I have deleted and re-downloaded Tinder more times than my fingers can count.
I think the problem I have with Tinder is it is the same pool of people every time I re-download and it’s not as straightforward as other apps. If you’re looking for a relationship, Hinge. If you’re LGBQ+ looking for a hookup, Grindr.
Tinder is such a mixed bag that you never know what you’re going to find. However, their Tinder Gold service tries to do some of the digging for you.
Tinder Gold boasts exclusive features for its customers such as “Passport,” which allows you to view profiles from anywhere in the world, “Top Picks,” which allows users to browse ten potential matches that Tinder thinks you will like, and it also offers the ability to see who has swiped right for you before you swipe on them.
Coming in at a steep €16.49 for one month, I decided to invest in my love life in a digital way in honour of level five disrupting the dating game for what feels like the millionth time this year.
I wanted to like it. I really did. But unfortunately, for the price, I was not impressed.
The “Passport,” function is something that probably works wonderfully in a pre-covid world. It allows you to meet people all over the world and throw the net out further afield in the dating sphere. It is the kind of function that would be perfect for people that are traveling and trying to meet people prior to jetting off, and I know friends of mine that have used it for that very purpose and with great success.
If you’re planning your year abroad and trying to meet people before your feet hit the ground or you are looking to test the waters in a different city, “Passport,” makes sense and earns its value.
However, we aren’t moving anywhere fast this year. It sort of seems redundant given the times that we’re in and seeing as it had no purpose as far as I’m concerned, it has no value.
Then there’s “Top Picks”.
“Top Picks,” accentuates the shallowest aspect of Tinder in that your “Top Picks,” of the day is updated every 24 hours with who Tinder believes are the most good-looking men in your area. To be honest, I kinda love it. If you don’t care to go through the bother of swiping to find men and just want a quick look, top picks do all the searching for you.
My only gripe with it is it gives you a peak at six extra matches and if you want to swipe right on those, it’s going to cost you another 22c each. Considering the fact that they’ve already grabbed €16.49 off of you for the month, it’s a little cheeky to go looking for more for a feature you’ve already paid for. Especially since you don’t know if they will swipe right on you.
Finally, there’s the “Likes,” feature which is honestly what made me want to try it in the first place. Upon downloading I found I had 4,000 likes waiting for review which was the ego boost I never knew I needed. I think I accumulated these over the last year, and it was full of the people that I either swiped left on by mistake (success!) or people that I wasn’t so into.
It has the same convenience quality as “Top Picks,” without the fine tuning – why wait to see if they matched with me when I can just go through the people that have already liked me? I liked this feature for this reason, and because I got to see which locals had liked my profile. It quenched my nosey-ness for a few evenings to say the least.
Overall, Tinder Gold is great for having a nose at who has liked you and who Tinder believes would be a good match for you, which makes the experience feel like less of a chore. It also allows you to go back if you swipe left on a match by mistake which comes in handy.
But is it worth €16.49? God, no. The novelty wore off quicker than I thought it could. I personally don’t think the value for money is there, especially considering the fact that features like “Boost,” which put you to the top of peoples’ decks for half an hour are not included. The premium allows you to see who likes you, but it’s on you to impress them after all.
Besides, anyone who uses Tinder knows that the matching is only the start of it. If their profile is gorgeous but they lack the charisma and charm to back it up, you’re back to swiping.