First there was Match.com, then eHarmony, followed by a slew of others like Plenty of Fish and Tinder. There has to be an equivalent of carpal tunnel syndrome for thumbs, because the repetitiveness of swiping the same pool of people on dating apps can hurt. “Are there other life forms out there?” you may wonder. And the answer is yes, they’ve just downloaded a different app. If you are wondering what’s next in dating app technology, we have the newcomers to the field. Whether you’re a canine lover or a wannabe astrologer, there’s room to roam free on these eight new apps.
Align
If you’re ready to let go and have the cosmos take the wheel, test drive this app that relies on zodiac signs and astrology to find your star-crossed love. Find out whether you’re compatible on a cosmic level by selecting six traits paired with emoji that change based on your sign—like the red heel emoji as an option for the fashionable Libra. The only downside is that you don’t actually swipe, but receive six matches per day (so, perfect for the laid-back Cancer).
At First Sight
Now that we’re in prime Bachelorette season, take some wisdom from the reality TV age by turning the lens on yourself. The video-based app At First Sight is fittingly created by host Chris Harrison. We think of this app as something like Chat Roulette for the dating age, where you’re filming yourself in real time, except the time frame is drawn out to 60 seconds. Biggest pro: figuring out real quick if you want to avoid an awkward *60 minute* face-to-face.
Bumble
Known as the dating app for feminists, Bumble is the Sadie Hawkins Dance of apps where women make the first move. It’s a humbling experience to be on the other end, and we have to give it up to the app for their new “no ghosting” rule, which deletes an interaction if your guy hasn’t replied to your initial message within 24 hours. Truly #blessed that Tinder isn’t doing the same for our flipbook of matches, ladies.
Happn
Once you get over the hump of thinking “Great, everyone knows where I live”, Happn’s the ideal way to see if you’re connecting with the local barista you love without actually having to draft a Missed Connection on Craigslist. The app tracks your daily patterns to alert you of Happn users that are in your area at all times of the day, plus notes on how many times you’ve crossed paths and where.
How About We
How About We is one of the best ways to actually get off your couch and meet someone. The meet-cute app is designed to help people offer up tasks that they’d like to do with other people, including museum nights, comedy hours, and cocktail meet-ups in your area. There’s also a nifty interactive Date Map that lets you track who is else is vibing in the area and wants to chat/get tacos/hang out at a cafe.
Tastebuds
If you’re one of those people who’s always looking for a concert buddy, cut to the chase with an app that pairs you with a like minded person who also thinks Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late was his best or loves hunting for vinyl. Tastebuds gives you the option of adding your favorite artists and easy messaging to schedule listening parties for new releases.
Tindog
The dog park of online apps is Tindog, a new way to judge people (JK) based on their preference for dogs (little dogs v. big dogs can be a real deal breaker). Big perk here is you don’t have to weed out the “dog people” as you do on Tinder, but instead have a sea of fellow canine lovers in your area to go on dark park dates with. Now, if there were only a version for cat people…
Score
If you hate the firing squad question format on sites like OkCupid (the overload of questions can be overwhelming, TBH), Score’s app will feel like a light vacation. The app also operates on a series of questions, though the prompts read more like icebreakers (they’re designed to sound like first-date bar questions). Beats thinking up prompts like “Sexy is…” on your own time!