Dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, Ok cupid, and Facebook Dating have been on the rise for quite a while now. So it is safe to say that the era of dating apps is upon us and films like ‘The Perfect Date” are only reinforcing the existence of these apps in our lives. We cannot truly ascertain whether a dating app is a good thing or a bad thing. However, user patronage to these apps is in the millions and across the globe and it looks like dating apps are here to stay.
For this article, we’re going to explore Bumble, a dating app that is on the rise, and understand more about the Bumble experience.
What is Bumble?
To understand the way Bumble works, it’s important to know the vision of its founder and who she is. Ms. Whitney Wolfe Herd, Bumble Founder, and CEO of Bumble used to work for Tinder before she decided to venture out on her own and start her own dating app. At Tinder, Ms. Herd grappled with sexual harassment and discrimination during her time as the VP of Marketing. So when she started out on her own, she decided that her dating app would be different from Tinder. Bumble came in the form of the much-needed reckoning, a women-centric app that’s not just focused on dating but also building social connections whether for work or social reasons.
Women make the first move
Unlike other dating apps, once a pairing has occurred on Bumble, the communication can only move ahead if the woman makes the first move. The premise is to bring power to the woman and break the dating conventions that dictate that it’s always the man who has to make the first move and ask a girl out on a date. But there is more to this entire move too. By ensuring that the woman makes the first move, the app also cuts down the chances of creeps and perverts accessing the app to harass women.
A Virtual dating app
Tinder is just rolling out its video-calling feature, however, Bumble had given priority to virtual dating within the app right from the beginning. Basically, if a connection is moving well and in the right direction, then you can use the video-calling feature within Bumble to go on a virtual date. This is super useful to gauge the potential of a connection before going on a real date without having to communicate on other apps. The privacy and integrity of the users are paramount.
Bumble Features
The Bee theme is a dominant aspect of Bumble’s UI/UX. From honey colors to feature names, everything is bee-related in some form or another. Let’s take a look at Bumble’s features.
Beehive
Beehive is where all the users are buzzing (oops, swiping) and mostly checking out potential dates. The user can right swipe on matches they like and left swipe to reject them. Bumble also has a backtrack option in case you accidentally swiped left or changed your mind about the profile. If you’re willing to pay, then you also get to access super swiping and let your likes know that they stand out using bumble coins to use the super swipe feature.
Beeline
Beeline is actually a part of the Bumble boost subscription. It’s a section you will find on the app that’s filled with users who’ve swiped right on you but who you haven’t swiped on just yet, Bumble has termed these people admirers. If you like one of your admirers, then it’s only a matter of swiping right on them and a match will be made.
Bumble Boost subscribers don’t just get to view the Beeline, but they can also apply filters to their Beeline for a more curated experience.
Bumble web
Bumble not only has a dating app, but a website as well so you can create an account and log-in from your desktop/laptop too. It carries a lot of features that exist on the app which include:
- Profile editing, verification, and adding new pictures.
- Communication with matches in the form of messages or video chat.
- Access to all paid features and subscriptions.
- A view of your Beeline.
- Super Swiping.
Bumble Boost
Bumble Boost is a monthly subscription service that will unlock additional features on the app. Once you sign up for Bumble Boost, you can see everyone who has right-swiped you on your Beeline, extend your matches by 24 hours or rematch with expired connections if you want to give it another try.
You can purchase a one-week subscription for $10.99, a one-month subscription for $24.99 a three-month subscription for $54.99 or if you’re fairly confident that Bumble is your forever dating app, then $149.99 for a lifetime subscription. You can cancel the subscription anytime you want.
Bumble coins
Bumble Coins are basically the in-app currency, which allows users to purchase features such as SuperSwipe or Spotlight and also Bumble’s way of earning through the app. The cost of 5 coins starts at $7.99. When you attempt to use a paid feature like Super Swipe or Spotlight, you will have to spend. The cost of one Super Swipe is one Bumble Coin and for Spotlight, you will have to shell out two coins.
Ambassadorship
Bumble has an ambassadorship program in every location that it launches. Ambassadors basically promote the app and represent the brand in the city. There are two ways to be a part of this program, either as a Bumble Honey or as a Queen Bee. The Honey program is specifically for college students and the Bee program is for working women. At its core, the program establishes promoters and organizers in every city who will support the brand, probably in return for some perks.
Bumble Pros and Cons
Pros:
Woman-safety and empowerment
One of the major plus-sides to this app is that it’s majorly focused on keeping women safe, something that many other apps are yet to consider deeply. The app’s women-make-the-first-move approach is super smart because it’s also setting a standard for the kind of men who decide to join the app. The crop of men on this app is confident, self-assured, and most importantly, they carry feminist ideals which a good place to start if we ever want to fix the gender disparity.
Right-swipe method
The Right-swipe method is probably the most effective and widely-accepted means to gauge profiles. In this instance, Bumble has taken the best aspect from all other dating apps and incorporated them into its own app. This familiar feature also makes it easy to transition from another app to this one. When going through the suggested profiles in the app, you can simply right-swipe on a profile to like it.
Multi-purpose: BFF and Bizz
Though some might construe this as a bad thing, we think it’s cool that Bumble is not sticking to dating alone. In tandem with its theme, the app allows itself to become a medium to find female friends and business prospects as well. All you need to do is choose between Bumble dating, Bumble BFF, and Bumble Bizz once you’ve logged in and the app will function accordingly.
Protection against harassment
From photo-verification to banning hate speeches, Bumble is doing as much as it possibly can to fight and restrict any form of harassment on the app. The app has also been optimized with what it calls a ‘Private Detective’ feature to automatically blur unsolicited nudies and nasty pictures if they are shared through messages.
Virtual dating
Bumble offers voice chat and video-calling within the app to ensure that matches can communicate within the app itself. This is another measure taken by the app to protect the privacy of its users. So you can keep your personal information like phone numbers and email ids restricted in case a match goes south. Virtual dating within the app also ensures that you get a decent idea about your match before proceeding on a real date or deepening the connection.
Cons
24-hour deadline
There are no real cons on Bumble so to speak but the 24-hour deadline is a major buzzkill in our book. This deadline is allocated once a match is made and if there is no move made by the woman, then the match ends. The app gives free users one extension a day and the only way to suspend this feature (only by another 24 hours) is to have a subscription.
How to get started with the Bumble app
It’s fairly easy to use the app but before we proceed into this tutorial, make sure that you’ve downloaded the app from the Play Store or App Store depending on your device.
First and foremost, you will be asked to upload photos of yourself. Keep in mind that the photo needs to show your face otherwise you won’t be able to proceed.
Next, you will have to complete your profile and fill in some additional details. The platform has a lot of prompts to help you out as well.
Once you’ve added your details you can begin swiping. As the norm goes, right for like and left for reject. Tap the small chat icon on the bottom right to visit those whom you’ve matched with.
You can check out what’s happening in the Beeline by tapping on the heart icon at the top left.
And you can Super Swipe someone by clicking on this icon:
That’s more or less the basics of Bumble!
Bumble is making some interesting strides in the realm of dating apps. An absolute anti-hookup agenda coupled with some ingenious features make for an app that’s delivering a rather wholesome and interesting experience to its users. Definitely more power to Bumble. Take care and stay safe!
