The dating app development industry has been on the rise for the past few years. And rightly so! The ease dating apps provide to connect with other people is indisputable. Statistics suggest that the number of serious relationships that start through dating apps is increasing. In fact, the revenue of dating apps is also witnessing consistent growth.
In such a situation, it is completely understandable if more people want to build a dating app. If you’re one of those people, then you should not miss reading this article. Here, we are going to discuss how to make a dating app, how much it costs to make a dating app, and much more!
Dating App Statistics and Trends
Before we go into details of how to build a dating app, let’s take a look at the dating app market and trends.
Here are a few statistics about the dating industry.
The market for dating apps is huge. The main trick is to understand the preferences and interests of users. The numbers presented above are bound to tempt anyone to make a dating app which we have discussed in the subsequent section.
Since the pandemic, the way people communicate with each other has shifted from audio calls to more personal video calls. Taking this changing behavior as a cue, many dating apps introduced a video call feature.
Apart from that, the purpose of using dating apps has also changed. Users are now looking for more meaningful and long-term relationships with like-minded people. Keeping this in mind, dating apps are making suitable changes to meet user needs.
You can also do the same by analyzing the market and user preferences.
How to Create a Dating App
Now let’s get into the details of making a dating app.
1. Conduct Market Research
The first step of creating an app is to conduct market research. It is significant that you obtain as much information as possible about the dating industry, its users, their preferences, etc. That will help you narrow down your target audience and the niche in which you want to make the app.
In the case of the online dating industry, market research will help you determine your target audience. You can decide if you want to make an app for people in general or want to target a particular group of people like pet lovers, food lovers, LGBT, etc.
2. Analyze Your Competition
The second most important step before starting any business is to analyze the competition. There are a lot of dating apps in the market, and obviously, you would want your app to stand out from the rest. As a result, it’s critical that you thoroughly research your competition and identify your KPI.
You’ll be able to figure out why your competitors are successful or unsuccessful if you do a comprehensive analysis of them. You can apply this knowledge to your own business to create a dating app like Tinder.
If you examine their characteristics closely, you will be able to determine what they are doing differently. You will find that all dating apps are pretty much the same, with a few small variations. It is these variations that distinguish them. By carefully studying them, you will avoid unintentionally replicating any of their unique features on your platform.
3. Validate Your Idea
Find out what makes an online dating app tick and determine if your app checks all the boxes. Some of the reasons people use dating apps are listed below.
Desire and Simplicity
People desire to connect with other people. But they do not have the time to go on dates or spend hours getting to know each other. They also want a simple system where they won’t have to put much effort into finding a compatible partner. Moreover, if things don’t work out with someone, there should be a way to limit the interaction. And what’s better than an online platform?
When you make a dating app, it provides the perfect combination of ease and desire. Users have access to millions of people right in their hands. It can’t get better than this!
No Stigma
The stigma related to online dating has been completely removed now. It has now become a normalized part of our lives. In fact, online dating is now the preferred way to meet people instead of the traditional way.
Customized Experiences
It is hard to find a person with qualities that a person wants in their soulmates in real life. But with a dating application, they have the opportunity to apply filters and view people with specific qualities and interests.
4. Make Security Your Priority
Online dating, with all of its benefits, is not without its drawbacks. If dating apps are not properly secured, such platforms can easily become a hunting ground for scammers. So, make sure your dating app is safe for people to use before you launch it in the market.
To protect your users, you must follow a detailed app security checklist. Verify the profile of people who are joining the platform using a profile verification technique. You can use social network and phone number verification to ensure that the users who join your dating app are genuine and aren’t impersonating someone else. It will also improve the user experience of your app since they will be able to trust it easily.
Another way you can verify the authenticity of your users is through photo verification. In this, you can ask your users to click and upload a selfie in a specific pose.
5. Select the Features of the Dating App
To make a dating app an instant hit, there are some features that must be a part of it.
Quick Verification Procedure
This is, without a doubt, the most significant feature of all. Your platform will become a haven for scammers if you don’t have a comprehensive verification mechanism in place. So, make sure you have a strong verification procedure to safeguard your users’ experience.
Gamification Feature
Users now relate the gamification model of the Tinder app exclusively to dating apps. It would be safe to say that they will expect to see the swipe feature on your app too. So unless you have a really unique way for users to find a potential match, we would recommend you to add this feature to your dating app.
Messaging Feature
It is pointless to have a dating app without a texting function. Users may use this feature to connect and communicate with one another, as well as schedule dates and meetings. This will aid them in not just getting closer, but also in determining whether or not this match is worth their time.
In-App Voice and Video Call Feature
How cool it would be if we could talk to our date from within the app without sharing our personal contact number! Voice and video calls allow users to get more close to their potential partners. However, they may still be skeptical about sharing their phone number. So in-app voice and video calls become the perfect solution.
You can also include these features in your premium subscription plan and monetize them. That will increase your revenue and profitability.
Option to Select Preferences
Many times, users wonder if the person they are connected with likes the same things as they do. This can be prevented by giving the users an option to list their interests and matching them with people with similar interests. This will also act as an ice-breaker when people start chatting with each other or going on dates.
Push Notifications
Users love to find out quickly who they got matched with or who liked their profile. A sure-shot way to keep them coming back to the app is to send them notifications about these updates. That will work wonders for improving user retention rate and for increasing user engagement.
6. Decide Monetization Methods
The goal of creating an app is to earn revenue from it. There are many ways through which you can monetize your dating app. To help you get into every tiny detail of it, we have created a separate blog post.
7. Select the Tech Stack
It is important for you to select the right technology stack if you want your dating app to work perfectly. Although some technologies are common, they might change according to the requirements of your app.
The following table mentions the technology stack of Tinder which forms the basis for almost every dating app.
| Mobile App (Android + iOS) | Backend/API | Website |
| Java | HTML5 | NodeJS |
| Objective C | JavaScript | jQuery |
| Swift | NodeJS | Nginx |
| Ruby | MongoDB | |
| Redis | ||
| AWS |
The developers of Narola Infotech use the technologies mentioned in the table above for making dating apps. If you are unsure about the technology your app will require, you can contact us. Our dating app developers team will guide you through the whole process of developing your app.
8. Determine the Cost
It is critical to have an idea of the cost involved in making the app. That will prevent you from running out of your budget midway into the development process. The cost will depend on the features and the security system you put in place. So, make sure you decide these things before you start the process to make a dating app.
9. Create an Algorithm
When people enter their likes and preferences while creating their account, they get matches and recommendations according to that. But it is not that simple.
The combination of Artificial Intelligence and dating applications are now being tested by dating application development companies. Therefore, it can be said with certainty that a lot is going to change in the dating app industry in the coming years.
So, when you decide to make a dating app like Tinder, think about how you’ll pair people up. You can use a questionnaire at the beginning of the registration process to understand user preferences and design your app accordingly.
10. Finalize the UI/UX
The best UI/UX design is one that gives users a clear path to perform an action. That means that the design must have as few barriers as possible. Here are a few tips that will help you create the perfect interface for your dating app.
Keep It Simple
The main purpose of your dating app should be to keep your users engaged. And the best way to do that is to offer them an environment that will facilitate the feeling of romance. A simple design coupled with complementing colors will make it easier to do that.
Keep the Navigation Simple
The final goal of a dating app is to help users land a date. But what do you think will happen if users find it hard to perform the action required to do it? You guessed it right! They will abandon the app.
If users find it hard to move around the app and perform essential actions, they will ultimately grow tired of it. In the end, they will leave the app and move on to a competitor. So the key to retaining the users is to make the app easy to navigate.
Keep It Visually Appealing
Experts believe that colors have the power to have a psychological effect on people. And you can use that in your dating app to keep your users happy.
A dating app is a visual medium. Users want less text and more colors and graphics. That will not only increase the appeal of the dating app but will also help exude the appropriate emotions. For that, you would need to research the colors that will be the most suitable.
However, we understand how difficult it could be to do that while focusing on your business. So why not leave it to the experts?
11. QA and Testing
Quality analysis and testing are essential for every app and software before its launch. You don’t want the app to fall flat on its face when released to the public. If it’s riddled with bugs and faults, recovery from such a disaster would be difficult.
Therefore, you need a solid testing process before the app goes live. There are a couple of ways that you can do that.
- Beta Version
You can release a beta version to a few selected users who can then inform you about any technical difficulties and errors. Your developers can rectify them, and users can confirm if the issue is resolved or not. That will also give them a taste of using the app. Once you are confident that all the bugs are taken care of, you can release it to the public.
- Testing Team
The other option is that your testing team performs a deep qualitative analysis of the app. That would require some high-level expertise. Once it resolves all the issues, you are ready to launch the app.
Don’t worry if you are wondering where you’ll get such a team of experts. We have one ready for you!
12. Monitor the Progress
Launching the app doesn’t mean that the work is done. You need to monitor the user response and what changes they seek. Many times, new issues may arise as many users log in to your app. There is a need to be ready for high traffic and to make sure that the server handles it.
Maintaining the app is a continuous process, and you will need a dedicated team for that.
In Conclusion
Making a dating app seems a very profitable venture but creating it could be equally difficult. It is best if you consult with a trusted app development company if you are confused about the development process.
If you already have an idea in mind, contact our dating app development company, Narola Infotech, and we will make the best version of your app.