Benchmark: competitive analysis - imkarin/bloktech GitHub Wiki

Introduction

To get an idea of the current dating app field, I'll analyse some of the most popular dating apps at the moment. I'll look into the following points:

  • User intentions/goals
  • User (inter)actions
  • Pros and cons

Existing dating apps

First, an overview of the apps I'll be analysing:

1. e-Matching 2. Tinder 3. Inner circle 4. Parship 5. Happn

e-Matching

E-Matching is a dating site for people interested in serious relationships. The app is mainly used by (older) adults and has a fairly strict tone-of-voice. Registration is free, but there are several paid memberships.

User intentions/goals

  • Looking for long term relationships

User (inter)actions

  • Make an account/register
  • Fill in profile (name, age, photos, description)
  • Searching for people
  • Browsing through people
  • Looking at detailed profile pages (photos, description)
  • Upgrading/paying for membership
  • Liking, being liked and matching
  • Receiving messages
  • Sending messages

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free registration
  • Only people who are looking for something serious

Cons

  • You need a paid membership for most of the functionalities

Tinder

Tinder is a free dating app mainly focused on a young-adult audience. Most users are between 16 and 30 years old, and their intentions vary. The app is playful in interaction and design, and has a membership option that comes with extra functionalities.

User intentions/goals

  • Looking for fast dates
  • Looking for long term relationships
  • Looking for friendly relationships

User (inter)actions

  • Make an account/register
  • Fill in profile (name, age, photos, description, location, Spotify)
  • Swipe through people
  • Looking at detailed profile pages (photos, description, Spotify)
  • Upgrading/paying for membership
  • Liking, being liked and matching
  • Receiving messages
  • Sending messages

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Many users/people to choose match with
  • Suitable for different kinds of relationships
  • The app is free, the free version doesn't lack any basic functionalities

Cons

  • To get access to the full set of functionalities, you have to pay for a membership
  • Focuses a lot on physical appearance

Inner circle

Inner Circle is an invitation-only dating app that focuses a lot on successful, goodlooking people. Once invited, registration is free. The community organises many IRL events where people can meet face to face.

User intentions/goals

  • Looking for long term relationships
  • Meeting succesful/goodlooking individuals

User (inter)actions

  • Get an invitation
  • Make an account
  • Fill in profile (name, age, photos, description)
  • Browsing through people
  • Looking at detailed profile pages (photos, description)
  • Liking people's profiles
  • Attending IRL events
  • Receiving messages
  • Sending messages

Pros and cons

Pros

  • The invitation-only aspect only allows serious people to enter the app
  • Organised IRL events make it safe to meet up with others

Cons

  • You can't enter the community without an invitation

Parship

Parship is a dating community for serious relationships. It focuses a lot on personality, rather than appearance. Registration is paid and quite expensive.

User intentions/goals

  • Looking for serious relationships

User (inter)actions

  • Make an account/payment
  • Fill in profile (name, age, photos, description)
  • Fill in personality test
  • Browsing through people who match with your personality
  • Looking at detailed profile pages (photos, description)
  • Like people that you're interested in
  • Receiving messages
  • Sending messages

Pros and cons

Pros

  • All users have the same goals: looking for a serious relationship
  • You're not being judged solely based on your appearance

Cons

  • Registration is expensive
  • It's not proven that the personality test is valid

Happn

Happn lets people meet each other based on a shared location. When people have been nearby each other in real life, they will appear in each other's app, where they can chat. Registration seems free.

User intentions/goals

  • Looking for serious relationships
  • Looking for quick dates
  • Looking for friendly interaction

User (inter)actions

  • Make an account/register
  • Fill in profile (name, age, photos, description)
  • Browsing through people that you share a location with
  • Looking at detailed profile pages (photos, description)
  • Receiving messages
  • Sending messages

Pros and cons

Pros

  • You might immediately see the person you're talking to in real life
  • Free to use

Cons

  • Users can see you in real life

Conclusion

This research shows that people bond with each other based on different social aspects. Happn, for example, focuses on a shared location - while Parship looks at personality traits based on tests. A shared interest, hobby or other aspect seems to be the foundation for every match.

A subject that people often bond over is music: listening together, making music together, attending concerts and talking about artists - these are all good ways to get to know one another. The music someone listens to says something about whats on their mind and how they're feeling. This is why I'm making a dating app, where people get to meet each other based on a similar music tastes.