In earlier days, dating and matchmaking happened through relatives, close friends, and cousins. However, this is not the case anymore. As the digital world spreads into every industry and field, the online dating industry has also taken on some new ideas, like online dating apps. Matrimonial websites and applications have been operational and quite famous for a long time. But recently, the value of the online dating market has been going up, and by 2024, it is expected to be worth $2.5 billion. Maybe this is why people want more and more advanced dating apps with top-notch and unique features. But developing the dating app is not so easy, especially when we are considering the highly competitive market. That's why we've covered the basics of dating app development so that you can find the best solution that meets the industry standards set by Tinder, Badoo, Bumble, and so on.
What would be the main distinctions between any of these stacks, then? Which one would you pick based on your needs? Let's take a closer look at each of these to see what they are made of and how they help make apps.
Why Should You Invest in Dating App Development?
With the huge success of Tinder and Bumble, it has become evident that the online dating industry is one of the most lucrative investments. Besides, young and middle-aged people are usually interested in online dating, where they can talk to and date anyone without any boundaries or restrictions. This is one of the major reasons for investing in dating app development. Given the size of the online dating market and its prospects, we can say that taking the plunge can benefit investors as long as they invest in the right project. That's why the following considerations are what investors should focus on before deciding whether or not to invest in a dating app.
- The concerned online dating app needs to click instantly with the target audience. For example, if the software’s goal is to help introverted people become a little bit more outspoken, it should have features like private chat rooms, video calls, voice calls, and so on. This way the users will be at ease dating someone without meeting them physically.
- Also, it is important to consider if the concerned dating app can actually get higher returns on the investment or not. For instance, if the application is only for a specific audience section, like the elite faces, the chances of failure are there during the early stages without any doubt. Similarly, if the software lacks integration features with social media platforms, you won’t be able to generate maximum revenues as expected.
- Online dating apps are lucrative because they provide more security and peace of mind than meeting someone physically. Plus, being a virtual platform, human emotions are not deeply intertwined with someone. Therefore, the chances of crashes in traffic and revenue are low.
Also read - How to Choose The Right Developers Team To Build Your Dating App
Key Functionality & Technical Aspects of Making a Dating App
Coming to the significant aspect of dating app development, developers need to consider the functionalities of the application and its technical aspects. Every dating app needs various features so the target audience can have a wonderful dating experience. So, to make you more aware, we have listed some of the prime features the application needs to have if you want it to perform unexpectedly.
Sign Up/Login Portal
One of the primary features that most dating apps have is a separate portal for signing up and logging in. It needs to be an independent portal for better performance and security. Ensure to add fields like user ID, password, captcha, etc. Users should have access to forget password links so that they can easily reset their passwords if they forget them. Ensure the login page doesn't have too many features, slowing down the application.
Detailed User Profile
Try to incorporate a separate page for user profiles. This will help users add all the important information they need to give to explain the full picture of themselves. Name, city and state, country, mobile number, e-mail address, hobbies, fashion and interests, gender preference, and so on are some of the primary fields on the user profile page. In addition to this, there are multiple slots so that users can upload different pictures.
Geolocation
You can also add a distance feature to Tinder, where users can adjust the distance they want to travel to find the best person to date. Users can choose the distance until they want the profiles to be displayed on the portal. You can also use a toggle button to change the distance unit between miles and kilometers.
Social Media Connection
On the login page or their user profile page, users should be able to link their social media accounts to the online dating app. Also, if they have multiple social media channels, make sure they can integrate them. That will make your app better and make it more appealing to people who want to use your online dating app.
Private Chat Rooms
Like social media apps that have private chat rooms for individual chats, your dating app should also have the same function. It would be best to create private chat rooms on a different app page to give users maximum confidentiality and convenience. You can design an icon at the app's top, where all other notifications are present, to indicate unread chats, new chats, and so on. Add a filter or sort option on the chat page so that people can easily find the chat room they want to visit.
Verification and Security
Popular dating apps like Tinder have primary user profile verification and top-level security features. Profile verification ensures user authentication and increases the transparency of your application. Security features like an SSL certificate, a secured HTTP URL, a 256-bit encryption program, and so on, must be integrated within the application to ensure the user data remains confidential. In addition, you can also incorporate multiple user identity verification layers, like password and biometrics, password and an OTP, and so on.
Push notification
Also, the dating app needs to have a push notification feature to alert the user of any activity instantly. It can be a new message in the chatroom, a new match, offers, and several other things concerning the application and its functions.
Taking into account new trends and the technological revolution, there are many more popular features that can be added.
How Much Does it Cost To Develop A Dating App?
The cost of developing popular dating apps like Hinge or Tinder depends on the project's complexity, the features you have included, and the technical aspects of the application. For instance, the development cost for a native app is much lower than that of a cross-platform app. Similarly, the development cost will increase if you want to include multiple subscription features since each subscription package will have different feature access. So, before you hire any custom dating app development company to complete the development process of the online dating app and launch it in the market, ensure to go through the budget report and then proceed further.
Tech Stack Required To Develop An Online Dating App
App development companies such as Owebest Technologies use an advanced tech stack to develop the most innovative online dating app solution. The following are some technologies that are frequently used to develop these apps:
- To handle the back-end functions, technologies like Java programming, node JS, APIs, integration modules, and so on should be there. In addition, a database must also be included in the text stack because you need a place where all the user information and other details can be stored securely without any technical glitches.
- Use frameworks integrated with HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS for the front-end functions. React, Angular JS, and so on are some of the best frameworks you can use to develop the dating app interface.
Popular Dating Apps In The Market
There are many popular mobile dating apps that you can find in the market, like Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and so on. These applications have already set high standards, for you to feel the pressure. If you want to match their level, the application should consider having the features we have explained above and an appealing user interface with easy navigation and understandable elements.
In the end
Dating apps have become quite popular in recent times. Hiring a custom dating app development company like Owebest Technologies will be the best choice if you want to venture into this market. Not only can one add a personal touch to the application, but you can also make sure the user experience is optimal. In addition, an online dating app with top-notch features directed towards the target audience will drive maximum traffic that even you didn't comprehend at the beginning. Want to learn more about custom mobile application development services? Connect with our experts!
FAQ’s
1. Is the online dating app market performing well?
Considering the $2.5 million market worth of the online dating industry, we can see that the market is doing pretty well for itself. Soon, it will make records regarding market cap, total valuation, number of users, and so on.
2. What is meant by a cross-platform online dating app?
Suppose you want a single app to be runnable on multiple OS like Android and iOS. In that case, you must ensure the codes are developed on a cross-platform framework like React, Flutter, etc. It means the application will have a single codebase, but it can be executed across multiple operating systems, irrespective of the native functionalities.
3. Does user interface design matter for a dating app?
Yes, the user interface matters a lot for the dating app because if the UI is not presentable and intuitive, it won’t attract your target audience. Plus, it’s quite natural that no one would like to work on an application that is hard to use and takes a lot of time to give a response to any action.