The dating culture is continuously expanding, and similarly, the dating app market is also growing at the same pace. Various dating app like Tinder are present in the market, but there is always a scope for new and better apps. (Part of the reason why we created Pleb)
In this fast-paced life, the olden day idea of finding and meeting your would-be partner has taken a back seat. Today, people prefer to meet their potential partners online on video chats before meeting them for the first time. Unlike traditional practices, now people follow this "time saving" trend of finding the right partner online. That is why experts expect the global dating market to surpass $8.4 million by 2024.
Looking at the success of these apps, this is the right time to invest in developing a dating app. Through this blog, we will help you figure out how to build a dating app like Tinder, Bumble, and OkCupid and the cost to build a dating app like Tinder.
What is a Dating App?
A dating app is a mobile application that lets you connect with other people having similar interests. You can connect to people you haven't ever met and check the possibility of finding your perfect match. It shows you people based on filters like location or interests. Just a swipe is enough to like or dislike a person's profile. And if both swipe right, it becomes a match, and you both will be able to connect or chat.
In one line, we can say: 'dating apps like tinder, OkCupid, and Bumble are the means to pursue romantic relations for today's mobile-oriented generation'.
Business Model of Dating Apps
Some time back, Tinder revealed its earnings for 2019. Tinder has made $1.2 billion on swipes and matches. There are numerous ways dating apps make money, like paid plans or subscriptions, affiliate marketing, advertisements, and in-app purchases. These ways play a crucial role in monetizing.
Paid plans or subscriptions
It is one of the effective revenue-generating models in dating app monetization. These plans or subscriptions can be monthly, quarterly, or yearly. These upgrades allow users to get features like unlimited swipes, access to premium profiles, and check who likes them before even liking them back.
Affiliate marketing
Dating apps have begun permitting advertisers to use the app's popularity. The advertisers get the opportunity to associate with crowds to get a great deal of footing. When the user pays the subscription fees, dating apps give them extra highlights of dining, outing, and gifting choices as a part of "Associate Network".
In-App Adevrtisements
Brands know the importance of advertising on dating apps, and it is well-known that advertising on a popular app will be a sure-shot way of reaching a large audience. Most dating apps permit utilization banners, local promotions, video advertisements.
To take an example, Tinder tracks its user's behaviour based on location, likes, and dislikes to show them appropriate advertisements. These in-app ads prove to be beneficial in increasing app engagement.
In-app Purchases
Like other apps or games, dating apps also have the option of generating revenues from in-app purchases. However, it will come once the app becomes famous, but it can prove quite beneficial. For instance, popular dating apps like Tinder offer their users some extra features that can help them match quickly at an additional cost.
Some dating apps have a virtual coin system. Users have to purchase coins, and then they can utilize coins to access a service. For example, some apps may charge for using the video calling feature.
How to develop a similar app like Tinder, Bumble, and OkCupid?
Building a popular & polished app is a craft; you will need to choose the perfect tech stack and hire the right team to execute this carefully.
Recommended Tech Stack:
App Frontend:
- Swift for iOS App (iPhone)
- Kotlin/Java for Android App
OR
- React Native/Flutter for a hybrid app
Others:
- MQTT for Real-Time engine and chat
- Firebase Analytics for Real-Time analytics
- Firebase Push Notifications
Web Frontend (Admin):
- ReactJS
- MQTT for real-time
Backend:
- NodeJS for backend development
- Postgresql and MongoDB for database
- AWS for Cloud Instances
- Redis to assist MQTT real-time
CDN services:
- Amazon CloudFront OR Cloudflare fast image delivery
Team Requirement:
- React/Native Developers (2)
- Backend Developers (2)
- Project Manager (1)
- Business Analyst (1)
- QA Engineer (1)
- UI/UX Designer (2)
OR
You can hire an experienced app development company to develop this app with skilled and experienced developers. It will take off a significant load from your shoulders and focus on the other business aspects of the app while the professional team is developing your app.
How Much You Need to Spend
The cost to build a dating app like Tinder, Bumble, and OkCupid will take around $35,000.
Not only this, there are some variables on which the cost of your app depends, like the platform used for the application, intricacy, required resources, and other factors. To get an idea of the estimated cost, you can ask for the estimated number of hours needed to develop the app and then multiply the number of hours with the per-hour charges to get a rough idea. Also, consider that the engineer's expertise will play a critical part in deciding the cost for each hour.
Time Required to Develop an App like Tinder, Bumble, and OkCupid
Developing an app like Tinder, Bumble, and OkCupid with a team virtuosos would take around 8 weeks, and if you want your app to be equipped with all the latest features, it will take approx 10 weeks.
Are you looking to develop an app like Tinder? Drop us a message.
