How to build an app like Tinder
The short answer
- An app like Tinder shows people nearby one at a time, creates a match when two people like each other, and opens a chat between them.
- Recommended stack: an Expo app for iOS and Android, Supabase with PostGIS and Realtime for matching and chat, and RevenueCat for subscriptions.
- The hardest parts are who to show next and safety: reporting, blocking and moderation are required by Apple, not optional.
What an app like Tinder does at its core
People create a profile with photos and a few details, set who they want to meet and how far away, and then see one profile at a time. Swipe right to like, left to pass. When two people like each other, it's a match and they can chat.
The business usually runs on subscriptions that unlock extras, like seeing who liked you. Everything rests on having enough active people nearby, which makes launch planning as important as the code.
MVP features and what comes later
An MVP (minimum viable product) is the smallest version that real users can use and pay for. It tests the idea before you build everything.
In your first version
- Sign up with phone number or Apple and Google login
- Profile with photos, age, short bio and preferences
- A deck of people nearby, filtered by age and distance
- Like and pass, with a match on mutual likes
- Chat between matches, with push notifications
- Report, block and unmatch
- An admin area to review reports and photos
Later
- Paid extras: see who liked you, more likes, boosts
- Photo verification with a selfie
- Smarter ordering of the deck
- Video calls
- Changing your location to another city
- Prompts, voice notes and other profile formats
The recommended stack
This is the blueprint a developer would start from, using the same building blocks as the live builder. It matches the Native Mobile App result of the quiz.
CLIENT
iOS + Android
Expo
CORE
Database + API
Supabase + PostGIS
SUBSCRIPTIONS
RevenueCat
CHAT
Supabase Realtime
NOTIFICATIONS
Expo Notifications
- Recommended
- Native Mobile App
- Apps
- 1 for iOS and Android
- Pieces
- 5 building blocks
Why each layer
- ClientExpo app
Dating is a phone habit: camera for photos, push for new matches and messages, quick sessions. One Expo app covers iOS and Android.
- CoreSupabase with PostGIS
Profiles, likes, matches and messages are related data in Postgres. PostGIS filters people by distance, and row level security makes sure people can only read chats they are part of.
- SubscriptionsRevenueCat
Paid extras unlock features inside the app, so Apple's guideline 3.1.1 requires in-app purchase. RevenueCat keeps one subscription status across App Store and Google Play.
- ChatSupabase Realtime
New messages appear live while both people have the chat open. Messages are stored in Postgres, so the history, reports and moderation all work from the same data.
- NotificationsExpo Notifications
"New match" and "new message" pushes bring people back. Keep them short and never put message text from strangers on the lock screen without the user's choice.
The hardest parts of an app like Tinder, and how to solve them
1. Who to show next
The deck is a database query: people within the chosen distance, in the right age range, who match each other's preferences, minus everyone already liked, passed or blocked. Index the likes table well, because it grows faster than anything else.
Load profiles in small batches and fetch the next batch before the deck runs out. Start with a simple ordering, like recently active first; a smarter ranking can come once you have real data.
2. Matching without race conditions
When two people like each other at nearly the same moment, there must be exactly one match. Create matches in the database, in one transaction or trigger that checks for the other person's like.
3. Safety and moderation
Apple's guideline 1.2 requires apps with user-generated content to filter objectionable material, let people report content, block abusive users and publish contact details. For a dating app this is the minimum: build report, block and unmatch into the first version, and give your team an admin view to act on reports.
Photo checks can start manual, with automatic image moderation added later.
4. Location privacy
Never send other people's exact coordinates to the phone. Calculate distance on the server and show it rounded, for example "5 km away", so nobody can find someone's home by comparing numbers.
5. Getting past app review and the empty deck
Apple's guideline 4.3(b) names dating as a category where new apps need a meaningfully different experience to be accepted. Know what makes yours different before you build, and say it in your review notes.
An empty deck kills a dating app. Launch for one city, one university or one community first, so the people who join actually see each other.
What you can leave out of the MVP
- Paid extras: launch free, add subscriptions once people stay
- Video calls
- Machine-learning ranking: recently active and nearby is enough at first
- Changing location to other cities
- Automatic photo moderation, if your team reviews new profiles by hand
What it costs
This page gives no price on purpose: the cost depends on your scope and your developer's rate. The App Cost Calculator turns the MVP features above into an hour range, and you add your rate.
Add payments in the calculator if subscriptions are part of your first version.
Sources for the platform rules and tools mentioned on this page:
Frequently asked questions
Will Apple accept a new dating app?
Only if it offers something meaningfully different. Apple's guideline 4.3(b) lists dating as a category with many apps already. A clear niche or a different way of meeting people helps you pass review.
What safety features does a dating app need?
At least reporting, blocking and unmatching, a way to filter objectionable content, and published contact details, which Apple's guideline 1.2 requires for user-generated content. Plan an admin view so your team can act on reports.
How do dating apps make money in the app?
Usually with subscriptions that unlock extras. Because these unlock features inside the app, they go through Apple's and Google's in-app purchase. RevenueCat manages that across both stores.
Can I launch a dating app in one city?
Yes, and it's often the better start. People only stay if they see others nearby, so a focused launch gives a fuller deck than a thin national one.
Related
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Tinder is a trademark of its owner. Find My Stack is not affiliated with it; the name only describes the type of app.