Once upon a time, single people could download a dating app and swipe on potential matches to their heart’s content at no cost. These days, the apps are after their dollars, promising a better experience through premium subscriptions.
“Oops! You missed a match! Get Gold to see who likes you,” says a message to users from Tinder, where a Gold membership—which, among other things, allows users to “rewind” on a profile they may have accidentally rejected—costs $74.99 for six months in some markets. “Preferred members go on 2x more dates,” according to Hinge, which charges about $64.99 for three months of its paid tier. (The companies set rates based on location.)
