Hinge: how the app works — price and profile

Hinge is the dating app for people who are tired of swiping. Instead of flicking past photos, you like something specific on a profile — a photo or an answer to a prompt — and ideally add a comment. That makes for better first messages than on Tinder, but it's still an app with millions of users, a subscription and an algorithm that decides who you see. Here's how Hinge works, what it costs, how to build a profile that gets replies — and who it isn't right for.

We run a dating platform ourselves, so we'll say it right away: Hinge is one of the best dating apps for exactly what it's built for. We'll also tell you when it isn't the right choice.

What is Hinge?

Hinge is an international dating app that markets itself as "designed to be deleted" — the app is made for you to find someone and delete it again. It's owned by Match Group, the same company as Tinder, and it's widely used in the US, especially in bigger cities and among people from their mid-20s to mid-40s.

The big difference from Tinder is that profiles are built around prompts and answers, and you don't swipe right on a whole person. You respond to one thing they've shown you. That forces both of you to actually engage with each other, and that's the whole idea.

How the Hinge app works

The profile: photos and prompts

A Hinge profile is made up of six photos (or videos) and three prompts — short questions you pick from a list and answer. For example, "The fastest way to my heart is …" or "We'll get along if …". On top of that, you fill in standard details like height, job, education, kids, and what you're looking for.

Likes and comments

When you see a profile, you can like a specific photo or a specific answer — and add a comment. The other person sees exactly what you liked and can choose to match. Only then can you message each other freely. Free users get a limited number of likes per day, so each like counts for more than a swipe.

Roses and Standouts

A Rose is Hinge's version of a Super Like: the other person gets notified, and you move up in their queue. You get a small number free every week and can buy more. Standouts is a daily list of profiles the algorithm considers especially relevant to you — usually you can only respond to them with a Rose.

The algorithm

Every day, Hinge shows you a profile it thinks is a particularly good fit ("Most Compatible"), and it learns from who you like and who likes you. After a date, the app also asks whether you actually met ("We Met") and uses the answer to adjust who you're shown. That's why your activity matters more on Hinge than on most other apps: if you like everyone, the algorithm learns nothing.

How much does Hinge cost?

Hinge is free to use. You can create a profile, like, match and message without paying. There are two paid tiers:

• Hinge+ — unlimited likes, see everyone who's liked you at once, and more filters (like politics, education, family plans).

• HingeX — everything in Hinge+, plus your profile is shown earlier to others and your likes are prioritized.

The price varies. It depends on the length of the subscription, whether you pay through the App Store, Google Play or directly, and on promotions — and it can change without notice. So check the current price in the app under Settings → Subscription before you compare it with other dating apps. As a rule of thumb, HingeX is significantly more expensive than Hinge+, and a six-month or yearly plan is cheaper per month than paying as you go.

Is it worth the money? Hinge+ makes the most sense if you live in a bigger city and run out of likes every day. If you live outside the big cities, the problem is rarely the number of likes — it's the number of profiles nearby. A subscription doesn't fix that.

How to make a good Hinge profile

Because the other person responds to something specific, your profile matters more on Hinge than on any other app. It's your conversation material.

Photos: A clear portrait first, a full-body shot, and the rest should show something people can ask about — a place, an activity, someone you care about. Skip group photos where people have to guess which one is you.

Prompts: Pick the ones you can answer specifically. "I make a great lasagna" beats "I love good food." The specific is easy to comment on; the general is impossible.

One answer with an open door: Let at least one of your answers invite a reaction — a disagreement, a question, a recommendation. "Convince me that pineapple belongs on pizza" gets more comments than three answers about travel.

Many of the same principles apply everywhere. Read more in How to write a dating profile that gets replies.

What to write on Hinge

The best Hinge like always comes with a comment. A like without a comment is a swipe in disguise, and it gets treated that way. The comment should respond to exactly what you liked and ideally ask a question that's easy to answer.

• On a photo from Lisbon: "Pastel de nata in Belém or somewhere else? I'm heading there in the spring."

• On a prompt answer about lasagna: "Béchamel or ricotta? This could decide everything."

• On an answer about a book: "Have you read the second one? I thought it was better."

Once you've matched, suggest meeting within a week or so. Conversations that run for three weeks in the app die more often than they turn into a date. More examples of openers are in The first message.

Hinge vs. Tinder: the difference in practice

• Mechanics: Tinder is swiping on the whole profile. Hinge is likes and comments on individual parts of the profile.

• Pace: Tinder gives you more matches. Hinge gives you fewer, but the conversations start with something to talk about.

• What people are looking for: Both apps have everything from casual to serious. Hinge has a reputation for having more people looking for a relationship, and for people saying so more clearly.

• Price: Both are free to use and have expensive top tiers. Neither is cheap if you want everything.

• Owner: Same company. The algorithms are different, but the business model is the same: subscriptions and extra visibility.

If you're weighing more options, Tinder alternatives: 9 dating apps and dating sites covers the rest of the field.

Who is Hinge right for — and who isn't it?

Hinge is right for you if you live in or near a bigger city, are between your mid-20s and mid-40s, are happy to write a few good sentences about yourself, and want a conversation before you meet.

Hinge is a worse fit if you live in a sparsely populated area, are over 50, or want to know more about the other person before you spend time writing. Who you meet is decided by an algorithm and by what people choose to share.

This is where EliteDulce can be an alternative — it's ours, so take that with a grain of salt. EliteDulce is a dating app for ambitious people: every card shows a segment, Ambitious or Established, and a field, like tech, art or health, so you can see what the other person is building before you write. The segment filter works both ways and is always free, and swiping, matching and messaging are free too. To learn more, read how EliteDulce works.

How to delete your Hinge profile

1. Cancel your subscription first. If you have Hinge+ or HingeX through the App Store or Google Play, the billing continues even if you delete your profile. Cancel it under the subscriptions on your phone.

2. Delete the account in the app. Go to Settings → Account → Delete account. Deletion is permanent; matches and messages disappear.

3. If you just want a break, you can hide your profile instead. That way you keep your matches and can come back.

Hinge FAQ

Is Hinge free?

Yes. You can create a profile, like, match and message for free. The limits are the number of likes per day and that you can only see one of the people who liked you at a time. Hinge+ and HingeX remove those limits for a fee.

How much does Hinge cost?

The price depends on the plan, its length and how you pay, and Hinge changes it regularly. The most reliable price is in the app under Settings → Subscription. A longer plan is cheaper per month.

Is Hinge popular in the US?

Yes, especially in bigger cities and among users in their 20s and 30s. Outside the larger cities, the selection is significantly smaller.

What is a Rose on Hinge?

A Rose is an extra-strong like. The recipient gets a special notification, and you move up in their queue. You get a couple free each week; more cost money.

Is Hinge better than Tinder?

For conversations: often yes, because every like starts from something specific. For number of matches: no. Which is better depends on whether you're short on matches or short on good conversations.

Can you see who liked you on Hinge?

For free, you can see one at a time. With Hinge+ or HingeX, you see everyone at once and can choose for yourself.

What should you write in your Hinge prompts?

Something specific that's easy to react to — an opinion, a habit, a recommendation. Avoid answers that fit everyone, like "I love to travel" or "Family and friends mean everything."

Where to go from here: First date: how to make it go well, first date ideas for when you meet, and Safe dating on meeting someone from an app safely.