Dating apps have become enshittified and is why they are so ineffective. However, there is a huge opportunity for improvement. The core hypothesis my app is: a pay-per-mutual-match model that aligns user and app incentives. The mutual financial investment also makes users more likely to engage once they match.

My app doesn’t rely on complex algorithms or AI for matchmaking, as they perpetuate biases. Instead, I use a transparent system where users fill out a detailed questionnaire, and I match them based on their answers using SQL queries.

The app is built with open source software (Docker, Django, Flutter, and more!), so no vendor lock-in. This is the first app I ever made so it has been an incredible learning experience.

Ask me anything about my app, Qtpi, my tech stack, or my journey!

  • qtpiOPEnglish
    1·
    2 days ago

    Yes. That is correct. It encourages thoughtful liking instead of mass liking and then deciding to pay or not later.

    If I let users like first and then put the paywall up when they match, users might shift the filtering part of the process to when they get hit with the paywall. Then there could be a scenario where a lot of unpaid matches are left in a state of limbo or cancelled. Which would be disheartening (I think) for the user network.

    • Chemo@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      1·
      19 hours ago

      Makes sense. But wouldn’t that make users extremely picky on the other hand. Like, “I like her, but better spare my Like for someone else that might come along”? Or is the idea that people just toss in money for everyone they like? That seems rather expensive to me.

      • qtpiOPEnglish
        1·
        9 hours ago

        Yes, that may be true. I won’t know until I get real users to try.

        Yes, it’s definitely more expensive than free. I don’t think we can get around that. I can’t think of a way that free works AND people don’t get spammed with likes AND people actually talk when they get a match.

        If it’s $1-$2 per match and users are not willing to spend that to match with a user, perhaps they are not that interested in the first place.

        I’m hoping it is more effective and cost effective than subscription apps but I won’t know until/if I get enough users.

        Essentially the idea is to make each match a higher quality. If users want many chances at matching with multiple people they will have to pay for more likes. If they are in no hurry then they will just have to wait until the user decides to reciprocate or decline or a week pases