The Best New Hook-Up Apps

Tired of Tinder, bored of Bumble, nothing happening on Happn? Here are some lesser-known alternatives to the usual hook-up apps to swipe your finger at.

Hotline

Best For: Actual Conversation

Fancy yourself as a talker rather than a texter? Make like Drake and let your Hotline bling. This brand new app requires you to kick things off with a prospective partner by having a five-minute voice call before you can message them. Worth it if you can talk the talk.

hotline.dating

Sapio

Best For: Mind Games

Sapiosexuals are attracted to intelligence rather than physical features. So it makes sense that the Sapio app asks for answers to questions that showcase your wit and brains – and no pictures. It beats spending the day perving over Countdown.

getsapio.com

Klique

Best For: Group Love

You’ll need to rope in some single friends for Klique. Made with group love in mind (not that kind), this app works by matching you and three of your Facebook pals with other ‘kliques’ of four in the area. Supposed to eliminate any solo first date awkwardness, it’s only available in the USA at the moment but is rolling out elsewhere soon.

klique.com

Ona

Best For: Upping Your Game

While not technically a dating app, Ona can still help you find love. Letting you search for dating experts (think dating coaches, profile editors and wingmen) and get real-time advice, it’s perfect if you’re iffy about the app scene.

onadates.com

Spritzr

Best For: Cashing In

The dating app Bill Gates would probably use. Cash in on your matchmaking skills with Spritzr – just drag and drop two people you think are compatible, and every time they match you get $10. Or, sign up as a singleton and get matched, a la Blind Date.

spritzr.com

Yellow

Best For: Getting Snap Happy

Cross Tinder with Snapchat and you get Yellow. Allowing users of the instant photo app who live nearby to find each other, it has a direct chat feature that’s unlocked when two users swipe each other. Yellow claims it’s for ‘making friends’, we’re not sure that’s entirely accurate. But it is fun.

yellw.co

Hot Or Not

Best For: Shallow Hal

The opposite end of the spectrum to Sapio, Hot or Not allows you to check pictures of local singles and vote for the hottest. When two people rate each other as hot, they can chat to each other. Super simple, super shallow.

hotornot.com

BeNaughty

Best For: One Hit Wonders

Sometimes there’s only one way to get through an endless stream of #Bae Facebook posts: flirty chat with a random. Claiming to bring together like-minded singles regardless of age, interests and life goals, BeNaughty might not be the place to find The One, but it can help you stop crying over your ex.

benaughty.co.uk

DatePlay

Best For: Game Boys

Gamify the dating experience with DatePlay. The app that narrowly missed out Lord Sugar’s investment in 2015’s The Apprentice works by having you go through a series of games and quizzes which analyse your personality before matching you up with potential dates. This is your best shot at finding a real-life Lara Croft.

dateplay.com

Hater

Best For: Plotting World Domination

If mutually assured destruction is your thing, try Hater. Allowing you to see each other’s shared dislikes, you swipe like Tinder but it also provides ‘edgy icebreakers’ to avoid the awkward ‘hi’s’. Haters gonna hate. Daters gonna date.

haterdater.com

Shinder

Best For: Guaranteed Success

Shed Simove is a London-based entrepreneur that has solved the problem of getting no matches – he’s the only man available. Users have the option of swiping him left or right: swipe left, and you’re told you’ve ‘dodged a bullet’. Swipe right and, if Shed likes you back, he might just drop you a line. A genius solution. It’s time to get coding your own.

shinder.me