Online dating apps that are similar to TikTok

Oct 2021

The global rise of TikTok has led to over a billion people worldwide using the app daily. It has been the home of viral videos, breakout TikTok stars, and trends that have reached millions of people online. It is no surprise, therefore, that the online dating world has watched TikToks growth closely and has evolved so we now have online dating apps that have molded themselves in the same format as TikTok, with video content.

It makes perfect sense that online users would want online dating apps that would allow them to upload and watch videos. Video-driven dating apps are future-facing and enable users to enjoy ‘real-time flirting’. Online dating apps have bucked the downward economic trend other industries have faced during the pandemic. Dating apps such as Tinder have reported soaring levels of user engagement.

The popularity of online dating grew significantly during the pandemic as lockdowns and Covid-containment strategies by countries meant that people were prevented from meeting and dating in person. Online dating was already well on the way to becoming normalized pre-pandemic, but growth was definitely accelerated as the pandemic evolved.

Despite cross-generational use, dating apps tend to focus on Gen Z users and this generation notoriously loves all things video – whether that is video streaming, video uploading, or video sharing. It was always going to be a matter of time before the online dating apps began using videos.

Let’s have a look at some of the new online dating apps on the market that mirror the principles of TikTok:

Badoo Badoo
Badoo was one of the first online dating platforms that introduced video chats back in 2016. It seems it was ahead of its time. It wasn’t until 2019 that Bumble did the same and offered video chat functions.
BadooBadooBadoo
Source: App Store
Feels Feels
Another app that likes to use short carousel videos on user profiles is Feels. This app maintains that videos enable users to show all dimensions of their character and express themselves creatively and authentically. Interestingly, this app markets itself as the ‘anti-dating’ app for those people who are fed up of swiping and scrolling mindlessly. The focus of this app is to get past superficiality and to really get to see the true essence of users and their personalities.
FeelsFeelsFeels
Source: App Store
Snack Snack
Snack likes to market itself as ‘TikTok meets Tinder’. The app encourages its users to upload short videos of themselves so that potential matches can scroll through them when looking for a match. The idea behind the app is to encourage ‘a new form of authenticity’
SnackSnackSnack
Source: App Store
Lolly Lolly
This is another app that focuses on video content for a better online user experience. The idea behind the app is that videos give a better and more accurate first impression of users, and can therefore lead to better matches.
LollyLollyLolly
Source: App Store

We all know that short video content is a social media hit and it is almost inevitable that video content will infiltrate other social spaces and industries. A recent YPulse trend report found that 40% of 18-39 year olds have used dating apps more since the pandemic hit, with 43% of adults online dating using online apps. Video content is likely to grow massively in the online dating app niche as this a serious draw for Gen Z users (as TikTok proves). In an online dating world that is filled to the brim with choice and variety, video content enables users to stand out from the crowd and have some fun flirting.

As countries continue to lift Covid-19 restrictions, will online dating apps lose users? This is unlikely to happen. Online dating apps will continue to provide a vital opportunity to meet other people. 2020 may have given the dating world a major shakeup and shakedown, but what 2021 has taughtuis that online dating is here to stay, and increased video functionality will only serve to increase users and happy endings!