Is Hinge About To Start Charging Users?

New York-based dating app Hinge could soon start charging its users by introducing a new premium service.

This is according to a story in TechCrunch, which quotes sources close to the matter who say the app is “undergoing a huge makeover” that involves removing the swiping functionality and adding a paid subscription layer.

In response to the story, Hinge sent TechCrunch the following statement:

“We are continually focused on helping our users find meaningful relationships. To that end, we’re always working with our users to test new concepts. However, at this point nothing is confirmed — everything from friend endorsements to concierge matchmaking has been on table.

“What we do know is that each global release continues to be the result of enormous amounts of work alongside our community in an effort to understand what sparks online connections that have the power to become lasting offline relationships.”

If true, this would be a massive overhaul for Hinge, and would see it be one of the first of the “new school” of dating apps to focus on bringing in serious revenue by charging its members using the “old school” model of subscriptions.

Obviously Tinder introduced their own premium service, Tinder Plus, last year, but the sources seem to suggest Hinge’s revamp and subscription level would be much more substantial than an “added feature” and no-ads service like Tinder Plus.

It would also be a massive risk considering the number of free dating app competitors out there at the moment, and if it happened, a fascinating test to see whether the new (younger) generations of online daters would be willing to pay for dating services.

We will update with any new information as we receive it.