Bumble empowers women to make the first move which was founded by Whitney Wolfe, a co-founder of Tinder in 2014. It is a fun and safe platform to meet friends, engage in social networking, and find your perfect date online. The Bumble app shakes up traditional gender norms when it comes to dating. It is Tinder’s female-focused version that takes the burden off the shoulders of men since women make the first move.
That’s why the app immediately became popular and made headlines that increased over $28K for Planned Parenthood with the use of Instagram in October 2016. Bumble was also awarded the Dating App Winner of 2016 by the US Dating Awards (USDA) the same year, knocking out the main game players in the dating industry including Tinder, Zoosk, Jswipe, and Hinge.
Bumble is a women-friendly app which is the result of the sweet vindication from the embarrassing scandal and over 1 million dollar settlement from a sexual harassment lawsuit against Whitney’s ex-boyfriend, who was also a co-founder of Tinder.
Unlike Tinder, the Bumble app is not a swipe-style dating platform wherein members need to match to be able to interact, because women initiate the conversation. It means that women get to send the first message before men can reply if they’re interested once the matches are made.
This is the critical feature that makes Bumble app stand out among its competitors which attracted a considerable number of female members. This Bumble review is focused on the best features of Bumble.com and the Bumble app, wherein it shares a lot of things in common with Tinder except that women take control.
Because women make the first move, it is a surprise to know that the gender proportion in Bumble is even 50-50. As it appears, the site targets men and women who prefer casual dates and hookups because the rates of engagements and weddings are very low. Based on the statistical data of Google, the organic keyword ‘bumble’ searches increased over the last 6 months up to 36.47% and the average visitors increase to 421,000 per month for the desktop site alone, considering that the dating site is more target to work as a mobile platform.
Bumble truly breaks the traditional rules of common gender imbalances that even the most sought hookups dating platforms usually put members through. Bumble attracts a vast audience with different dating motives. Bumble added the Instagram functionality in January 2018, wherein you can link your IG account to your Bumble user profile so other members can see your most recent photos. With Bumble, they are offering free services and fee-based services. You can create a profile, get match suggestions, and chat and message other users free of charge.
Get to take advantage the full features, such as SuperSwipe, matching with expired connections, extended 24-hr connections, and see the members who already swiped right by availing a paid membership as low as $8.99 or £7.99 for one-week subscription and $13.33 or £11.99 monthly membership. The membership cost of Bumble is average as compared to other providers. You can pay via credit card, Paypal, and via mobile phone.
Bumble.com Member Structure and Pricing
Number of Members
1.6 Million from the United Kingdom
Members Activity
900,000 visits monthly worldwide
421,000 site visits per month worldwide
150,000 site visits from the UK
690 members active weekly
Gender Proportion
50% Female 50% Male
Membership Pricing
Free Version
-Create profile
-Match suggestions
-Messaging and chat service
$0.00
Premium Version or BumbleBoost Subscription
-Busy Bee (no waiting with 24 hours extend connections)
-SuperSwipe
-Rematch (expired connections re-matching)
-Beeline (see users who already swiped right)
US Pricing
1 Week Subscription: $8.99
1 Month Subscription: $24.99
3 Month Subscription: $16.66/month (33% savings)
6 Months Subscription: $13.33/month (47% savings)
Bumble Credits
1 Coin £1.99/coin or $1.99/coin
5 Coins £1.60/coin (total: 7.99 £)
You can use your Bumble coins to SuperSwipe other users. Add a heart to your usual swipe with one coin to show the other party that you’re really interested.
UK Pricing
1 Week Subscription: £7.99
1 Month Subscription: £20.99
3 Months Subscription: £14.00/month
6 Months Subscription: £11.99/month
1. Bumble App
The Bumble mobile app seems to be appearance-driven, that’s why it is a good option for individuals who want casual dates or hookups. The profile information on the app is very limited, so it’s hard to sort the good members from the bad ones based on the profile data alone. That’s why if you’re looking for a serious or long-term relationship, this app may not be suitable and efficient.
Anyway, it somehow protects women because they are the ones who make the first move, so men cannot communicate with them without women messaging first. The in-app currency of Bumble is referred to as “Bumble Coins.” It has a similar concept to the SuperLikes of Tinder, which allows users to show interest and they’re serious about making a connection. Each Bumble coin costs $1.99, and you can get a discount if you purchase in bulk.
The mobile app is available both in free and premium version or Bumble Boost, which was introduced in August 2016. The app is available for iOS and Android users. The free version works perfectly fine, providing a hot-or-not style hookup app online dating experience for easier casual dating and hookups but are less likely to promote serious relationships.
You can also connect your Instagram to your Bumble user profile by simply selecting the “Connect Your Instagram” option located on the ‘Edit Profile’ menu. Bumble will ask for permission to access your Instagram, and you’re all set once you’ve granted the request.
2. Member-to-Member Interactions
The main Bumble platform allows users to swipe right to like or left to pass. The user profiles in the swiping area show the full profile which is visually focused and notably short. The profiles consist of basic information such as name, age, school attended, job title, and company, and a profile photo. You save your time and energy since the female users initiate the communication, and no message means the female user is not interested at all.
Members can communicate via chatting. On the far right chat area, all conversations are displayed with a list of match queue. The communications are color-coded, wherein yellow means match has been made, blue implies men’s extended connection, a green means an established BFF connection, pink implies an extended connection made by women, and red displays expired connections.
3. Match and Search Options
After a match is made, the female users can initiate communication, and they have 24 hours to do so. Bumble allows searching for matches according to age range, distance, and gender. User profiles can include up to a total of six photos, some background information such as job title and education, and an ‘About Me’ section. Users having the most number of photos (5 to 6) get the most number of right swipes.
4. Key Features
The key features of Bumble include the following:
• A quick, painless registration process
• Large, active user base
• Short, condensed, easy to set up profiles
• Women initiate connections
• Fun picture graphic art options
• Simple and easy to understand user interface
• Instagram-compatible functionality
• Bypass some of the site limits
Bumble Special Features
Feature
Description
BumbleBff
You can find and meet good friends in Bumble if dating is not your priority. All you need to do is to switch to BumbleBff from the regular Bumble mode to search for users who are only looking for friendships or platonic relationships, nothing more.
BumbleBizz
If you want business connections, BumbleBizz is a great feature. It is like a dating app version of the famous, LinkedIn. Now, you can look for members who can help you fund your startup and search for suppliers and contractors instead of finding a date. You gain network connections, gain access to available and valuable resources for your business, and increase your awareness and understanding about your niche.
SuperSwipe
Are you interested in a user? If you want to show the person that you’re really interested, you SuperSwipe using the Bumble coins. It is somehow similar to the regular swiping, except that the other users will see the heart icon which means you paid for a SuperSwipe just to get their attention. Spending money just to get someone else’s attention is a good way to start a good online dating relationship.
The BeeHive
This feature is considered as the Bumble’s blog. It is a great resource for all dating-related topics, from guides on how to make an appealing user, to Bumble updates, event announcements, and dating tips. The BeeHive got everything you need to become an informed user and stay up-to-date.
Bumble Hive
Bumble sponsors true to life events in the form of the Bumble Hive. Bumble Hive is a great opportunity for users to have some fun, meet new friends, flirt, and date. Business-minded members can take advantage of Bumble Hive events to meet prospective clients and gain potential investors and business partners. Symposiums and conferences are also held which are headed by expert public speakers on different topics, such as how to pitch ideas successfully, life coaching, starting a small business, and building your career.
It is simple and easy to sign up and register in Bumble.com or Bumble app. You can link your profile to your Facebook account in just a simple click and start swiping immediately. It means that you’ll be granting access Facebook to your account to pull out your profile photo and set it as the main profile photo on the Bumble app, in addition to your age and name. Choose your app settings like allowing geolocation and push notifications. It will enable the app to list the town or city you are in.
Generally, it only takes 1 to 2 minutes to create a Bumble account. If you are a first-timer, you can use 6 photos on your Facebook account or upload 6 photos from your phone gallery or computer file. Overall, the process is user-friendly because it is so simple and straightforward, even for not tech-savvy users.
As soon as you granted access to Facebook, you don’t even need to fill out any form for your personal information since Bumble pulls your Facebook information and imports the data into the app. However, some users are not satisfied and unhappy about this, most especially for those who don’t really want to reveal their Facebook profile.
The strict verification process of Bumble makes the site a safe place to meet new friends and dates. It prompts a new member to take a selfie while following a specific gesture. Fake profiles are not typical as compared to free dating sites such as PlentyOfFish and Tinder. To keep users safe, Bumble uses CAPTCHA, cookies, secured servers, and other online technologies.
If you have questions, you can find instant answers by visiting the site’s FAQ section. If you want to reach the direct Customer Service of Bumble, you have to click the ‘Contact Us’ page and complete the form. Be as specific with the details of your concern or question as much as possible. Also, make sure that you enter your correct and valid email address.
Positives
• Women initiate communication, so men save time and effort
• 24-hour time-limited chat availability makes women more active on the site
• Create new and meaningful friendships with the BFF mode
Negatives
• Profiles are visually-focused
• Do not showcase your personality other than your photos
• A Facebook account is required so you can use the app
• Men have little control over the result of the dating experience
Tinder
Hinge
Bumble is more than a dating platform. It is more of a social networking platform with a ‘dating’ as a niche. You can find new friends, business partners, investors, and even hire people using Bumble with the different mode settings the site is offering. Of course, if you’re looking for casual dates or hook-ups, this site is highly recommended for you. While some men might be frustrated with the idea of women making the first move, it is a unique and straightforward way to know if a woman is interested and willing to take the next level of her online dating journey with you.
