Hinge App Review: Premium Features And How It Works!

The relationship-focused app that actually delivers.

Hinge is one of the best dating apps for singles seeking serious relationships, with 70% of users looking for commitment rather than casual hookups. The free version is limited (8 likes daily), but the thoughtful profile format and "Most Compatible" algorithm—which makes you 8x more likely to actually go on a date—set it apart from swipe-heavy competitors. Hinge+ ($32.99/month) unlocks unlimited likes and advanced filters, while HingeX ($49.99/month) adds priority visibility.

Key Insights

• Relationship-focused: 70% of users want relationships; 45% specifically seek something serious
• Free limitations: Only 8 likes per day, and you must complete your full profile (6 photos, 3 prompts) before liking anyone
• "Most Compatible" works: You're 8x more likely to go on a date with these algorithm-selected matches
• Hinge+ cost: $32.99/month for unlimited likes and advanced filters (education, politics, family plans)
• HingeX cost: $49.99/month adds Priority Likes, Skip The Line boost, and enhanced recommendations
• Strong reviews: 4.4 stars on App Store (879K+ ratings), though common complaints include sudden account bans
• Best in cities: Third most popular US dating app, but smaller markets may have limited users
• Roses double date chances: Hinge claims sending a rose makes you twice as likely to get a date

VIDA Select's dating experts have managed Hinge profiles for thousands of clients since the app launched in 2012. Here's everything you need to know about how Hinge works, what it costs, and whether it's right for you.

Unlike swipe-based apps, Hinge encourages thoughtful engagement. You "like" specific photos, prompts, or profile sections rather than making a generic yes/no decision.

The Basics

Browse suggested matches in the "Discover" section. When you find someone interesting:

• Tap the heart icon on a specific photo or prompt to "like" it
• Add a comment with your like to stand out
• Send a rose for extra emphasis (more on these later)
• Tap X to pass

If the other person replies to your comment or likes you back, you're connected and can message freely.

Free users get 8 likes per day, resetting at 4 am local time.

Your Turn Limits

To promote actual engagement, Hinge stops you from sending new likes when you have 8+ unanswered messages. You'll see these labeled "Your Turn" in your message feed.

This feature launched after Hinge found 44% of users cited lack of responsiveness as a major dating challenge. As founder Justin McLeod observed: "Some of our users are creating a lot of matches. And the more matches you have, the less likely you are to respond."

You can't like anyone new until you message someone waiting for your reply—or unmatch them.

Standouts Feed

Tap the star icon to see your Standouts—a curated section showcasing prompts or photos from around 10 users the algorithm thinks you'll like. New Standouts appear daily, and you'll need to send a rose to express interest in them.

Standouts are separate from the Enhanced Recommendations that HingeX users see in their regular Discover feed.

Likes You Section

When someone likes your profile, you'll find them in the "Likes You" section. Tap the conversation icon to respond to their comment and match with them.

Free users see blurred previews; Hinge+ unlocks full visibility.

Hinge Match Note

With Match Note, you can now add a personalized message when sending a like or comment to someone you’re  interested in. New matches will see your note before and hopefully be the catalyst to kick-start a conversation.  

Editor’s Note: This feature is only available in certain areas, with plans to expand its availability in the coming months.  

Hinge Filters

Your filtering options depend on your membership level and profile completion.

Free Filters

• Gender
• Age
• Location/Distance
• Ethnicity
• Religion

Hinge+ Filters (Additional)

• Height
• Education level
• Politics
• Drinking habits
• Smoking habits
• Drug use
• Family plans
• Children

You can mark any preference as a "dealbreaker," meaning Hinge won't show matches outside that range regardless of other compatibility factors.

Pro tip: Filters like Family Plans and Children can save significant time if you're looking for marriage material.

Hinge's Most Compatible Feature

Hinge highlights what it calls your "Most Compatible" matches—and the data backs up the feature's effectiveness. According to Hinge, you're 8x more likely to actually go on a date with a Most Compatible match than any other user.

The "We Met" Feedback Loop

Unlike most dating apps, Hinge tracks real-world success. A few days after users exchange phone numbers, Hinge asks:

• Did you go on a date?
• Would you like to see them again?

Your answers aren't shared with your match, but they help refine the algorithm. As CEO Justin McLeod told TechCrunch: "If you went on a date with someone and you thought they were great, that's the strongest signal that we've gotten very close to your type of person."

Hinge has three membership levels - Free, Hinge+ (formerly called the Hinge Preferred membership) and HingeX.

Free Membership

• Create profile with 6 photos and 3 prompts
• Send up to 8 likes daily
• Basic filters (gender, age, location, ethnicity, religion)
• 1 free rose per week

Hinge+ (Formerly "Preferred")

Subscription	2026 Cost
1 Week	$14.99
1 Month	$32.99
3 Months	$64.99
6 Months	$99.99

Includes:

• Unlimited likes
• All advanced filters
• See everyone who's liked your profile
• Filter Discover and Likes You by compatibility, proximity, and activity

HingeX

Subscription	2026 Cost
1 Week	$24.99
1 Month	$49.99
3 Months	$99.99
6 Months	$149.99

Includes everything in Hinge+, plus:

• Skip The Line (continuous profile boost)
• Enhanced recommendations in Discover
• Priority Likes (your likes stay near the top of matches' lists)

Roses and Boosts

Hinge also allows you to purchase "Roses" and "Boosts" within the app.

Hinge Roses

Similar to Super Likes, roses signal extra interest. All users get one free rose each Sunday (use it or lose it—they don't roll over).

Package	Cost	Per Rose
3 Roses	$9.99	$3.33
12 Roses	$29.99	$2.50
25 Roses	$49.99	$2.00

Download the app from the App Store or Google Play (no web version exists). Create an account using your phone number or Facebook.

Facebook requirement: If signing up through Facebook, you need at least 60 friends to verify you're legitimate.

Profile Sections

Your profile displays information in three categories:

• Vitals: Height, location, job, education, etc.
• Virtues: Religion, politics, what you're looking for
• Vices: Drinking, smoking, marijuana use

For each, you can choose to display or hide your answer.

Dating Intentions

Hinge lets you display what you're seeking:

• Life partner
• Long-term relationship
• Short-term relationship
• Figuring out my dating goals
• Prefer not to say

You can add a 100-character explanation below your choice.

Hinge Prompts

You must answer 3 prompts (225 characters each) from 80+ options. These appear throughout your profile and give matches something specific to comment on.

The 80+ prompts include things like  “My ideal fake sick day”, “Most embarrassing song on my Spotify”, “Two truths and a lie”, “Most spontaneous thing I've done”, and “I’m actually legitimately bad at”. The selection of prompts changes slightly every few months or so.

Top performer: According to Hinge, "I know the best spot in town for..." leads to the most dates.

Voice Prompts

Add a 30-second voice recording answering a prompt. Hinge reports 65% of users say hearing someone's voice helps them determine interest.

Photos and Videos

You must upload 6 photos or videos before you can like anyone. You can also add captions or photo prompts to spark conversation.

Photo tips:

• Lead with your strongest image
• Show your lifestyle and hobbies
• Include a range: close-up, full-length, action shot, dressed up
• You're only as attractive as your worst photo—make all 6 count

App Store: 4.4 Stars (879K+ reviews)

Positive feedback:

• Users report finding relationships and soulmates
• Appreciated for being "the only app where I have met men looking for a relationship"
• Clean interface and thoughtful profiles

Some users who gave the app 5 stars reported finding their soulmate or a relationship through Hinge:

This Hinge user appreciated the app’s functionality, and said it’s the only app where “I have met men looking for a relationship.”

Common complaints:

• Accounts banned without explanation
• Video calling feature removed (previously available during pandemic)

But being banned for no perceived reason was a frequent complaint from users. This user recommended Bumble instead, because it's "outside of the now massive dating app conglomerate owned by Match."

Other users weren't happy that in-app video calling was no longer a feature. For instance, in his 1-star App Store Hinge review, Audiomike1985 wrote:

"The app used to be good. Last year Hinge had a video call feature, this was great because you can see who's serious about getting to know you. Or even see if you're being catfished. Then they removed the call feature. So now I know why they say this is the app that's meant to be deleted. It's because of all the catfishing and no way to weed out the fakes. So people are getting disgusted with this app and that's why they are deleting it!"

Google Play: 3.4 Stars (315K+ reviews)

Positive: Users like the relationship focus and engagement-based design

On the plus side, users like Anna Harvey reported meeting someone special on the platform. As she wrote in her 5-star review, "I'm engaged because of this app!!!! My sister recommended it to me and it has worked beautifully for us both!"

Other users, like Augustin Ferreira, liked the app because of the focus on user experience.

Negative: App glitches, especially with messaging. Some users report notifications for messages that don't appear in the app.

In his 1-star Hinge review, user Luke Wahl wrote that that Hinge had a "garbage and brainless interface, analytic and setup process, and all the worse prying payments for services that offer nothing better, this app is a full shopping trip. I get specially matched with people I would never ever consider dating material."

Other negative reviewers mention app glitches, especially with the app's messaging feature.

As Hinge reviewer Luiz Gomez noted, his experience was that "The messages people are sending to me are not showing up on the app. My notification pops up saying someone messages me, but the message is absent."

Trustpilot: 1.2 Stars

Lower ratings here focus on:

• Account bans without warning
• Frustration with Standouts requiring roses
• Mixed algorithm results

Several of the more favorable reviews mentioned that the app’s algorithm worked well.  User Ray Mi reported that she met her now-husband on Hinge, and recommended that several of her friends use it as well:

But other users wrote 1-star reviews, sharing more negative experiences like "If you are a man, you will never get a match" and "Another low quality app with no quality people."

In his 2-star Hinge review, user Geoff Rapp complained about Hinge's Standout feature, as well as the practice of banning accounts without warning:

Reddit

Banned accounts was a hot topic in Reddit threads, with many users saying they had been banned from Hinge.

PROS:

• Commenting on specific content is easier than writing icebreakers from scratch
• 70% of users want relationships—people are serious about meeting
• Selfie verification helps reduce catfishing
• Matches and conversations never expire
• Owned by Match Group (reputable company)
• "Hidden Words" feature blocks unwanted content in comments
• Change your location in preferences

CONS:

• Only 8 free likes daily (requires complete profile)
• Limited free filters
• Must complete full profile before interacting
• Previously skipped profiles can reappear
• Works best in larger cities—smaller markets may lack users

Hinge is excellent for:

• Singles in their 20s-40s seeking serious relationships
• Users in or near decent-sized cities
• People who prefer thoughtful engagement over rapid swiping
• Those willing to invest time in a complete, quality profile

Consider alternatives if:

• You're in a small market with limited users
• You want more than 8 daily interactions without paying
• You prefer purely swipe-based, faster-paced apps

Hinge is the third most downloaded dating app in the US and one of Match Group's fastest-growing platforms. The "Designed to be Deleted" philosophy resonates with relationship-seekers, and the 8x higher date rate with Most Compatible matches suggests the algorithm actually works.

Want expert help maximizing your results on Hinge? VIDA Select handles everything—from writing prompts and selecting photos to managing all your messaging and setting up dates. All you do is show up. Go here to learn more!