Review happn

Dating apps lack originality. Almost each of them is similar to its closest competitor. It would not be so bad if this similarity were not even visual. In fact, why come up with something new if it works for a competitor. You just need to copy the concept, change the management organization, change the color scheme, add a couple of details and release it as a new product. Happn did something different. This is initially a conceptual application, where the idea is to meet people regarding the places visited. If you visited, say, a library that a girl visited during the week, the application will notice this, suggesting you to each other. This beautiful and controversial idea sets Happn apart from other apps.

REGISTRATION

The app starts right away with the concept, transforming its name into a noun. Happners – this is what the program calls its users. Before this you need to register. Registration is available in two ways: using a phone number and synchronizing with a social network. For the first path, you will need to enter your current mobile number. You will receive a message with a code entered in the next window. If the code is not received, a call is received with a voice message of the code. It then goes on to explain that the app collects personal data for the benefit of the program and its partners. This is quite fair, since almost all dating services use users’ personal data in one way or another. They also warn about this, but in small footnotes deep in the user agreements, which almost no one reads. An important point: the application allows you to change and delete information about yourself at your discretion. Afterwards there is a procedure for filling out basic questionnaire information. After filling out the name, date of birth, gender of the person you are looking for, you need to enter the postal address. It only serves the purpose of additional security – for example, you can restore your account if you lose your phone. Then follows the mandatory procedure of adding a photo. There are two ways: upload a photo from the gallery, or take a selfie. In fact, registration ends at this stage. Next comes filling in some personal information: What kind of relationship are you looking for: love, nothing special, wait and see. Yes, the answer options are presented in exactly this frivolous form. Height. Weight. How is your physical fitness: normal, beginner athlete, sport is my life. What kind of cook are you: a microwave connoisseur, there are a couple of signature dishes, a chef. How do you usually spend your holidays: with a backpack on your back, a deckchair and sunscreen, culture and postcards. How do you feel about parties: I go to bed before midnight, walk in moderation, night bird. But it’s not even the presentation that’s so unusual, but the set of questions itself. Registration is technically completed at this stage. The application works exclusively based on location – you cannot enter the desired city or adjust the search radius.

DESIGN

Apps always promote some color for a strong association with themselves. This is a very important component of any network product. Color affects recognition; the brand begins to be associated with a specific shade. Happn uses a very nice shade called Bondi Blue. It has call to action buttons, interface, tabs. The application is organized in a manner familiar to dating services of the post-Tinder era. The icons are intuitive, located in one row at the bottom, there are no pop-up or functional curtains.

SWIP

Swipe interface for quickly viewing and rating profiles. The functionality is standard, however, the lack of a return button is sad. The function of returning a swiped profile is available only after purchasing a premium account. Skip. Move to the next profile without rating. Hello. The feature is similar to Badoo Super Like. By sending it, the person will receive a greeting notification, which should increase the chances of a response. Quantity per day is limited. Like. The main and most common function. After clicking, the user receives a notification. You can see the author of the like only after purchasing a premium account.

NOTICES

Notifications of various types come here. Both the technical news of the application and the likes given to you. The tab may seem superfluous to the main line, but there was simply nowhere to put it.

MAP

A very important service. Shows the places and people you crossed paths with there. But you need to understand that the meeting expires a week after visiting the place. This is the main feature of the application. It is designed for large cities with a wide choice of leisure facilities. The map distinguishes the application from other dating services; at least this difference can be called a feature. This approach also has disadvantages – residents of small towns will be very limited in their choice of people.

MESSAGES

A spacious window with the function of searching for dialogue by the name of the interlocutor. In addition, at the top of the window there is always an offer to buy premium and look at the author of the like. The dialog box doesn’t even have anything to mark it with – it’s just a regular window. However, the functionality here cannot be called ordinary: Go to the interlocutor’s profile. This way you can delete the correspondence. Cancel communication with the interlocutor. Complain. Long list of reasons for complaint: inappropriate behavior, fake profile, commercial, inappropriate photo, fraud, minor. At the bottom there is a block for sending voice messages, gifs and music. GIFs are embedded with a third-party plugin, and music must be searched from the Spotify list. There is no function for sending photos. Apparently, the reason is conceptual – applications like Tinder are aimed at real meetings by location, and not at exchanging photos.

PROFILE

Here you will find your profile, application settings, technical tabs and a greetings counter. When you click on a profile, a window with data changes opens. Most of the points are familiar from registration; below is synchronization with Instagram and Spotify.

MY PREFERENCES

The tab is named incorrectly, because in addition to the search filter there are a number of other settings: Select gender. There are no restrictions, you can choose both options. Age range. Turn on invisibility for 8 hours. The function is paid, it allows you to hide your profile from the swipe for a certain time. But the invisible feature is unusual: you can select specific days and even operating hours for the service. Hide age. Hide online status. Hide distance. Place detection function. When enabled, it shows the places you’ve visited on the map.

APPLICATION SETTINGS

Here you can manage notifications, synchronize with third-party services and other settings: Hello. Crushes. If two people start a conversation – after mutually exchanging likes – they go into Crash status. This allows you to communicate. The notification disables the receipt of messages about the status that has appeared between you. Messages. Likes. Daily countdown. Activity statistics in the application. Other notifications. We are talking about system alerts here. Connected accounts. Synchronization with Instagram and Spotify. Distance unit: kilometers and miles. Legal information. My details. Personal data management and account deletion. Go out. Exit the application. Suspend account. Does not delete, but completely removes the account from the search.

HELP IS NEEDED

The application does not have 24/7 live support. All feedback is sent via e-mail. In this tab, you can send a message of this kind to the application’s technical mailbox, read the FAQ, and also show tips, as when you first got acquainted with the program.

PAYMENT AND PAID SERVICES

Premium account is the only paid service. This could be an advantage if this status did not have such a price tag. Premium provides the following benefits: Shows who liked it. Gives up to 10 greetings daily. Removes the limit from likes. Allows you to use invisibility. Opens options for hiding personal data. Disables advertising. You can only buy three packages: 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. The cost depends on the chosen package; the longer the period, the greater the discount.

SIMILAR APPS

Tinder and Badoo are the closest to Happn. But if we take it more broadly, this application is similar to all dating services in recent years.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Among the advantages, it is necessary to highlight the design, there are no problems in it. Design can also include a solution with one paid service, since it is simply convenient. The first and most noticeable disadvantage is the premium account prices. Rare dating sites charge half of this price, since to do this you have to be at least a reputable project. This is not the case here. The main feature of the application is the search for visited places – this is a plus for communication, and a minus for dating. This app is definitely not for introverts.

USER REVIEWS

Sasha
I gave a like to the girl whom the app showed I met at hockey. We’ve been going there together ever since, lol.
Elena
I almost didn’t sit on it, because I’m from a small town, and I only saw one point on the map) But I was surprised by the premium, well, it’s really expensive.