Coffee Meets Bagel hopes to offer users better quality matches by sending curated matches, or “Bagels,” each day at noon. For people who like a little extra hand-holding, CMB isn’t the worst option. However, I felt the app was confusing to use; too many features and too many gimmicks. I shouldn’t have to lookup online tutorials to figure out how to use a dating app. And why call matches Bagels?
I was also disappointed in the notifications, which were a tad too pushy and out of touch for my taste. CMB was constantly “gently” reminding me to message users I’d matched with and I found myself disabling the app after I received a notification from it that said, “Show [Match Name] who’s boss and break the ice today!” Is it just me or is it weird to imply that a potential future relationship should have a hierarchical power dynamic? At the end of the day, I have friends who’ve had good matches on CMB, but it isn’t my favorite app.
Happn
Happn matches you with people who are nearby physically. It’s a cool concept and helpful for people who want to meet someone in a more organic manner. That said, I’ve never met a single person who actually uses the app.
Within the first three hours of signing up, Happn welcomed me with 68 users it said I had crossed paths with, even though I hadn’t left my apartment all day. It might be helpful if you’re looking to date your immediate neighbors (or Uber drivers), but I struggle to see why this is much of a draw when competitors like Tinder already show the distance between you and other users. Frankly, if I saw a cute guy in a coffee shop, I’d rather just approach him than check if he’s on Happn. The app seems designed for people who don’t want to use online dating but who also don’t want to approach people in real life. Pick a lane.
The League
The League is an “elite dating app” that requires you to apply to get access. Your job title and the college you attended are factors The League considers when you apply, which is why you have to provide your Linkedin account. Big cities tend to have long waiting lists, so you might find yourself twiddling your thumbs as your application goes through the process. (Of course, you can pay to hurry up the review.) The exclusivity can be a draw for some and a turnoff for others. Let me demystify the app for you: I’ve seen most of the profiles I come across on The League on other dating apps. So at the end of the day, you’ll probably see the same faces on Tinder, if you aren’t deemed elite enough for The League.
Most dating apps are fairly LGBTQ inclusive. Still, it’s nice to have an app to call your own. Her is tailored to lesbian, bisexual and queer women. The app serves a valuable purpose, but generally has some bugs and glitches that made it frustrating for me to use. Most of my queer female friends have told me they found the app to be just OK, but they usually end up back on Tinder or Bumble. Still I checked it regularly for some time and had a few pleasant conversations with actual human beings. And isn’t that all we’re really looking 
for in a dating app?
Clover
Clover tried to be the on-demand version of online dating: you can basically order a date like you would a pizza. It also has match percentages based on compatibility, though it isn’t entirely clear how those numbers are calculated.
