Category: Hinge
Hinge Abandons Tinder Model
MASHABLE – Oct 11 – On Tuesday, Hinge relaunched from a free swiping app into a members-only app for $7/month. In addition to charging a fee — which CEO McLeod said helps users consider the app to be more of a commitment — Hinge has been completely redesigned. Mark Brooks, an online dating app consultant, said that Hinge’s team was smart to no longer compete with Tinder and other free apps. “There’s not much point in being a copycat. They need to be known for something, or they will end up not being known for anything,” Brooks said. “Going serious and paid is a bold move, and a good move. They won’t see as high traffic as Tinder, but I think they will see revenues, and users interested in meaningful relationships.”
The New “Serious Relationship” Hinge Costs $7/Month
Hinge Is Bashing Swipe Apps
Hinge Will Focus On Serious Relationships
TECH CRUNCH – Sep 27 – Dating app Hinge is launching an entirely new version of the app that will focus on serious relationships. The new app, built from the ground up, will go live on October 11, and it will be a paid app for all users. Hinge is ditching its old app and also the swipe feature.
Hinge CEO Is Not Afraid Of Making Big Changes
BUSINESS INSIDER – Sep 17 – When Hinge was floundering in 2012, Justin McLeod spent $25k on a huge 2,000-person launch party to kick-start its growth. The company only had $32k left in the bank at the time. It worked. Now McLeod hopes another big bet can save Hinge. The app is bleeding users and has plummeted to a 1.5-star rating as McLeod and his team has been working on something totally new. The new product will be unveiled this week.
by Nathan McAlone & Biz Carson
See full article at Business Insider
Tinder Is The Darling Of The Press
OPW – Feb 23 – The press just loves Tinder. In our "Best And Worst Press Coverage" overview, Tinder was the absolute winner in 2015. The mobile dating app appeared in the news on a daily basis with mainly positive press hits (except when CEO Sean Rad was interviewed;).
Here is the list of dating sites/app with best press coverage:
- Tinder
- Match.com
- eHarmony
- Grindr
- POF
- OKCupid
- Happn
- Bumble
- The Grade
- Hinge
The worst press coverage:
On the other site, for AshleyMadison 2015 was an exceptionally horrendous year. The site was hacked, members data was leaked online, and lawsuits followed; without a doubt AshleyMadison was the company with the worst press coverage of all.
Hinge May Start Charging Users As It Zeroes In On Serious Dating
TECH CRUNCH – Feb 19 – Hinge is undergoing a huge makeover, ditching the swipe mechanic and adding a paid subscription layer to ensure folks who use it are there "for the right reasons". There's no word on when Hinge plans to roll out this new, more expensive version of its app.
Young Adults Swipe Right On Tinder
ASSOCIATED PRESS – Feb 12 – Young adults, ages 18 to 24, traditionally haven't been big online daters. Tinder and rivals such as Hinge are changing the dynamics. In 2013, only 10% in that age group used online dating. That rose to 27% in the latest Pew study. Tinder says half of its users are ages 18 to 24, while 85% are 18 to 34.
by Tali Arbel
See full article at Chicago Tribune
When Cupid Is A Prying Journalist
We just came across this story and thought it would make a nice weekend post. Justin started Hinge prior to Tinder. He has some changes in the works. One to watch. Here's his heartfelt story.
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NYTIMES – Nov 26 – Once Deborah Copaken interviewed Justin McLeod, founder of Hinge. Her last question was: "Have you ever been in love?" "Yes," he answered. "But I didn't realize it until it was too late." Her name was Kate. They were college sweethearts. He kept breaking her heart. She was now living abroad, engaged to someone else. "You have to tell her," Deborah said to Justin, and she told him her story of the boy she had loved just before meeting her husband. Three months later, he invited Deborah to lunch. The article she wrote about him and his company had generated interest in his app, and he wanted to thank her. Kate joined as well. Kate was to be married in a month when Justin contacted her. Three days later, she moved out of the apartment she had been sharing with her fiancé and is now living with Justin.