What is Bumble? Everything to know in 2024
For 10 years, Bumble has been one of the most popular dating apps out there. This mobile app offers an engaging, inclusive, and somewhat unconventional experience to users of any identity, although some core features empower women interested in making the first move.
Wondering if Bumble is worth the download to your phone? Interested in learning more about the dating app's wealth of interesting features? Think Bumble is the app where you can find your perfect match? We answer all your questions with our detailed Bumble write-up below.
What is Bumble?
Launched in 2014, Bumble offers just enough free and paid features to keep things interesting and engaging.
Want to know what all the "buzz" is about Bumble? Below, we cover everything you need to know about one of the most popular dating apps on the market, from its approach to matchmaking to the cost breakdown for its three premium subscriptions.
Here's our Bumble breakdown:
- Highlights
- How does Bumble work?
- What sets Bumble apart from other dating apps?
- Is Bumble a good fit for LGBTQIA+ users?
- How much does Bumble cost?
- Is Bumble premium worth it?
- Recent changes and controversy
- Who should sign up for Bumble?
- Our pros and cons
- FAQ
Bumble highlights
- Available on: iPhone via the App Store | Android via Google Play
- Primary age demographic: 18 to 29 (13%) | Next highest group is ages 30 to 44 (10%)
- Active monthly users: 58 million | 2.4 million paid users with a paid subscription
- App rating: 4.3 out of five stars with over 1.5 million reviews on the Apple Store | 3.9 out of five stars with over one million reviews on Google Play
- Price: Free to use with additional paid features and three paid subscription tiers starting at $20 per month: Bumble boost | Bumble premium | Bumble premium plus
All Bumble stats are current as of publication. Sources: Statista, Business of Apps, and the app stores for iPhone and Android devices.
How does the Bumble dating app work?
Users who create a profile will see a lot of similarities to other dating apps. You sign up, fill out a profile, upload up to six photos and start swiping right (yay) or left (nay) on potential matches presented to you by the Bumble algorithm.
When first getting started, users will quickly pick up on Bumble's focus on diversity, whether that applies to a user's personal identity or how they use the app to begin with. To start, there is a broad spectrum of gender identities to choose from, including a range of cisgender, bigender, transgender and nonbinary options. This, coupled with Bumble's large user base, makes the dating app a welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ users -- especially gay and lesbian users, thanks to a few key Bumble features that aim to empower women and femmes.
Although Bumble is largely known as a dating app, there are other ways you can use it: Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz. As you can likely guess, the former is all about striking up new friendships, while the latter is geared toward making business connections.
Some other key features of the Bumble dating experience include:
- Compliments: Some dating apps go beyond a simple swipe function to let users send a more personalized message. Bumble does this with compliments, a feature that lets users leave comments on elements of another user's profile.
- Best bees: Many dating apps have a feature that highlights especially compatible profiles to users on a daily basis. For Bumble, that is the Best Bees feature.
- The question game: This unique conversation starter lets users who have matched answer pre-written questions.
- Video and audio calls: This feature lets users connect without needing to share a personal phone number before both parties in a match are comfortable doing so.
- Beeline: This last one is exclusive to Bumble premium members and lets users see who swiped right on them.
What sets Bumble apart from other dating apps?
One of the biggest draws to Bumble is how communication works. Bumble takes an approach different from other dating apps when it comes to sending that first message: Up until recently, women were empowered to always make the first move with heterosexual matches. This was a way to eliminate some of the concern women and female-presenting people may have on other dating apps where unsolicited messages can be a problem.
Recently, Bumble announced a new feature to cut back on some of the anxiety and uncertainty that came with the app's women-first approach to matchmaking. Opening moves is a new feature that gives women the option to set a question prompt that anyone can reply to. This new addition doesn't change the dynamics of Bumble too much, though, since opening moves aren't required. It is, however, a welcome addition that can alleviate some matchmaking stress.
Another exclusive feature of Bumble that you won't find with other dating apps like Tinder or Hinge is the 24-hour timer that kicks in with new matches. After that first message and mutual connection, your match has 24 hours to respond before the match expires. This keeps everyone on their toes and can be a good way to prevent people from wasting each other's time.
Is Bumble a good fit for LGBTQIA+ users?
Bumble can be a great fit for members of the LGBTQIA+ community looking for an inclusive and nuanced mobile dating app. In the past, Bumble had partnered with GLAAD, an advocacy organization championing LGBTQIA+ acceptance, to improve and expand the app.
This includes more than 30 diverse gender identities that users can choose from, including more than a dozen options for people who identify as nonbinary (agender, genderqueer, etc.). While women are typically poised to make the first move in heterosexual matches, lesbian matches or those with one or more nonbinary users leave the floor open to either party to strike up a conversation.
How much does Bumble cost?
Bumble is free to use, but users also have the option of paying for one of three different premium tiers. Free users have access to a number of features already that are sometimes saved for paid subscriptions with other dating apps, such as: advanced search preferences (education level, politics, etc.), video calls, and the question game feature.
For users interested in expanding their dating app experience -- or getting the absolute most out of Bumble -- there are three paid options.
Bumble boost
- Cost: prices start at $20 per month.
- Unlocked features: Unlimited daily swipes, a weekly spotlight feature for standing out to potential matches, unlimited "extends" (that add another 24 hours to the clock for new matches), five "SuperSwipes" per week, and the backtrack feature that lets users take another look at a profile they swiped left on.
Bumble premium
- Cost: prices start at $35 per month.
- Unlocked features: All Bumble boost features plus additional advanced search features, travel mode, incognito mode, and access to the Beeline feature.
Bumble premium plus
- Cost: prices start at $50 per month.
- Unlocked features: All Bumble boost and premium features plus a prioritized profile (that lets users show up at the top of others' feeds), the ability to be seen sooner after liking someone, and access to trending users.
Is Bumble premium worth it?
Bumble's free features are fairly robust already, leaving the door wide open for users of all kinds to find meaningful connections. The app's premium tiers, however, can elevate the experience further with exclusives that give users even more control over who they see and how they can reach out to potential matches.
While the Bumble boost tier unlocks unlimited daily swipes for users -- arguably one of the most useful features that require a paid subscription -- Bumble premium can be worth it for users looking to fully tailor their online dating experience. The ability to filter search results based on details -- ranging from personal habits to one's height or star sign -- can be a gamechanger for users who know what they want in a potential match.
While $30 per month isn't as high as some other premium prices (eHarmony charges users $60 per month for premium features), it can still be a steep jump up from the free experience. Plus, Bumble reserves the right to change its premium prices at any time and based on factors like a user's location, length of subscription purchased, and more, according to its terms and conditions, so you may see numbers that differ from ours or other users' when you sign up.
If you're looking for something more than what the typical free dating app experience provides, or you're interested in trying out Bumble's exclusive features, we recommend giving Bumble premium a trial run. Otherwise, the free version has everything you need to get started with online dating.
Recent changes and controversy
As previously mentioned, Bumble recently added opening moves to take some of the pressure away from Bumble's somewhat strict women-first approach to conversations within heterosexual matches. While this wasn't too big of a change -- women can simply avoid the feature altogether, which is essentially a prompt for other users to engage with -- it arguably takes away some of the charm from what made Bumble stand out in the first place.
In May of 2024, Bumble was the subject of a fair bit of controversy after receiving backlash for an ad campaign that advocated against celibacy. Bumble has since apologized and committed to removing the ads, as well as donating to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other organizations. In a statement posted to social media, the company stated: "Our ads referencing celibacy were an attempt to lean into a community frustrated by modern dating, and instead of bringing joy and humor, we unintentionally did the opposite."
Who should give online dating a try with Bumble?
Bumble can be a great dating app for those looking for a serious relationship. It offers a number of personalization options that let users express themselves easily, as well as free and paid features that contribute to a more meaningful experience than other, more casual dating apps like Tinder.
As the dating app with the largest user base nationwide (a title it shared with Tinder as of the beginning of 2024), Bumble can be great for finding local matches. With its main demographic being people ages 18 to 29, we recommend Bumble for Millenials and Gen Z users as well.
Pros and cons
Here is a quick breakdown of everything we like about Bumble, as well as the potential drawbacks that could be improved upon.
Pros:
- The "ladies first" approach to matchmaking can be refreshing for women looking for heterosexual romance who want the ability to pick and choose who they talk to.
- Bumble's new "opening moves" gives women the option to add a question prompt to their bios, which anyone can respond to when striking up a conversation. This optional feature takes some of the pressure away from women always needing to make the first move.
- Bumble has full accessibility for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, where anyone can make the first move -- just be aware of that 24-hour timer.
- Additional features like audio and video calls can help people get to know one another more easily in those early days and weeks.
Cons:
- Matches are lost if a message isn't sent within the first 24 hours of connecting with someone.
- Extra features like unlimited likes come with a hefty price point thanks to Bumble's not-terribly-budget-friendly premium plans.
- Bumble's recent ad controversy was a mark against the app in terms of favorability, but Bumble's quick apology and correction was a step in the right direction when it comes to inclusivity without judgment.
FAQ
Is Bumble free to use?
Bumble lets users sign up for free, with features and search filters that give users everything they need to start meeting people. There are, however, paid subscription plans that start at $20 per month (Bumble boost, Bumble premium, and Bumble premium plus) that unlock additional features for a more robust experience.
How does Bumble compare to other dating apps?
These days, choosing the right dating app for you can feel like a gamble. With so many different apps to choose from, how do you know which is best? Here is how Bumble stacks up against some of its biggest competition:
- Tinder: Tinder and Bumble may share the top spot as dating apps with the most users, but they differ in a few key ways. Despite a wealth of community-based features, Tinder is largely considered a casual dating app with a younger demographic. Bumble, on the other hand, is more geared towards those looking for a serious relationship.
- Hinge: Another big name in the world of dating apps for serious relationships, Hinge can go toe-to-toe with Bumble on things like inclusivity (Hinge also has a range of gender identities, sexual preferences, and LGBTQIA+ friendly question prompts) and detailed profile options. Ultimately, Bumble wins our vote for women looking for heterosexual matches.
- eHarmony: eHarmony is a dating app that's all about the details -- users have to go through a long compatibility quiz before matching, for example. This can potentially lead to more accurate matches, but Bumble's quick and easy profile setup wins over eHarmony in our book.
What are reviewers saying about Bumble?
On the app stores for both iPhone and Android users, Bumble currently has a review score that hovers around four out of five stars (4.3 out of five stars on the Apple Store, 3.9 out of five stars on Google Play).
Negative reviews from current and former Bumble users point out issues that are somewhat common for popular dating apps today (fake profiles and high monthly prices that are subject to change, for example). More recently, a number of unhappy reviewers also felt conflicted over Bumble's recent ad controversy.
Positive reviewers across the board cite certain core features like Bumble's women-first approach to online dating, decent feature offerings for free users, and dedication to inclusivity for LGBTQIA+ users as reasons they are happy with the dating app.
