But if image-focused swiping interfaces have left you hungry for a more meaningful connection – and you’re down to put in a little extra effort to make one – then Hinge has all the bells and whistles to help you achieve just that.
Signing Up
While Hinge does not have a desktop version, it’s available for both iOS and Android, so all you need is a smartphone to get started. Once you download the app, you can sign up via Facebook – which will save you some time, since Hinge will instantly pull a lot of your basic info. However, you also have the option to sign up simply using your phone number. From there, you’ll enter in some basic details about yourself. After you upload some photos, you can also answer some prompts to pair with them, like “a special talent of mine,” “comment if you’ve been here,” and “caption this photo.” Other prompts include “a life goal of mine,” “most spontaneous thing I’ve ever done,” “biggest date fail” and “fact about me that surprises people.” While these prompts are completely optional, they offer up an opportunity to showcase who you are, as well as offer some conversation starters for potential matches to comment on. Remember: high-quality profiles lead to high-quality matches.
All in all, if you’re just swiping out of boredom or looking for a hookup, this probably isn’t the app for you
You can update or hide aspects of your profile such as your school, workplace, or job title, through their account settings at any time.
Keep in mind that there are two types of memberships on Hinge. As a free user, you can filter by basic preferences, see everyone who’s “liked” you, and interact with other members by 
commenting on their profiles – but you’ll only get a limited number of “likes” to give out per day. By paying for a preferred membership, you’ll get an unlimited number of likes, and you’ll also have access to even more advanced filters.
What it costs: $19 for one month, $29 for three months, and $59 for six months of Preferred Membership using an Apple account or Google Play account, both of which accept most major credit and debit cards.
In 2018, Hinge shifted away from only connecting people through Facebook friends of friends. Now, its algorithm is designed to introduce people based on the information they provide. Hinge is the only app to use the Gale Shapley algorithm, a Nobel-prize winning technology, and advanced machine learning capabilities to understand users’ “type” over time.
Each day, Hinge will showcase your “Most Compatible” match, which is who the app predicts you’ll like the most (and who’s most apt to like you back). You also get to hand out a free “Rose” – a premium like that indicates elevated interest – to one match each week. Handing out more roses past your free weekly one will cost you $3.99 each.
What sets Hinge apart from other competitors is that browsing is a far more interactive experience than simply swiping left or right. You can like a specific photo, comment on a specific prompt, or answer a question. That alleviates pressure because, well, the ice breakers are already embedded in the profiles. You’re always notified when someone likes or comments on any aspect of your profile, and if you’re into it, you can get a conversation rolling by responding.
The “Standouts” feed is designed to help you start new convos with people that you’re most likely to hit it off with. Basically, Hinge curates prompts from users that they believe most closely fit your type, and this feed refreshes daily.