will be granted access to the baseline features of the app. You should expect the ability to:

• create a profile
• send likes or winks
• browse matches
• send limited messages
• be alerted about new matches

Let’s break these features down a little more, shall we? 

Profile Creation & Customization

Think of this in the same way that you’d think about setting up a profile on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook — with a focus on showcasing your most valuable assets (take that for what you will) as a romantic partner. 

Sending Initial Interest

Some dating apps have moved beyond the basic swiping mechanism as a way to indicate interest. Free users might have the ability to send likes, winks, or even virtual roses before matching with a person.

You can consider this as a way of going above and beyond to show just how keen you are on striking up a conversation.

Limited Messaging

Once you’ve made a match, it’s time to get flirting. Many apps will allow you to send messages to each other without having to pay anything extra, but, at some point, you may hit a wall. In other words, you’ll be prompted to upgrade your subscription to continue the conversation. 

Viewing Profiles

Certain apps may allow you to search by various filters, such as location, interests, age, etc. — but that doesn’t mean they’ll show you everything that comes up. Again, you may be confronted with that oh-so-pesky paywall. 

Match Recommendations

If you haven’t picked up on this already, dating apps love a little tease. Hinge, for example, will show me a list of Standouts on my feed every day. These are singles that the Hinge algorithm has predicted will be most “my type.”

This is great and all, but you must send a Rose to interact with them. And after you send that Rose, you’re out for the count. (In other words, you’ve reached your limit, and you have to wait until the next day to send anymore). 

The Role of Free & Freemium Offers

As online dating has permeated into the deep cracks of our modern society, the role that dating subscriptions have played in our lives, as well as how they take form, has grown and changed. What likely won’t change, however, is the availability of free memberships. 

Accessibility for All

At the end of the day, are these free memberships just another part of a big tech company’s marketing funnel? Well, of course. Companies are trying to make money, at the end of the day, and giving users a bit of a trial run (to show them what they could be missing) is the most effective way to do it. 

Regardless, free memberships serve as great equalizers in the online dating world. Anyone with a smartphone — or access to a computer — can create an account and start their online search for love.

Typically all you need to join a free dating app is:

• A first name
• An email address or phone number
• A photo

Text verification sometimes comes into play, or you might be asked to add your Facebook or Instagram profile to verify your photos or dating profile information. But generally a free membership doesn’t ask all that much of users.

If you’re hesitant about entering the online dating game after years of meeting partners organically, or you’re working with a tight budget, these free memberships are an ideal way to work toward your goal: finding your next partner, wedding date, or one-night stand. 

Gatekeeping vs. Inclusion

As I’ve already touched on, online dating has its limits, and it doesn’t work equally well for everyone.

Free dating sites are often free-for-alls when it comes to user quality and verification. Paywalls may frustrate users, but they keep out a lot of unsavory people who could just as easily hop on a free app to find potential victims.

Tech companies want your free membership to be like the free artisan cheese samples they pass out at Trader Joe’s: tasty, but not quite enough to satisfy. 

Knowing this information won’t exactly change anything about how the apps operate, but it may bring a little more awareness to your approach as you navigate the digital love landscape. 

Incentives for Upgrading 

Every app’s offerings will look different, but the idea is once you start paying more for your online dating membership, you gain access to exclusive features designed to move you further along in your love-seeking process. This could look like unlocking unlimited messages, advanced search filters, or more likes or Roses to hand out. 

The Evolution of Free Memberships in Online Dating

It’s not about the destination, it’s about the software updates you made along the way. Let’s take a look at the timeline of “free” dating app memberships and try to get a greater understanding of how they’ve evolved over the past few decades. 

Early Days (Late 1990s – Early 2000s)

There are two major differences between online dating in the 90s/2000s and now. For starters, it was a lot more taboo. I don’t know who I thought I was to be this judgmental , but even as a seven-year-old girl, I remember seeing commercials for eharmony and thinking, “Who would ever do that?”  

Secondly, the “free” aspect of these online subscriptions was a lot less “free” than it is now. On these fresh-off-the-market online platforms, a “free” subscription would really just get you access to a list of matches with a name, age, and blurred profile picture. If you wanted to see who these future boo-thangs might be, you had to (surprise, surprise) upgrade to paid membership. No messaging, no “likes,” nothing. 

This is likely a testament to the low number of users on these sites at the time. (Hey, they had to make money somehow). 

The Rise of Freemium Models (Mid-2000s – Early 2010s)

Once online dating got promoted from “cringe” to “mildly tolerable,” the limited capacity of a site’s “free” membership started to change. Dating platforms like OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and Tinder launched onto the scene and began offering something that the platforms that came before them had not: a free-to-use model. 

In this new model, you could now browse matches, like profiles, and send flirty introductory messages without paying a single dime. Although there were still limitations to these features (such as caps on likes and messages), this gave online singles a heck of a lot more to work with. 

Another new feature that emerged? In-app purchases. For example, if you ran out of likes and wanted to send more, you could purchase one (or a bundle) for an extra cost — but you could do it without upgrading your membership. In other words, you can throw in a couple of one-offs to get more visibility. 

The Mobile Dating Revolution (2010s)

Even people who have never used an online dating app know what Tinder is. This is a testament to how revolutionary this “app with the fire emoji” has been for singles everywhere. Not only has the app popularized the swiping method of searching for matches (and, in doing so, completely gamified the dating process), but it’s also turned the free-to-use membership model into an industry standard. 

As a result — because, as I keep saying, companies have to make money somehow — advertisements and pop-ups became a staple experience while using free memberships, making the search for local cuties feel strangely similar to watching cable television. 

On the consumer side of things, we have this era to thank for the dating app’s advanced matchmaking algorithms. Now, a platform’s ability to present local cuties who share more than just the same zip code as you (we’re talking interests, lifestyle, and dating goals) has seen improvements as well. 

Modern Trends and Shifts (2020s – Present)

Dating apps are now the number one way that new couples meet. For many of us, the popularity of this method of making love connections is great not only romantically but also financially. The increased competition between platforms has led to more generous memberships, with some of them now offering free accounts with almost full functionality. 

Building on my last point, you can imagine that this doesn’t come without a different kind of price: a tiny slice of your sanity. Now, to incentivize users to upgrade to paid memberships, many free accounts come with more ads, which range anywhere from “mild nuisance” to “dealbreaker,” depending on your level of patience. 

The last couple of years in the online dating space have also brought forth some much-needed nuance.

People of different sexualities, religions, economic classes, and even kinks have sought spaces tailored just for them, and tech companies have, luckily, come through. Feeld, Pure, Grindr, and BLK have thrived by putting niche interests at the forefront.

Lastly, and unsurprisingly, this era of online dating has been characterized by a rise in user behavior analytics. In other words, these dating apps (whether you’re aware of it or not) are tracking what sites you go to, what kind of products you’ve been thinking of buying, and even the kind of perfume you bought two Aprils ago — then using this data to show you targeted ads while you search for matches. A little scary, but, honestly, sometimes helpful. 

Advantages and Disadvantages

Sharing the full scope of what you’re getting into when you venture into online dating isn’t about scaring you, it’s about equipping you with the tools to navigate this strange, new world with confidence. This information won’t guarantee you success, but at least there won’t be any (or, maybe, many) surprises. 

Advantages

Everyone likes free stuff, right? I can’t deny a free membership has some upsides for users.

• Low Risk: The best part about free online dating apps is that they’re about as low risk as it gets. Even if you try an app out for a month and get zero dates, the worst you can walk away with is a bruised ego — and, for some, that’s better than a bruised wallet. 
• Access to a Large Pool of Potential Matches: Thankfully, this isn’t the 1990s anymore. Most free memberships will give you access to a substantial pool of local singles without first teasing you with those dreaded (and completely unhelpful) blurred photos. 
• Learning Curve: Getting familiarized with any new technology can be tricky, and having a financial investment only makes it worse. Free memberships allow you to dip your toes in, get a feel for the space, and practice using the features before committing to a monthly payment that may or may not result in the desired outcome. 
• Flexibility: Just like your dating goals will fluctuate, so can your dating apps. The flexibility of these free memberships allows you to continue along with $0 down, or level up your cash investment if/when you want to start getting more serious in your search. 

Disadvantages

That old saying “there’s no such thing a free lunch definitely applies to online dating. You’re not paying for the service, but it will cost you in some way.

• Limited Communication: Depending on the platform, you may come across limits in the chat window. There may be caps on messages, likes, and other forms of communication. This can make the search for a partner a bit slower than preferred. Sometimes it’s downright discouraging. 
• Match Visibility: Dating app designers want to help you out, but they don’t want to help that much. At the end of the day, these algorithms are designed to ensure that free users don’t get as many privileges as paid users do. Free profiles may not get as much visibility as paid ones. 
• Advertisements: Throwing this in here again for emphasis: As a free member, you have to anticipate that you’ll likely be confronted with ads during your daily swipe session. I’ve personally gotten used to it at this point, but if it’s making you want to throw your phone at the wall, the apps have done what they’ve set out to do. 
• Frustration and Inactivity: Dating app experiences vary, and free memberships just don’t work for everyone. If you’re older or male, you may come up empty without investing in a paid account. Not getting a lot of likes or messages can lead to users feeling frustrated and, eventually, ditching their efforts altogether. 

How the Online Dating Market Is Changing

The world of online dating technology is in a state of constant evolution, thanks to societal shifts in dating attitudes, user demand, and fierce competition.  

Competitive Landscape

To keep their heads above water, various dating app organizations have needed to search for ways to standout among the crowd. Offering free memberships simply isn’t cutting it as a differentiation tactic, so companies are opting for the creation of niche spaces for niche audiences — Grindr (for gay men), HER (for lesbians), and Raya (for the rich and famous), to name a few.

The Impact of Data Privacy

As we’ve touched on briefly, all of this new “free”-ness isn’t as “free” as you think it is. In order for tech companies to afford to offer so many features without paid subscriptions, they lean on monetization through data collection.

In other words, companies pay these platforms for access to your user data. Why? So they can use it to pay for ads for their own products, which you’ll come across as you scroll through TikTok, hop on Facebook, or embark on a Google search. 

Recent privacy laws (for example, the GDPR and CCPA) have been working to better regulate this access to user data. However, considering how tech companies have managed to bend the rules in the past, I wouldn’t be so confident in these laws sticking. 

The Future of Free Memberships

Although it seems that dating apps have pulled out all the stops to attract more users, I think it’s fair to assume that this is just the beginning. Platforms will likely incorporate more “teasers” of premium-like features to encourage users to take the next step from “free” to “invested” — perhaps what we may call a “hybrid” model. 

Additionally, tech experts predict that matchmaking algorithms will only become more fine-tuned, presenting users with compatible singles based on swiping behaviors and other personal details — similarly to what they do now, but with more efficiency. 

What You Need to Know Before You Sign Up

As someone who’s been in the online dating game for years, I can say that venturing down this path is not for the weak — free membership or not. So, before you embark on this journey of love and war, I want to equip you with a few more nuggets of knowledge.

Tips for New Users

Even if you join as a free member, you’re still spending your valuable time and energy by committing to the process. That said, if you want to make the most out of your online experience, I suggest you be intentional about how you use the free features that you have.

One of the most important features, of course, is the dating profile. Your first impression depends on it.

Be purposeful with every word you write in your profile. Focus on what makes you different from all the other fish in the online dating sea. Talk about your interests and goals, and then upload photos that show different sides of your personality. Avoid group shots or pictures where your face is hidden.

Pay attention to the details and take advantage of written profile prompts, messaging, video calls, and icebreaker games. Again, every platform will be different, but most of the good ones will offer some sort of communication feature along those lines. 

You may get to a point where you consider upgrading to a paid membership. Perhaps you’re frustrated with the limited messaging, or maybe you haven’t encountered anyone who’s as serious about finding a partner as you are. 

If you really feel like you’ve put your best foot forward (i.e. you’ve used all of your engagement tools effectively, you’ve put together an appealing profile, and you’ve stayed on top of your message threads), it may be time to take the financial leap. You could always try for one to three months and then cancel! 

Free vs. Paid Memberships

Ideally, the point of upgrading to a paid membership is to minimize the time, effort, and stress standing between you and your next date. You get some extra goodies to help you along the way to a romantic connection. Let’s use Hinge as an example.

Hinge (Free subscription)

• Profile features:
  • Create and customize a profile.
  • Swipe through potential matches.
  • Send up to 8 “likes” per day. 
• Engagement features:
  • Message people who have liked you first. 
  • View mutual matches (but have to do so one at a time).
• Matchmaking:
  • Receive mutual matches based on limited preferences (gender, location, age range, maximum distance, ethnicity, religion). 

Hinge+ (Premium subscription for $32.99/month)

• Engagement features:
  • Send unlimited likes. 
• Advanced matchmaking features:
  • Can search based on preferences on preferences such as height, family plans, political views, education level, drug use, and more. 
  • Can view all of those who have liked your profile (without having to swipe through them one at a time).
  • Can view (and match with) singles in different parts of the world.
• Visibility features:
  • Profile is boosted to a higher degree than for free members.

All-in-all, the unlimited likes, advanced search filters, and boosted profile traffic are designed to expand your dating pool and get your profile on the screens of as many high-quality, compatible matches as possible. 

Read the Fine Print When Looking at Free Memberships

First thing’s first: We should give free dating app memberships their flowers. Thanks to them, millions upon millions of people have gained access to a massive dating pool that they would never have dipped their toes into otherwise. And in a world where people are feeling lonelier than ever before, this is huge. 

However, as with anything in the world of profits and revenue, we can never expect that a company is doing something purely out of the goodness of its nonexistent heart. Message caps, intrusive ads, and limited search preferences are just a few of many ways these organizations seek to draw you in, give you a taste, and leave you feeling you have little choice but to give them what they want: cold hard cash. 

Now, this isn’t to say that these upgrades won’t eventually lead you to the outcome you’re looking for — like my date, you might be mollified by more visibility, more interactions, and, of course, more dates. But it is up to you to decide what makes the most sense for your dating journey. This means doing your research, exploring different platforms, and deciding how valuable each one of their premium features is to you before hitting Purchase. 

Ultimately, the question becomes: “Is ‘free’ good enough?”