What is Bumble? How the dating app differs from its competition, and what it offers women

• Bumble is a dating app that works a lot like Tinder — if both people swipe right, it’s a match.
• The biggest difference is that in heterosexual pairings, women have to be the first one to send a message.
• Bumble also allows you to search for friends and business connections, rather than just dates.
• Visit Insider’s Tech Reference library for more stories.

Bumble is a dating app that was launched in 2014 by a former Tinder executive. Like Tinder, Bumble uses a swipe right/swipe left model to let users sort through and match with potential partners.

While the app’s approach is conventional enough that it will feel familiar to users of other dating apps, Bumble has a few unique features. For example, if a man and woman both “swipe right” on each other’s profiles, only the woman can send the first message. 

How Bumble differs from other dating apps

Not only does Bumble (iOS, Android) differ from many dating apps by putting women in the driver’s seat – this is to reduce the volume of toxic and unwanted messages from men that many women face on dating apps – but the app supports a diverse range of orientations. 

While various dating apps specialize in heterosexual or non-hetero relationships, Bumble supports them all. When creating a relationship, you get to specify both your gender – man, woman, non-binary, or literally dozens of other self-identifications – as well as which gender you’re interested in finding. 

Bumble also has several modes: You can choose dating, BFF (for finding platonic friends), and Bizz (for career networking). 

How Bumble works

To create a Bumble account, you're required to be at least 18 years of age. To get started, you can sign in with your Apple or Facebook credentials or use your mobile phone number.

After uploading at least one photo and creating a profile, you can swipe right to indicate interest in another person. If that person also swipes right in a heterosexual pairing, the woman must make the first move.

If she doesn't, the match expires after 24 hours, though users are given a limited option of extending a match for an additional 24 hours. (For same-sex matches, either person may start the conversation.)

If you prefer, you can also access Bumble on the web, as well as using the mobile app. 

What is Tinder? Here's what you should know about the popular dating appHere's what you need to know about Hinge's new 'Roses' feature that's meant to help you stand out on the dating appHow to connect your Spotify account to your Tinder profile to display your music tasteHow to permanently delete your Facebook Dating profile, or 'take a break' from it