Trying to pick between Hinge and Tinder? Short answer: Hinge still skews a bit more “dating with intention,” while Tinder is broader and faster. But both now offer tools to signal what you want—so your experience depends far more on how you use them than on the logo on your home screen.
TL;DR
- Hinge focuses on meaningful dating and profile depth
- Tinder now includes “Relationship Goals” to clarify intentions
- Both apps share a large overlap in users
- Paid dating apps still attract more serious users
- Hinge’s new features encourage slower, more genuine conversations
Is Hinge More Serious Than Tinder?
It’s hard to decide between one app and another. I mean, what differentiates one swiping time-suck from the next? (I kid, I love dating apps… but I also lose a lot of time swiping…) When looking at the question “Is Hinge more serious than Tinder?” you could base your answer on a few things. What your mates say, maybe, or general reputation, or what the marketing and UX design is telling you. The third one still sounds the most reliable. Depending on who you’re friends with, I guess? If we look at UX and marketing, Hinge is slightly more serious than Tinder, because it’s positioned around intentioned dating (“designed to be deleted”) and keeps adding tools that push better profiles and more thoughtful prompts—like AI Prompt Feedback to help you write stronger answers. Tinder, meanwhile, has narrowed the gap by rolling out Relationship Goals so you can label what you’re after—from “long-term partner” to “short-term fun.” Translation: you can signal seriousness on Tinder too instead of hoping people read between the lines. All the free, swipe-based dating apps are still in the same ballpark, though. You can find a serious relationship on any of them if you look hard enough, but they’re also used by plenty of people who want hookups. And yes, the big platforms have been rethinking features to fight burnout and push more authentic connections—Hinge has even slowed people down a bit to encourage better chats. One way to discern the seriousness of apps is by looking at who uses them, and honestly, the user bases overlap a lot—especially under-30s. Younger adults use both Tinder and Hinge heavily; which one “feels” more serious has more to do with how each app nudges behavior than with big demographic differences. If you want a guarantee that other users are serious about finding a partner, then the only thing to do is move to a paid service. The paywall ensures no one is just wasting time (or sucked into a swipe hole) and the search gets somewhat easier. There are still no guarantees, but hopefully, the chat-up lines get a bit better than those gems from Hinge.
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Is Hinge For Dating Or Hooking Up?
So, you now know that Hinge is slightly more serious than Tinder. But that doesn’t really tell you whether Hinge is for dating or hooking up! This might not be immediately helpful but… both? Don’t worry, I’ll elaborate! Hinge was built for finding relationships, but unsurprisingly, we gutter-brained Millennials (and now Gen Z too – hey Gen Z, welcome to everyone hating on your party!) made things about hooking up too. So, you can find hookups or serious dates on Hinge. Hinge keeps adding features to make “serious” easier—think Standouts (a daily batch of high-engagement profiles) and new profile helpers that push better conversations from the start. Theoretically, these updates should encourage the ‘dating’ crowd rather than the ‘hooking up’ crowd—though your mileage will still vary. As always, I’m just going to tell you to communicate clearly. If you’re looking for a bit of fun, tell your matches that (not in a creepy way though). And if you’re looking for the one? Well, maybe don’t tell matches that, it’s a lot. But do tell them you’re thinking along the lines of more than one date and a sleepover! Things also got a bit confusing on Hinge after a big update last year. If you need help understanding Hinge Standouts, here’s the short version: it refreshes daily and features profiles getting the most attention, tailored to your preferences. Theoretically, the updates should encourage the ‘dating’ crowd rather than the ‘hooking up’ crowd, but their full effect remains to be seen. Overall, they’ve made the app more complicated, so they might just make everyone jump ship back to Bumble!
Which Dating App Is Best For Serious Relationships?
I hate to break your heart here—I know we were comparing Hinge and Tinder—but neither of the two is the best dating app for serious relationships! You probably knew that though, didn’t you? Free, swipe-based apps like Hinge, Tinder, and Bumble are fantastic tools and can get you great results if you have two of the following: time, patience, and adjustable standards. Unfortunately, if you’re busy, easily bored, or know exactly what you want in a partner, then you might have to look elsewhere. That’s where paid dating apps come in. Paywalls tend to increase intent—people invest a bit, so ghosting-for-sport drops and profile effort rises. (Even Match Group now frames Hinge as its “intentioned dating” brand and Tinder as more casual—useful context when deciding where to spend energy.) I know it sounds scary, like a step into ‘dating apps for grownups’, but guess what? You are a grownup. Or you better be anyway! You’re using dating apps. Plus, if you’re looking for a serious relationship, maybe it’s time to take the search a little more seriously—say, by putting your money where your mouth is? I’ve collated a full list of the best dating apps for serious relationships here, but if you’re just dipping your toe into paywalled apps after using Hinge and Tinder I would advise Zoosk. It’s a happy medium between swiping and seriously searching for love, and its users are mostly young. The step up from that is eharmony, which consistently markets itself on long-term outcomes. The company regularly touts high success rates and frequent marriages—take headline numbers with a pinch of salt, but the brand is very much built for committed relationships.
FAQ
Does Hinge actually lead to more relationships than Tinder?
Not automatically. Hinge emphasizes depth (prompts, Standouts, AI profile coaching), while Tinder now lets you set Relationship Goals directly on your profile. Outcomes depend on how clearly you signal intent and who you match with in your city.
Has Tinder gotten more “serious” lately?
Somewhat. Since late 2022, Tinder lets you display what you’re after—short-term fun, long-term partner, etc.—and it’s kept improving discovery to help like-minded people find each other.
What’s new on Hinge in 2025 that matters?
Hinge launched AI Prompt Feedback to help you write better prompt answers and boost engagement. It’s part of the app’s push toward intentional, quality dating experiences.
Are young users leaving dating apps?
There’s chatter about Gen Z burnout and a shift toward more authentic, offline-first connections, which is pushing big apps to focus more on real-life meetups and improved chat quality.
Is paying worth it if I want something serious?
Often, yes. Paywalls raise the average level of effort and intent. If you want a soft landing from swiping, try Zoosk; if you’re ready for maximum “meet-my-parents” energy, try eharmony.
What exactly are Hinge Standouts?
A daily feed of attention-getting profiles tailored to your preferences. You’ll find it under the little star; it refreshes every day.
