Facebook Dating: My Experience Testing the App

Overview

Mark Zuckerberg announced the development of Facebook Dating in 2018, and it’s gotten mixed reviews over the years. Some people like the forever free features and verified profiles. Others would prefer to keep their Facebook profiles far, far away from their online dating lives. I wanted to test Facebook Dating for myself and see if it actually works as promised by the tech giant. I made exactly one match on my first day and honestly wasn’t wowed by the profile quality I saw. It works fine, but it’s far from the best app on the market.

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After spending a week on Facebook Dating, I have mixed feelings. I can’t say it’s a top-notch dating service with a ton of features, but it’s not the bottom of the barrel either. The overall experience felt pretty chill and easygoing. 

At first, the thought of using Facebook for dating sounded strange. I usually associate Facebook with staying connected with old relatives or occasionally using it to be nosy to check on old high school classmates. But again, never dating. 

So the anticipation kept getting to me. It wasn’t until I clicked on the app that I realized it was just a matter of starting and enjoying the free ride.

How Signing Up Works: Available in the FB App Only

Finding the app was the first step, and it was no easy first step. You might think I’m joking… I’m not; it actually took me a minute to find it in the app. You can only access Facebook Dating in the Facebook app. The website doesn’t have it as an option.

Initially, I got confused because there are plenty of supporting groups on Facebook that I initially thought were it. 

After I got over that hurdle, I was given two options: “Join Dating” or “Browse privately.” 

Browsing privately was a pleasant surprise. I didn’t expect that to be an option, so I figured, “why not?” I chose to start there so that I could ease my way into it. 

Next  I had to answer two questions:

• “Who do you want to date?”
• “What’s your gender?” 

Even though I’d chosen to browse privately for two days, I was given three days in total. This meant I could swipe through profiles of guys within my area without them knowing. It was nice being incognito because it took the initial pressure off. I was able to like up to 30 profiles.

But that didn’t last for long. By the second day, I got bored and decided to get into the real action by setting up my profile. 

Creating a Visible Profile

To build my dating profile, I had to fill in the following five basic facts: 

1. First Name
2. Age
3. Hometown
4. High School
5. College 

Since my Facebook account was linked to the app, all this information was already filled out. Which was helpful. It saved me some time! 

I liked that the questions were simple and not too intimidating. I really don’t like it when dating apps ask about my body type or income. This all seemed like fair game.

I decided to stick to the one picture and let my words in my bio do the talking for the time being. 

All things considered, I didn’t have to reveal too much on my profile. The app took my profile picture from Facebook, so I didn’t have to upload one. The app did encourage profiles to have three pictures to gain more visibility. I decided to stick to the one picture and let my words in my bio do the talking for the time being. 

Setting Filters & Preferences

Next were the filters. This process was a little bit more in-depth than I’m used to with other apps. The options included setting my preferences for relationship intent, distance, height, language(s) spoken, and other compatibility factors. Again, it saved me some time! 

It was cool knowing I could filter through matches based on what I was looking for. And I could change those preferences at any time.

So how long did it take me to set up my profile? I’ll say roughly five to six minutes. That was the easy part. It started getting a little bit rocky after that. 

My First Impressions Using the App

The app’s interface isn’t as intuitive as a lot of mainstream dating sites I’ve used before. 

It took a little trial and error to figure things out. 

Overall, the app’s design is pretty bland. It only consists of dating profiles with different categories at the bottom, such as “date night” and “friendship.”

I didn’t know what these categories meant at first. I thought maybe it had something to do with the profile that appeared on the screen, but when I clicked on it, it took me to a whole different section where new profiles appeared. 

So I could use these categories to see different sorts of profiles in a swipe list. And that was about all I could do. Look at a profile. Like or pass on that profile. Look at another profile.

Once I figured out how everything worked, I was in the clear. I started trying to get a match, and that proved a little challenging, but not too bad. 

My Matches & Messages

As I said, the swiping was straightforward. I either hearted a profile I was interested in or stamped it with an “X” when I wasn’t impressed.

On the app, there’s a “liked you” tab where I could see who has liked my profile. From there, I could choose to like them back to create an immediate match. This is usually a paid feature, so I was glad to see this section available for free on Facebook Dating.

I’ll say upfront that I was satisfied with the dating pool. There were good-looking men on the app. I read more than a few interesting bios. The men struck me as actually real. Some did try to get out of adding an actual photo that told me what they looked like. But that’s true on most apps.

Now, was everyone on the app looking for real connections? No. But you kind of knew that from the start because of how Facebook Dating is set up.

I read one guy’s bio that clearly stated he had no interest in connecting with someone who had kids or debt. I thought, “Hey, it’s his preference,” and moved on (I just graduated with my master’s in filmmaking, so I do have student debt).

I don’t mind when people tell their dealbreakers or goals that bluntly. It’s better to know that upfront rather than after months of exchanging messages. 

Which brings me to messaging. Messaging on Facebook Dating is free and unlimited. So it took me no time to start chatting. I felt emboldened by the free services. I messaged three guys. I kept it cute and friendly with a simple, “Hi.” Two of them responded within a few hours. 

A private message wasn’t the only way to communicate on the app. Facebook Dating has an option to comment on pictures, which I think is perfect for those who struggle with breaking the ice. 

I had one guy comment on my picture with a compliment: “Pretty.” Yeah, it was basic and not the best grand gesture, but hey, it started a conversation. 

Since my filters weren’t so narrow, the dating pool was broad-ranging in age, from 19 to 55, and I saw a lot of interest in my profile. I had six likes within a couple of hours of joining.

The match process went a lot quicker than I’d anticipated. I’d thought since Facebook Dating is a smaller pool, it would take a few days for me to find a match, but by the end of my first day, I had a match. Matches on Facebook Dating are made based on shared interests. If a person likes you and you like them back, you have a match! 

I’m not going to lie, getting a match that fast raised my eyebrows. I figured that would mean I would be left with a bunch of matches to have to sort through. I don’t like juggling chats, so I was hesitant to send out too many likes after that.

However, soon enough I learned that matches expire if neither of you initiates contact. Makes sense, right? I think this is a great feature because it encourages people to engage with one another and not just collect matches for the fun of it.

What’s New on Facebook Dating?

Facebook Dating launched in 2019 and hasn’t stopped evolving. The app originally started off matching people based on their preferences and allowing text-only messages. But now the app has voice messages and video calls, along with AI tools and incognito mode.

For those who aren’t the biggest fan of swiping, the app still offers automatic matching… just in a different way with the Meet Cute tool. The algorithm automatically matches users based on their profile and shared interests. These are pre-approved profiles meant to catch a user’s eye.

And since we live in a world of AI, it wasn’t a surprise to see that Facebook Dating now includes an AI Dating Assistant that helps users improve their profiles, come up with unique messages, and formulate a good online dating strategy. 

I used the Dating Assistant to get tips on my profile, and it made photo suggestions that I found pretty solid if not a little basic. I already knew that adding more pictures would make my profile more attractive.

I think this would be a great feature for someone new to online dating who may need a bit more hand-holding.

Pros & Cons

While figuring out how the app worked was a bit frustrating and time-consuming, I gave the app a fair shot to make a good impression with swiping and messaging. And it was pretty middle-of-the-road. Here are some pros and cons I identified:

I appreciated that the app allowed me to take the lead from the start and set filters based on what matters. For example, I feel that Christian values are important, and so I used the religion preferences to express that. I also ended up setting an age range of five years older and five years younger than me because I was seeing too many older men. Height, I left blank. You’re welcome, short kings.

I didn’t like how limited the features are. I didn’t have much beyond the basic profile to go on. I felt like the burden was on me to continually swipe and sift through everyone without much guidance. I honestly got bored of the swipe list really quickly, so I can’t imagine anyone staying on the app longer than a week or two.

Safety & Privacy Concerns

The privacy on the app is top tier. I started my journey incognito and could control my visibility in my settings. Knowing that none of my Facebook friends knew I was on the app felt reassuring. I was on the app, but “I wasn’t on the app.” And I liked that. 

I felt safe on Facebook Dating. Not only was I given the option to block or report suspicious profiles, but the privacy assurances, including the ability to turn off seeing Facebook friends as matches, really added an extra layer of comfortability for me. 

Wondering if your nosy relatives will discover who you’re dating online can be nerve-wracking. Thankfully, Facebook Dating’s privacy settings help relieve that anxiety. But that’s not all.

While interacting with members online, I could always report any conversation I was having if I felt like it was inappropriate. It was a one-click step where I voiced my concerns, and then the team would take action to review it and potentially ban a member if they were breaking the community standards.

Also, if I was no longer interested in the person, I could unmatch with them. And then poof, the profile was gone from my queue, and I was gone from theirs.

What stood out the most to me was that Facebook Dating immediately connected my dating profile to my Facebook profile and verified my identity that way. That gave me confidence in the user base. I knew that Meta had to have already approved this person to set up a Facebook account and pulled pictures that were published in their gallery for friends and family to view.

That made me feel like the chances of meeting a catfish were extremely low. In fact, no one I talked to was rude or giving catfish energy. The conversations were all fun and chill. Still, it was nice knowing I had the option to bail if I needed to. 

FAQs: What Does Facebook Dating Cost?

The only cost you’ll have to pay is your time. Facebook Dating is completely free. Daters don’t have to worry about any hidden fees or subscriptions. And there aren’t any paid features or upgrades on offer (yet). It’s all yours for free.

Can My Friends See Me on Facebook Dating?

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No, but yes. Your profile won’t be visible unless your friend just so happens to be on Facebook Dating as well and swipes on you. But that’s not a common thing. And you can go into your settings to say if you’d rather not see any Facebook friends in your matches.

If your friends aren’t on FB Dating, they won’t know you’re there either. One of the app’s many perks is that it doesn’t share your dating profile or dating activity on your general Facebook account. 

Does Anybody Actually Use Facebook Dating?

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Surprisingly, yes. Even though the app is relatively new, it has a lot of traction. I thought I was going to be running into the same profiles over and over again, but that didn’t happen. The dating pool seemed plenty big.

The stats show that 1.7 million people are using Facebook Dating on a daily basis. That’s nowhere near as big as apps like Tinder and Hinge, but it’s not nothing.

Who Should Try Facebook Dating? 

Deal Hunters: Facebook Dating is great for people like me who are always looking for a good deal. The $0 price tag just can’t be beat.

20-Somethings: I think the dating app is useful for younger singles who like casual chatting and don’t necessarily know what they want to get out of it. There’s no push for commitment, and with the upfront profile prompts, you can let your intentions (or lack thereof) be known. 

Single Women: I also recommend Facebook Dating if you’re a woman sick of trying to navigate hundreds of matches elsewhere. I personally found that Facebook Dating wasn’t so overwhelming as highly active apps like Tinder or Bumble can be. My profile got likes, but it was a manageable flow. Not an outright deluge.

Fatigued Swipers: Facebook Dating has a large dating pool, but it doesn’t have the same feel as mainstream dating apps. It’s a little quirkier. It’s a little more off the beaten track. If you haven’t had luck with the more well-known apps, Facebook Dating might be a good alternative to try.

Best Facebook Dating Alternative: Match

I totally get the appeal of free stuff, but Facebook Dating isn’t the biggest dating app, and I can’t say I found it very effective, so you might want to tilt the odds in your favor by joining another app in addition to (or instead of) Facebook Dating.

If you want my recommendation, then I’d say you should go with Match, which has been successfully pairing couples since 1995. Before Facebook was even a thing.

Match is a dating site for relationships, and that’s apparent right away when it asks questions about your lifestyle (i.e., whether you have kids, if you exercise regularly) and your relationship goals. The signup process is no joke. It’s a little longer than Facebook Dating, but when you’re browsing profiles that really tell you a lot about a new person, I’d say it is well worth it.

I personally like Match more than Facebook Dating because it offers more customization options. I can respond to profile prompts or add interest tags. I can adjust my search filters easily in the Search tab or get an algorithm-recommended profile in the Discover section.

Best of all, Match lets users chat with their mutual matches, so you can still get by with a $0 membership if budget is an important concern for you.

Credit Where Credit Is Due: Facebook Dating Is Totally Free

So what’s the verdict? Facebook Dating gets a 4.1 rating from me. It’s worth giving a try… but don’t have high hopes. The dating pool is on the small-ish side, and the match features are pretty basic. 

I’d suggest using Facebook Dating along with other apps like Match or Hinge to compare the user experience. Maybe the simple and streamlined setup on Facebook Dating suits you. Or maybe you’d like more ability to customize and filter, as you’ll find on Match. It all comes down to what you prefer.

Take advantage of the free messaging and send likes on a regular basis to get traction on Facebook Dating. It’s certainly not a bad place to start mixing and matching.