Pros & Cons #
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Clever location-based features
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Doesn't display your current location
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Slick interface
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Video verification
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Limited free version
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Profiles lack substance
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No desktop version
Happn Specs #
| Free Account Offered | | | Mobile App | | | Starting Price | $24.99 per month | | Video Calls |
Unless you’re looking simply looking for a pen pal (and there’s nothing wrong with that), most dating app users look to turn virtual dates into in-person dates as soon as possible. That's easier to pull off when your potential partner is someone who just passed you by in real life. With this in mind, Happn uses its location-based tools to facilitate these meet-ups. Since my last review, Happn has overhauled its premium tiers, added AI tools, and ditched its desktop version, but the mobile app still shines. It doesn't top our Editors’ Choice winners, Match and Tinder, but compared with many other dating apps I've tested throughout my career, Happn still has an appealing gimmick, a stylish interface, and an audience large enough to make it worth considering.
Plans and Prices #
Happn has an ad-supported free version, but it's pretty limited. You can swipe a handful of times per day, and you get only one free five-minute video call per match. At that point, you may as well trade phone numbers and use FaceTime. You must pay for the premium subscription to get the most from the app.
Happn's multiple paid subscriptions range from $14.99 for one week to $24.99 for one month to $59.99 for three months. By subscribing, you remove ads and gain new profile customization and filtering options. You can send unlimited likes and see everyone who likes you. The Happn Premium and Happn Supreme tiers share most features, but Supreme offers more resources and visibility to others. Along with a subscription, you can directly purchase one-time items, such as SuperCrushes to like profiles more emphatically or Boosts to increase your profile’s visibility. SuperCrushes cost about a dollar each, whereas Boosts cost $6.99 each. Note that the prices you see may differ from mine; dating apps are known to change prices dynamically.
Account Creation and Profiles #
Happn is a free app for Android and iOS. However, there's no desktop version. You can create your account in multiple ways, such as by signing in with your Apple or Google credentials. From there, Happn asks brief questions to flesh out your profile. What genders are you looking for? How seriously do you want to date? You can also add your height, exercise routine, and cooking skills.
By skipping a drawn-out questionnaire, getting started with Happn is much faster than, say, eHarmony or OkCupid. However, it also results in profiles that don't tell you much about the person unless they really make an effort to answer every question and fill out their bio with personality. Hinge's profiles do a better job of balancing speed and substance. Happn profiles at least indicate whether a person lives in the area or is just visiting, which is crucial info, given how location plays such a central role.
You need to upload at least one photo to create your Happn account, and more photos attract more attention. You can also certify your account by creating a verification video. The video is private and not shown to matches. The certification badge just tells swipers that you are who you say you are, a helpful safety feature.
Interface and Search Tools #
Happn looks sleek and stylish, and the app delivers snappy, responsive performance. I especially enjoyed the stock photography and animations that give the experience more personality. As software, Happn comes across as high-quality and well-produced.
The ironic thing is that Happn’s biggest feature comes from when you aren't actually using it. Happn wants to turn you into the star of your own personal rom-com, someone who stumbles across the love of their life when they least expect it. The app does this through hyper-specific, location-based matching. Your swiping pool is drawn from profiles of people you've recently passed by in real life.
Even when the app isn’t running, it logs these interactions as you go about your day on your phone. You may not have noticed that cute person in line for coffee, but Happn did. From there, Happn functions like a normal modern dating app, much like Match or Tinder. If two people like each other, it’s a match, and then you can talk from there.
Happn has a neat hook, but I was concerned this would come at the expense of usability. Would it feel too limiting to only match with people around you? Fortunately, the app features a variety of search options to make you feel empowered rather than constrained.
You do your normal swiping in the Home tab. The Vibes tab lets you see matches in specific categories such as Hikers, Museum Lovers, and Party Partners. Play a little game called CrushTime to guess who likes you. The Map screen lets you see exactly where you passed by matches. Saw them at your favorite bar? Use that as a fun icebreaker anecdote.
Robots should not replace human connection, but Happn has jumped on board the AI bandwagon, using machine learning to suggest places to meet up through its Perfect Date feature (something you could do with a few quick Google searches). You can adjust preferences for age, smoking status, and other traits to refine your search. If any of this sounds confusing, Happn has a thorough FAQ page. For privacy, Happn never displays your current location.
Virtual Dating #
Even for a dating app, Happn is especially reliant on its users existing in the real world. Still, virtual dating remains a useful tool for potential daters. Whether you pay or not, Happn's only real virtual dating feature is a brief five-minute video call with matches, intended as a vibe check before you move on to a more capable video conferencing service. This already limited feature is being increasingly deemphasized, so don't be surprised if it's phased out in the near future. Other dating services, including Bumble, Match, and Tinder, have more robust built-in video chat functionality.