Study Reveals What Women Really Want On Tinder, Bumble, Hinge

We conducted the ultimate test of Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge.

Using dating apps can be tricky. You probably have many questions, such as “Which dating app is best for guys?” “Which dating site is best for serious relationships?” or “What are good Tinder conversation starters?”

From writing countless dating profiles and researching the psychology of online dating, we know what it feels like to be lost in the world of dating apps, especially as a guy. That’s why we decided to conduct a new study, answering these questions and more, with the goal of discovering what it is, exactly, that women want from men on dating apps.

In our study, we surveyed 100 women across the United States. All the women we surveyed were single, straight, and actively using dating apps. In this article, we share our findings and use them to answer some of your biggest questions about online dating.

Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge: Which is the Best Dating App for Guys?

Since long before dating apps were around, men have always wondered what exactly women want from them. What do women look for in a guy? What types of relationships are women really looking for? And, since online dating has become the norm, what types of relationships are women looking for across different dating apps?

We compared three of the most popular dating apps to discover what women want from guys on Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge. We asked straight women on each of these apps a variety of questions about why they use the app, how they behave on the app, and how they decide which guys to match with. Here’s what we found.

Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge: Are Women on There Looking for a Long-Term or Short-Term Relationship?

In general, across all three dating apps, 79% of women say they are looking for a long-term relationship, while a smaller 21% of women say they are looking for a short-term relationship.

Of the three apps, Bumble has the most women looking for a long-term relationship, with 86% saying they are seeking a long-term partner. Meanwhile, Tinder has the most women looking for a short-term relationship, with 27% saying they seek a short-term partner. Women on Hinge scored in between the women on Bumble and Tinder in their long-term vs. short-term dating intentions.

Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge: Are Women on There Using Dating Apps Seriously or Just for Fun?

How seriously are women using dating apps? Are women using the apps just for fun and attention, or actually to date?

Across dating apps, 65% of women say they use dating apps seriously and are actually looking to meet up with guys, while 35% of women say they are just using dating apps for fun and don’t plan on meeting up with anybody.

Bumble has the most women using the app seriously, with 77% of women on Bumble saying they’re looking to meet up with guys from the app. Meanwhile, Tinder has the most women using the app just for fun, with 43% of women on Tinder saying they don’t plan on meeting up with anybody from the app. Women on Hinge scored in between the women on Bumble and Tinder in terms of how seriously they use the app.

Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge: How Many Different Conversations Are Women Having on Each Dating App?

Another question we asked is, how many guys are women talking to at once on each dating app? Across dating apps, at any given time, the average woman is actively messaging 2-3 guys at once.

Women on Tinder have the most active conversations with multiple matches happening at any given time; women on Hinge have the fewest. Women on Bumble scored in the middle but were closer to the women on Tinder than on Hinge.

93% of women on Tinder and 91% on Bumble say they have an active conversation with more than one match at any given time. In contrast, only 58% of women on Hinge say they have an active conversation with more than one match at any time.

Does a Guy’s Dating Profile Pictures or Bio/Prompts Matter More?

Next, we wondered whether a guy’s dating profile photos or his written profile (his bio and/or prompts) matter the most for getting matches. Basically, what really makes women swipe right on a guy?

Here are the numbers:

Across dating apps, 48% of women say that they care more about a guy’s photos than his written profile (his bio and/or prompts), whereas 52% of women care more about a guy’s written profile than his photos.

Here's the comparison for Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge:

Out of all the apps, women on Tinder care most about a guy’s photos, with 55% of women on Tinder saying that a guy’s photos matter more than his bio.

Women on Bumble care most about how a guy writes his profile, with 64% of women on Bumble saying that a guy’s bio and prompts matter more than his photos.

Hinge was in between Tinder and Bumble, with women on this app putting a more even emphasis on guys’ photos and prompts.

As you can see, both components of the profile matter a lot, with a few points tipping the scale one way or the other, according to the app you're on. If you’re on Tinder, make sure you have good photos. If you’re in Bumble, spend more time writing a good profile.

What’s the Most Important Factor for Getting Matches on Dating Apps?

So, what makes women want to match with a guy on Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge?

Personality Matters Most

Across all of these dating apps, women say a man’s personality is the most important factor they consider in deciding whether or not to match with him. 51% of women say that they pay attention to what a guy’s personality seems like more than anything else about him.

If you think your personality is your most attractive feature, then Bumble may be the place for you. Women on Bumble care more about a man’s personality than women on either Tinder or Hinge, with 55% of women on Bumble saying that how a guy’s personality seems is the quality they value most in deciding whether to match with him.

Looks Are Second

Next to personality, a guy’s looks rank second, with 30% of women saying a man’s physical appearance is the most important factor they consider in deciding whether or not to match with him.

For looks, women turn to Tinder. Women on Tinder are most likely to care about a man’s physical appearance, with 34% of Tinder women saying a guy’s looks are the most important factor they consider in deciding to match with him. Bumble women care the least about looks, with only 18% of women on Bumble ranking physical appearance as the most important quality in a man. Women on Hinge scored in between these two ends.

Women Are Interested in Your Interests

In third place is a guy’s interests. Across all of the dating apps, 8% of women say the most important factor in deciding to match is what a man’s interests are.

If you think your interests are what makes you attractive to many women, then Bumble may be the place for you. Women on Bumble care more about a man’s interests than women on either Tinder or Hinge, with 14% of women on Bumble saying that what a guy’s interests are is the most important factor they consider in deciding whether or not to match with him.

Emotionally Available

Across Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, 7% of women say the most important factor in swiping is whether a man seems emotionally available.

Height, Job, and Wealth

Very few women (only 1-2%) said that a man’s height, job, or wealth is the most important thing about him in deciding whether to match.

The Best Opener on Tinder and Hinge

Now that we have some stats behind us and a better outlook on what women want across dating apps, let's discuss how to message women on Tinder and Hinge. What does it take for a man to get a reply from a match?

Once a woman has deemed your profile worthy of a match, it’s time to have that first conversation. For many, this is the most crucial part of determining whether this match will turn into an in-person date, a promising relationship, or just another missed opportunity.

Get to Know Her First

More than any other type of message you could send as your opener, the best message you could send is one that shows your match that you care about getting to know her. Our study discovered that 49% of women say that the best first message a guy could send on Tinder or Hinge is a message that shows a genuine interest in getting to know her.

Humor is Attractive

The second-best message to send a woman on dating apps is a funny one. We found that 44% of women say that the best first message a guy could send on Tinder or Hinge is a message that makes her laugh.

Don't Flirt Yet

Only 7% of women on Tinder or Hinge say that guys should send them a flirtatious opening message.

Length Matters

No, not *that* kind of length. The length of your opening message. Our study puts an end to the debate: How long should a Tinder opener be? How long should a Hinge opener be?

Most women on Tinder and Hinge say that the ideal length for a guy’s opening message is one sentence: a whopping 65% of women say a guy’s opener should be one sentence, no longer or shorter.

21% of women say a guy’s opener on Tinder and Hinge should be 2-3 sentences, and 12% say a guy’s opener should be just a few words.

Across the board, all women agree that a guy’s opener should never be longer than a few sentences.

Plainly put, women don’t want to read an essay in the first message from a guy.

Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge: How Many Messages Before Asking Out for a First Date?

Another critical step in any type of relationship is getting to the first date. How many messages does it take before you can safely ask a woman out on a date?

Across dating apps, on average, women say a guy should ask her out after she and he have exchanged around ten messages each. But our study revealed some significant differences across Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge.

More Messages on Tinder and Bumble, Fewer on Hinge

Women on Tinder want to exchange the most messages with a guy before agreeing to go on a date (between 10-20 messages each, on average). In fact, 68% of women on Tinder say a guy should wait until she and he have sent more than ten messages each on the app before asking her out. Similarly, 64% of women on Bumble say a guy should wait past ten messages each before asking her out.

Meanwhile, only 45% of women on Hinge say a guy should wait until she and he have sent more than ten messages before asking her out.

Women on Hinge want to be asked out sooner, after fewer messages (between 5-10 messages each, on average). On Hinge, 46% of women say a guy should ask her out after exchanging 5-10 messages, and 7% say to ask her out after only 3-4 messages.

Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge: Which is the Best Dating App for Getting Dates?

How many matches turn into a date on each dating app? Which dating app has the most success: Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge?

Across all three dating apps, on average, women say they end up going on a date with 5-10% of the guys they match with.

But our study revealed some significant differences across Tinder vs. Bumble vs. Hinge. Matches on Bumble are most likely to lead to dates, while matches on Hinge are least likely to lead to dates.

Women on Bumble say they end up going on a date with around 20% of the guys they match with. In contrast, women on Hinge go on a date with only around 5% of their matches.

Here’s another way of breaking down our data: We found that 32% of women on Bumble say they end up going on a date with more than 20% of the guys they match with. Meanwhile, only 10% of women on Hinge and only 9% of women on Tinder say they end up going on a date with more than 20% of the guys they match with.

What's the Best First Date?

What’s the best first date for Tinder dates, Bumble dates, and Hinge dates? What first date do women on dating apps want to go on?

1. Grab Coffee

Across all dating apps, most women say their ideal first date is coffee. We found that 39% of women on Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge say they want a guy to suggest coffee when he asks her out on the app.

2. Get Drinks

The next most popular first date of choice by women is drinks, with 22% of women saying drinks are ideal. Women on Hinge are more likely than Tinder or Bumble women to prefer grabbing drinks for a first date, with 26% of Hinge women saying drinks are their ideal first date.

3. Have Lunch

The third most popular first date preferred by women is to have lunch, with 17% of women saying that lunch is the ideal first date.

4. Have Dinner

The fourth most preferred first date activity by women is to have dinner, with 14% of women saying that dinner is the ideal first date. Interestingly, we found that women on Bumble are more likely than women on Tinder or Hinge to prefer having dinner as a first date, with 22% of women on Bumble saying dinner is their ideal first date (only 9% of women on Tinder want dinner as a first date).

5. Go For a Walk

The fifth most popular first date of choice by women is to go for a walk, with 5% of women saying a walk is ideal. Women on Hinge are more likely than women on Tinder or Bumble to prefer going for a walk on a first date, with 10% of women on Hinge saying going for a walk would be their ideal first date (only 2% of women on Tinder and 5% on Bumble want to go for a walk as a first date).

Conclusion: What Do Women Want from Guys on Dating Apps?

When it comes to what women want, there are a few key points to keep in mind.

First, women don't want a long essay as an opener when messaging them on dating apps. Keep your opener to a sentence or two.

Second, on average, women say a guy should ask her out after she and he have exchanged around 10 messages each on a dating app. If you’re on Hinge, you can ask her out a little sooner, closer to five messages each.

Third, the percentage of matches that lead to actual dates varies depending on the app. Each match has the highest chance of leading to a date on Bumble and the lowest chance on Hinge.

Lastly, most women prefer a low-key first date, such as grabbing coffee or drinks. Some women would prefer to have lunch, have dinner, or go for a walk, but these preferences tend to be less common than the preference for coffee or drinks.

Ultimately, understanding what a woman wants can help you make a great impression and increase your chances of getting that coveted first date off a dating app. We hope this information can help you have more success with online dating.

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