No matter what you’re looking for – a quick intro or a long-term relationship – there’s surely a dating app that will work for you.
The list is long and varied - starting from Tinder and Bumble to OKCupid and Grindr – and also includes local variants since Indian founders have woken up to the potential and launched their own versions.
According to Statista, revenue in India’s online dating segment is projected to reach $559 million in 2022. It is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2022-2026) of 11.80 percent, resulting in a projected market volume of $873 million by 2026.
The rising popularity of dating apps has given birth to several homegrown apps that are leveraging this increasing demand by offering various unique features, and focusing on common interests and pursuits.
YourStory has curated a list of homegrown dating apps that are catering to the needs of Indians.
FRND
Founded by Bhanu Pratap Singh Tanwar, Hardik Bansal, and Harshvardhan Chhangani in 2019, Bengaluru-based dating app is an audio-romance and friend discovery startup that allows users to connect with each other through live streams.
Users connect via audio in a pseudo-anonymous manner and start conversation through a matchmaker.
The matchmaker-led chat and game rooms on the platform come with a moderation system aimed at connecting people through safe yet engaging conversation.
The app focuses on creating one-on-one connections through audio games such as Raja Rani Chor Police, Voice Match, and others. It currently has more than five million downloads on the Google Play Store.
HiHi App
Founded in 2020 by Jitesh Bisht, Bengaluru-based dating platform allows users to “reliably and interestingly communicate with other users”. It provides topic suggestions people can use to start conversations.
The app claims to keep a strict tab on flagged accounts, and targets people between 18 and 65 years.
HiHi App has more than five million downloads on Google Play Store.
Woo
Founded in 2014 by Sumesh Menon and Ankit Nautiyal, dating and matchmaking platform Woo focuses on well-educated professionals. It provides voice intro, direct messaging features, questions and answers, and tag search features. The app also offers a voice call option.
Woo aims to connect like-minded people and also claims to be a platform that puts women first. Women can make voice calls without sharing numbers; the app never shares their name, location, and number.
Woo Plus gives access to skipped profiles and allows you to check who visited your profile. The app has 10 million-plus downloads on the Google Play Store.
GoGaga
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Neha Kanodia and Meet Kanodia, Co-Founders, GoGaga
Founded in 2017 by Meet Kanodia and Neha Kanodia, lets users find friends of friends for dating. The app has a unique concept as it involves a friend in finding a dating partner.
The idea behind this app came from the fact that most people get introduced via common friends. The app aims to make dating social – keeping in mind that most people in India want to keep it personal. The social referral feature helps weed out fake accounts.
The app also uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to pick the best match. It is free to use but you need to invite friends for earning flames and getting better suggestions. The app will not find matches until you invite your friends to join.
GoGaga has more than 10 million downloads on the Google Play Store.
QuackQuack
Founded in 2009 by Ravi Mittal, Hyderabad-based Indian-focused dating app helps chat and flirt with, and date eligible and like-minded local singles.
The app focuses on quality over volume, and deeper connections over quick swiping. It matches users based on education, habits, locations, and professions, along with personal details like “deal-breakers and turn-ons”.
The app is free and makes it easy for any single person to safely connect. It offers active content moderation, monitoring, and privacy features, and has over 10 million downloads.
Edited by Teja Lele Desai