Is the Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB) dating app better or worse than other popular dating apps like Bumble or Tinder? How does Coffee Meets Bagel compare with these popular options?
We researched Coffee Meets Bagel and combed the internet for detailed user feedback and reviews. Here’s a quick but complete summary of our findings.
First, how does Coffee Meets Bagel work?
Coffee Meets Bagel prides themselves on their algorithmic matching, and only handpicks a couple suggested users for you to like each day at noon.
Women only see users who have already liked them in their suggested list. If you’re not into your suggestions, you can always browse through profiles in the “Discover” tab of the app.
How much does Coffee Meets Bagel cost? Can you use it for free?
There are three ways to use Coffee Meets Bagel: free, paid subscription, or beans (the in-app currency). Here’s the breakdown:
Free Features
- Profile creation and browsing
- Sending messages once matched
- Access to free Beans, the app’s in-app currency
- Viewing profiles of potential matches
Premium Membership Features and Pricing Tiers
Premium memberships unlock advanced features like activity reports, read receipts, and bonus Beans. The pricing structure is as follows:
1 Month: $34.99/month
3 Months: $25.00/month ($74.99 total)
6 Months: $20.00/month ($119.99 total)
12 Months: $15.00/month ($179.99 total)
Beans (In-App Currency)
Beans allow users to access additional features such as boosting profiles, match insights, and more. You can earn beans for free while using the app or purchase them for quick actions. The cost of Beans is:
100 Beans: $1.99
2,000 Beans: $23.99
3,000 Beans: $24.99 (the best value-for-cost)
Is Coffee Meets Bagel expensive?
Compared to other dating apps, Coffee Meets Bagel falls in the upper midrange in terms of cost. While many basic features are free, the premium membership provides valuable upgrades that enhance the user experience. It’s all about what you find valuable in dating apps and how quickly you want to get matches and get out on dates.
However, the quickest (and cheapest) way to get more matches is by first testing your photos on Photofeeler. Then you’ll know precisely what pics to use that are human-approved, and you won’t need to spend $$$ to upgrade features constantly.
Coffee Meets Bagel Dating App PROS
- Encourages Quality Connections: Coffee Meets Bagel limits the number of users you can like to five per day, discouraging the swipe-now-look-later approach common in apps like Tinder. This attracts more thoughtful users who actually read bios, not just photos.
- Balanced Gender Ratio: The app has a favorable ratio of women to men, approximately 60% women to 40% men. This dynamic allows women to be more selective while reducing competition for men.
- Time-Limited Chats: Chats are only available for 7 days after matching, encouraging users to take action by exchanging information or planning an in-person meeting. This feature eliminates prolonged indecision and helps avoid “cookie-jarring” (saving matches for later).
Coffee Meets Bagel Dating App CONS
- Limited Daily Matches: Since CMB only shows a few profiles daily, the matching process can feel slower compared to other apps that provide more options, which may discourage users seeking faster results.
- No Desktop Version: Coffee Meets Bagel is exclusively available as a mobile app, which can be inconvenient for those who prefer a desktop interface.
- Low Activity in Some Areas: Some users have noted that member activity can be sparse in specific locations, making it harder to find high-quality matches, particularly outside major cities. You might be asked to download a different version of the app, like below:
Overall Takeaway: ✔️
We can conclude our review by saying that Coffee Meets Bagel is a pretty cool dating app, and can be a refreshing change from the endless swiping game of Tinder and Bumble.
We like CMB’s mentality that more doesn’t always equal better, and it can be a more fulfilling experience to review a handful of profiles carefully rather than swipe through hundreds. Their site reports that 91% of its users are looking for a serious relationship– so the odds are in your favor.
How do you get quality matches on the Coffee Meets Bagel?
Good pics.
Seriously, you can’t underestimate how much good pics matter, especially for apps that attract discerning users like Coffee Meets Bagel.
With the wrong pics, you can end up with zero matches. The right pics can change your dating life completely.
Test your dating pics on Photofeeler to ensure you use your best ones!
