How to Build a Dating App in Bubble.io

This post is part of a series about the types of apps you can build in Bubble.io.

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One of the hallmarks of the online age has been the gradual transfer of relationship building from the physical to the digital space. Dating apps have set out to fill the romantic gap associated with this switch, with the likes of Tinder and Badoo boasting over 10,000,000 monthly downloads combined.

Looking to create a dating app users can confidently swipe right on? Bubble provides you with all of the tools needed to build a dating app without coding. Its extensive customization options, workflow and logic building capabilities, and endless integration options make it a great tool for developers.

Dating Apps Features

There are many features required for apps like Tinder to function properly. For starters, a logged in user is presented with a dashboard where they can swipe through potential matches. Users should also be able to click other users' profiles to learn more about them.

Also needed is a messages page to host private chats between two users, necessary for sliding into DMs and initiating conversations. Finally, users should be able to see all of their previous/current matches on a dedicated page.

With these features in mind, though, where do you begin building?

One place to begin is with your database, since you’ll need data to see your app’s functionality as you build it. Bubble allows you to create custom databases, with data types, tables and fields tailor-made for your application. For your dating app, you’d need data types for messages, matches, users and so on.

Once you’re done setting up your database, you can take advantage of Bubble’s workflow feature to stitch it all together. This is where you set up event triggers (e.g. button click) and the action flow from one step to the next (e.g. match the users, edit the database, etc.).

If you really want to replicate the tinder swipe process, the ‘Tinder-like Pile’ plugin makes it easy to build the swipe element into your app, and detail out what happens after a profile is swiped in either direction. 

Meanwhile, the ability to pull data from the database – as well as the “repeating group” functionality – makes it possible for users to view a custom list of their matches, messages, and chats in real time.

Finally, Bubble enables you to set up privacy rules and conditionals to guide your app, filter potential matches by user preferences and location, and include ‘like’ functionality on your application.

Examples of Dating Apps on Bubble

Dating app ‘Really Really Want’ is one such example of a dating app built using Bubble. The app is designed to help you find other users who are exact matches with what we desire in a partner.

To achieve this aim, the app uses “expectation filters”. After creating their profiles, users are presented with six different filters for expressing their expectations. These options include: ‘Something Casual’, ‘Friendship’, ‘Get a Drink’, ‘Open relationship’, ‘Long-term relationship’ and ‘Hookup’.

So, in addition to any other filters, users who select their expectation filters (up to 2 of them) will only be matched with other users with similar expectations. The entire idea is that two matched users should be certain what they’re getting from their relationship from the off.

You too can build a dating app with even more revolutionary features using a combination of the many tools provided by Bubble. From your desired sleek appearance to all of the logic behind the scenes, Bubble enables you to define just what you want from your dating app.