Bumble Review May 2019 - Women empowerment or plain sexism?

Last updated: April 2019

Our Review

Bumble is an online dating app developed in 2014 by Whitney Wolfe, a former Tinder employee. As such, the two apps share a lot of things in common except for one big difference - in Bumble, women are in control. Once matches are made, women get to message the men first, after which the men will reply if they are interested.

Bumble Mag:
Bumble has recently launched its new offline publication project called Bumble mag. This magazine is distributed offline, and anyone in the United States can get a copy for free when you request it through the app. This magazine has different sections that talk about friendship, dating, and business.

Member Structure

Members

170,000 from Hong Kong

Members activity

700 active weekly

Gender Proportion

50 %

Over 900,000 visits per month worldwide
Around 20,000 site visits are from Hong Kong

As a dating app that puts women in control, it's a surprise that the male to female ratio on the site is an even 50-50. If you compare the number of engagements and weddings that resulted from Bumble conversation to the number of members it currently has, the chance of finding a lifetime partner is difficult on this dating platform. The site's target group is most probably men and women who are looking for casual dates or hookups.

Signing Up

Users can only register a Bumble account using Facebook
You don't need to provide personal information as the app imports all info straight from your Facebook profile
It only takes 1-2 minutes to create your account
For starters, you can upload or use 6 pictures from your FB account
You immediately get suggested matches after you link the app to your Facebook
The process is very user-friendly

The signup process is very easy, especially if you already have a Facebook account. You don't even need to provide any information, because Bumble takes all of your Facebook info and imports it into the app. Some users are unhappy about this because there's only one way to signup and it becomes an inconvenience if you don't really want to reveal your Facebook profile.

If you're not a fan of the Facebook-only registration process, check out our Social Dating Apps category to find other sites with more registration options.

Making Contact

The website doesn't have a user search option
Users are only given suggested matches based on their preferences Users will continue receiving suggested matches as long as there's someone who matches the user's preferences
User preferences include: Sexual Preference, Age Range and Distance

Sending messages to other users is free for everyone
There is a chatroom

Bumble's contact policy is what differentiates it from other dating apps like Tinder. With Bumble, women initiate the conversation. Similar to Tinder's interface, you will be shown match suggestions, and you swipe left if you're not interested and swipe right if you are. If they also swiped right, women will see that a match has been made. Now she has 24 hours to message the man if she's interested. If she messages him, he now has another 24 hours to message her back. If he replies to her message, then they can continue with their conversation freely without any restrictions.

For same sex relationships or platonic relationships, any of the 2 parties can message first, which the other party should reply to before the conversation can be continued freely. The 24-hour time frame applies here too. If this feels limiting to you and you want a messaging feature with more freedom, check out our Casual Dating category.

Profile Quality

You can see other users' profile pictures without a paid subscription
All photos uploaded to your profile are public
All profile information is public
There are fake profiles on the site
Fake profiles can be reported by other users
The app imports information straight from a user's Facebook profile, but doesn't verify to see if the FB account is legitimate

The profiles are poorly detailed
The profile information can be changed later
Profile pictures are visible to everyone for free

It seems apparent that the site caters to people looking for hookups and casual dates, as the profiles don't even hold that much information about a person; just their gender, occupation and education. This isn't really enough information to go by if you want to know whether or not you are interested in a person unless all that matters to you is how they look.

Real Life Review

"As a female, I tried the app out because it had a good concept, and after years of being on other dating sites where I'd get a ton of inappropriate messages from creeps, I was ready to be the one in control. However, there was not much for me to be in control of. All you can see from a person's profile is their occupation, education, age and location. That doesn't tell me anything about their personality, or if they are going to be a good boyfriend for me. The concept is great, but the execution seems lacking." - Female pharmacist from Richmond (28)

In terms of design, Bumble really has it down pat. The colour schemes are beautiful without being too flashy, and the layout is simple and user-friendly. With every feature just a tap away, it's very easy to navigate as use, even for people who aren't tech savvy.

Bumble Costs and Prices

Profile creation
Match suggestions
Chat and messaging service

Extend connections for 24 hours
Re-match with expired connections
SuperSwipe
See a list of people who already swiped right

Duration / Credits / Coins	Costs per month	Total
Pack of 1 Bumble coins ? Bumble Boost £6.99Bumble Boost £20.99Bumble Boost £20.99Bumble Boost £3.99Bumble Boost £41.99Bumble Boost £7.49Bumble Boost £2.49Bumble Boost £7.99
1 Coin	18.00 HK$ / Coin	18.00 HK$
Pack of 5 Bumble coins
5 Coins	13.60 HK$ / Coin	68.00 HK$
Pack of 20 Bumble coins
20 Coins	9.90 HK$ / Coin	198.00 HK$

Is Bumble expensive or cheap?

In comparison to other providers Bumble is average.

Credit Card
PayPal
Via Mobile Phone

Bumble Boost:

1 day - HK$ 25
3 days - HK$ 53
4 days - HK$ 68
5 days - HK$ 73
6 days - HK$ 78
7 days - HK$ 203
14 days - HK$ 408

BumbleBoost subscribers get the followiing perks:

Beeline - See a list of users who have already swiped right on your picture so you don't have to wait.
Rematch - Be able to rematch with connections that have already previously expired
BusyBee - Extend the 24-hour deadline that Bumble has on your connections

On the other hand, Bumble coins can be used to SuperSwipe other members. For one coin, you can add a heart to your usual swipe, which will tell the other party that you are really interested in them.

Special Features

Although Bumble is a free online dating app, users can spend money for special perks that can give them more visibility and popularity on the platform.

BumbleBff

If dating is not your type, you can also use the site to find friends. Just switch from the regular Bumble mode to BumbleBff to search for people who are only looking for platonic relationships and nothing more.

BumbleBizz

For people who aren't looking for personal connections, but business ones. Think of it as a dating app version of LinkedIn. Instead of looking for a date, you can look for people to fund your startup, search for contractors and suppliers, gain network connections, increase your knowledge about your niche and gain access to valuable resources for your industry.

SuperSwipe

If you want to make it known that you are really interested in a person, you can do a SuperSwipe, which can be bought using Bumble coins. SuperSwipe is similar to a regular swipe right, except that the other party will be notified that you paid for a SuperSwipe to get their attention. It means that you must really like them if you will spend money just to get their attention.

The BeeHive

Bumble's blog, the BeeHive, is a great resource for everything dating-related. From guides on how to make your profile more appealing, to Bumble updates and event announcements, the BeeHive has everything you need to stay up-to-date.

Bumble Hive

Every now and then, Bumble sponsors real life events in the form of Bumble hive. The event is open to all Bumble dating, BFF and Bizz members and you can use your Bumble profile as an entrance ticket into these events. Bumble Hive is an opportunity for members to not only meet up with other users for fun, friendship, flirts or dating, but business-minded members can also use the event to gain potential business partners, investors and other connections. The event also have symposiums and conferences headed by expert speakers on various topics such as building your career or how to pitch your ideas successfully.

Our rating

Signing Up:	3.0 / 5
Making Contact:	3.0 / 5
Profile Quality:	2.5 / 5
Real Life Review:	2.0 / 5

Editors Conclusion

For an app that supposedly empowers women, the execution feels a tad underwhelming. The logic behind it is great - allowing women to make the first move protects them from receiving unwanted attention. However, although control is given to women, they are not given enough information to make an educated decision. With the app's limited profile information, it's almost impossible to tell the good members from the bad ones based on what's written on their profile. The app feels appearance-driven, so it's a good option for people looking for hookups and casual dates. For people looking for long-term relationships, the app may not be as efficient.If you prefer an online dating platform where both men and women can converse freely without deadlines or limiting conditions, check out our Social Dating Apps category for more choices.

FAQ

Facts

When did Bumble app come out?

The Bumble app was released in December 2014.

If Bumble is focused on women, does that mean homosexual men can't join the site?

Homosexuals are welcome on the site and in fact, anyone can be a member. For Homosexual and platonic relationship, any party can initiate the conversation and the other party must reply within 24 hours before the connection expires.

Help! I can't find Bumble app on the Playstore!

If it does not appear on Google Play or the Apple Store, the app is probably not available in your country. To check, you can go to Bumble's website using your phone's browser and tap on the link to the app's download page.

Usability

Can I join Bumble without Facebook?

Currently, the app only accepts registrations via Facebook, so you can't join if you don't have a Facebook account.

I did not mean to swipe left! How can I undo the action?

To undo your last action, you can just shake your phone to backtrack.You can have up to 3 backtracks at one time. One you've used up 1 backtrack, you have to wait 3 hours for it to refresh.

How can I change the information on my Bumble profile?

Since Bumble only imports information found in your Facebook profile, you have to change your info on Facebook itself. Any changes made to your Facebook may take 24 hours before they take effect on Bumble.