SpeedDater
Dating apps vs. singles events
Alice
03 Mar 2016

Dating apps vs. singles events

It’s a bright new world out there for 2016 singles, because dating apps, singles events, online dating and meetups have made it easier than ever for us to flirt, date, or just Netflix + chill (google it) with potential love interests.

But where to start, and which is best suited to you? In 2013 online dating was hitting its peak, and we looked at the pros and cons of online dating vs. singles events. Now, dating apps are all the rage. But is it time we put down our overly-swiped phones and get back to real life?

Dating apps

Dating apps pros:
• Dating apps are fun. Don’t even try and tell me you don’t enjoy judging profile after profile of the opposite sex from the comfort of your sofa, with a quick swipe left or right.
• Fit nicely with our busy modern lives – you can date in your PJs or on your commute to work!
• There’s a huge amount of choice. Nearly every single person I know is on at least 2 dating apps, meaning there are literally thousands of potential suitors for you to browse.
• Matchmaking filters, ie by location, age, employment, religion mean you can make sure you’re only seeing the kind of people you could be interested in. Cutting away the ‘absolutely not’ people is a luxury you just don’t get in real life. *sigh*

Dating apps cons:
• Unfortunately, the good always comes with the bad. A lot of dating apps are notorious for sleazeballs. Think you’ll find someone to fall in love with? It’s more likely you’ll walk away with a d*ck pic than a date.
• Catfish risk. Just like online dating, dating apps are reliant on people being honest about who they are. Occasionally profiles are fake and people get hurt.
• Dating apps aren’t always taken seriously. It’s easy to get caught up in the fun of the swipe, and not actually take the step to meet people in the real world. Perhaps having a huge amount of choice thrown in front of us all at once isn’t the best way for us to determine potential interest.
• People often present themselves differently behind the safety of their phone. Ever spent time chatting to a “6ft 3, athletic, 25 year old” only to meet a 5ft10, out of shape, 33 year old? The disappointment is real!

Singles events

Singles events pros:
• Singles nights are a laugh. Held in swanky bars, it’s a treat to get dolled up and flirt over a G&T.
• Real UK singles are guaranteed. You won’t find foreign scammers or webcam girls at singles events, and there’s definitely no chance of being catfished (phew!)
• Chemistry! Meeting other singles face-to-face gives you a chance to see if there is any chemistry with that person. How many times have you chatted to someone online, thinking you had a connection, only to meet in real life and there be no spark?
• What you see is what you get. There’s no chance your date can lie to you about their height/weight when they are sitting in front of you.
• Success rates – over 80% of SpeedDater singles events attendees get at least one ‘match’. You can’t argue with that!

Singles events cons:
• Singles nights are often dependant on the luck of the night. Events can be a bit hit and miss, because there is no matchmaking involved. All events are different – sometimes you meet a few people you fancy and sometimes not. We totally get this, which is why if you don’t meet anyone you like you can come again FREE!*
• You can only really talk to one person at a time. Even if you are at a singles party with 350 guests, you wouldn’t be able to talk to every person or you’d be there all weekend…

The verdict is…
Honestly, I think a healthy mix of both is the way to go. I do love a good dating app, but it’s really important to get out there and meet real singles face-to-face if you are serious about finding something more than Netflix + chill.

We started with speed dating London and now run singles nights in 25 different cities, so find your closest city and get dating!

That’s all for now,
Sophie x


*Subject to the terms and conditions of the SpeedDater Guarantee

Cambridge
Love
Dating Events
Virtual Speed Dating
Dating
Bath
Bristol

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