Hinge Preferred Review: Is The Hinge Upgrade Worth It?

Still on your quest to find your dream baby boo? Well, take a look at Hinge, and join over 5 million other users navigating it's wild to find their match. Hinge (one of the few apps that asks you to delete it) is a place for young (18-35) singles aiming to find committed partners.

However, they have to run into so many matches. Despite a large number of users, there is a mix of singles over there with different intentions, both professionals and immature. So, on this app, you’ll have different types of conversations.

In a world with advanced technologies, the list of dating apps to choose from keeps expanding, and there is a good question that we, as users, need an answer to: Is Hinge the right dating app for finding your soulmate?

Hinge was founded in 2012 as an online dating app to match like-minded people with each other. We’re getting tired of using dating apps that bring no results, and leave you wondering: “What is this app missing? I have scrolled all day, and still nothing? That's it? It’s the app or does no one like me, indeed?”

Of course, it’s normal to have doubts about Hinge’s worth, as it’s not the only dating app out there. However, considering that it comes with a free version,  it's worth giving it a try. In this article, we’re diving into what makes it so special and different, including its paid features.

What is Hinge Preferred?

Like most dating apps, Hinge can be used for free but paying a small monthly fee gives you access to certain features. The Preferred Membership gives you unlimited likes, increasing the chances to match someone, unlock new filters and a lot more.

As a ‘preferred member’ you get a lot of filters into your feed, including important details about your life and preferences. If your soul is looking for its soulmate you should take Hinge seriously and subscribe to the Preferred Membership. Using the freemium version of Hinge makes the process of finding a match lengthy. Save a few cups of coffee this week and pay for Hinge Preferred to increase the profile exposure and the number of matches available to you.

Hinge Preferred Features and Its Benefits

Hinge builds on the belief that anyone looking for love should be able to find it. Hinge is available for both Android and iPhone users. Some key features worth highlighting from Hinge Preferred are:

  • Users can scroll through an unlimited number of profiles within their area, and like or reject them.
  • It gives the option to add videos besides photos to make your profile more juicy and likeable.
  • Selective likeability differentiates Hinge from other apps like Tinder or Bumble. Users can choose specific parts of one’s profile to like.
  • Richer filters (besides the basics) to help select matches based on height, whether they have or want to have children, drug use, alcohol consumption, smoking etc.
  • Receive daily standouts
  • The option to purchase Roses (and one free Rose each week)
  • Access to the list of profiles who like you in one place

Advanced Filters and Preferences

Advanced filters are a prominent feature of Hinge Preferred. Selecting people based on information such as height details, religion, education, family plans, politics, or drug preferences, helps users match with their ideal partners. However, don’t rush. Some people are left with little to no matches when using more features than requires. It's better to use those filters a little at first and then develop them accordingly after you assess interest in your profile.

Unlimited Likes on Hinge

Another advantage of Hinge Preferred is the unlimited number of likes. Of course, there is a limitation of likes but with the upgrade, you can remove that limit. It's normal to see over and over again the same profile before seeing someone new but don't get upset. New profiles will appear.

The initial “Your Turn” will remind the user that it's their turn to respond to the conversation to continue the chat. It also can be a sign or reminder that the other person is waiting for your response. If the conversation isn’t going well from the start, pay attention to the conversation starters you’re using.

This is a good way to concentrate on specific and unique people that value and to clean the inbox from people who can't be your match. Hinge is a very promising app for singles who want to have decent conversations with great people who match their vibe.

Despite differences, there are still similarities of Hinge competitors such as Tinder and Bumble. If two people match, they can start chatting. Hinge advertises itself with the motto: “the only dating app designed to be deleted.” This means that Hinge wants its users to find relationships that last and are enough so users don’t need to use the app for dating anymore.

What Does Hinge Preferred Cost?

Hinge doesn't require any payment for its basic functionalities but of course, you can pay for Hinge Preferred to manage your profile more effectively and benefit from its premium features. If you want to use Hinge seriously, you can subscribe to one of their premium packages or purchase Boosts or Roses. The payment is done at once for the number of months chosen, and it renews automatically when the time period is reached.  Subscribing for more than a month grants you some sweet discounts.

Membership TypeLengthPrice
Premium1 Month$29.99
Premium3 months$19.99/mo
Premium6 months$14.99/mo

By paying you can have the benefit of using unlimited likes, seeing everyone who likes you in an organized way and gaining more exposure and dates. 

The moment you decide to pay for Hinge you are opening more doors to your dating life, starting from your profile which gets better, and the search results which are refined by advanced filters. Actually, the Premium version brings several features for you to use:

Still, there are a lot of people who use free versions of the app, and you don’t have to necessarily upgrade. If you think Hinge is expensive then check out other free dating apps and see if you gonna find any luck there.

Why Consider Upgrading into Hinge Preferred?

Likes hit zero quickly. Users with a freemium membership are limited to 10 likes per day. This is quite a low number of chances when you think about it, and you have to wait a full 24 hours until the next refill.

Scattered profiles. After optimizing your prompt answers and profile photo, your profile will receive a considerable amount of traffic. Then, shifting through the profiles of those who hearted you is timely and confusing unless you can see them all at once. (Available with the Preferred membership.)

Insufficient details. Basic Hinge membership allows users to describe main features about themselves, but the paid membership gives more details (faith, alcohol use, or thoughts on children might make a difference).

Having used Hinge personally for a few weeks, I would say that the app is quite similar to most dating apps but it retains that feeling of novelty. Hinge Preferred membership is super helpful for those who want to jump on conversations as quickly as possible. However, if you’re checking only a few minutes a day in the app, the freemium version might be enough for you.

Is Hinge Preferred Worth it?

Hinge preferred is only useful for guys and girls who receive a lot of likes so that they can see all those profiles directly. It will help them speed up the process of matching and starting the conversation. However, if you're someone who doesn't receive a lot of likes and never runs out of likes then Hinge preferred is not worth you money. Also, it's useful for someone who wants to weed out the profiles by using the advanced filters. For example, person of a specific height or political ideology.

How Does Hinge Preferred Compare to Other Services?

If you are looking for a serious relationship and want to meet other singles online who match your energy and resemble your dream partner Hinge is the right place to start. However, Hinge isn’t recommended for singles who want quick hookups or to spice up their existing relationships with a third person.

The choice is up to you and it depends on your dating purposes  Whatever you have in mind, there’s a dating app that matches your needs. Comparing other apps with Hinge is the best thing to do before choosing. Actually, let’s compare Hinge with two of the most popular apps, eHarmony and AdultFriendFinder.

eHarmony Vs Hinge Preferred

eHarmony is one of the most advanced matchmaking apps to assist in finding your real partner. The best things that you all like are that profiles are very detailed with pieces of information that can help you find your partner in a big large number of people that are there.

eHarmony boasts of having met over 600,000 couples who have gotten married and started a life together. Plenty of success stories support this but there is no day without night. eHarmony has some disadvantages compared to Hinge, such as expensive subscriptions and limited options. Also, the signup process is quite long and composed of dozens of questions.

AdultFriendFinder Vs Hinge Preferred

Compared to Hinge which is more focused on building lasting connections, AdultFriendFinder it's more like a hookup app for short-term relationships. While Hinge focuses on matching people with similar characteristics and not only sexually, AdultFriendFinder is more straightforward about what it offers.

If you are busy working or alone in a new city, and want to have some company, dating apps are an excellent option and AdultFriendFinder tops the list of hookup apps. Honestly, AdultFriendFinder it's all about sex and is great for finding those people that match your preferences.

Still, there are some features you may not like such as the frequent ads and the openness about sexual preferences and options to customize searches your profile description with precise sexual tags, fantasies and sexual orientations.  Hinge, on the other hand, doesn’t go that deep into sexual orientations.

About Mary J. Gibson

Mary J. Gibson, director of DatingXP.co, is a renowned love and relationship coach whose expertise is widely acknowledged across the industry. Her insightful guidance and profound understanding of romantic relationships have earned her features in prestigious publications including Bustle, AskMen, Cosmopolitan, and Elite Daily. Committed to staying ahead of trends, she continually broadens her knowledge by conducting incisive interviews and forging dynamic relationships with emerging dating services, ensuring her advice remains relevant and impactful.