Hinge: Jackie Jantos discusses the dating app’s major challenges

It discusses the key issues facing the dating app.

Hinge is one of the world’s best-known dating apps. It currently has 12 million monthly active users, a figure that has grown strongly over several years, and says that a romantic date is arranged through the platform every two seconds. Unlike Tinder, which belongs to the same Match Group, and other companies in this market, the service appeals to people who are relatively serious about finding a lasting relationship.

Jackie Jantos and Hinge’s relationship-focused approach

Jackie Jantos has led the company since last December. The relatively low-profile executive spoke to the Financial Times, where she reaffirmed the company’s stated belief:

“We position Hinge as the app ‘designed to be deleted’, and that philosophy shapes how we build our product. Our success depends on our users’ success.”

Kathryn Coduto, a researcher at Boston University, endorsed this strategy when speaking to our colleagues: “Dating apps have gained a reputation for facilitating fleeting encounters, and Hinge’s messaging is intended to challenge that perception. For people looking for a serious relationship, Hinge seems far more promising and genuine.”

“Be genuine”

Naturally, Hinge also faces several recurring criticisms from its users. Some, for instance, point to a lack of transparency around its algorithm, which sometimes suggests profiles based on shared interests and can also recommend people who do not meet their expectations.

Jackie Jantos nevertheless promises that the algorithm does not assess users’ attractiveness: “The algorithm has the information you have shared with us, information about the people you have liked, as well as signals linked to the content you have enjoyed… It uses all that information to show you profiles that may match your criteria,” the chief executive says.

Advice for Hinge’s single users

Finally, the CEO has one final piece of advice for single users: join the app and be genuine. “It is not TikTok, where you will find everything you are looking for… You need to make a little effort and be persistent.”

For further reading, take another look at our interview with Hinge’s former CEO, who discussed all the issues facing the app.