Hinge Tests Limiting Unanswered Chats

Hinge is testing a new feature to address dating burnout and ghosting. This feature would prevent users from starting new conversations if they have eight or more matches waiting for a reply.

44% of daters see a lack of responsiveness as a top dating challenge, according to research conducted by Hinge. In response to this, Hinge is exploring a new feature which will give users with eight or more unanswered chats a choice: reply to messages or end these conversations, in order to begin new ones.

“With the launch of Your Turn Limits, we’re testing a new way to help our users focus on quality over quantity – keeping intentionality at the core of their dating experience,” said Justin McLeod, Founder and CEO of Hinge. 

“We’ve heard from daters how they’re feeling overwhelmed, distracted, and, simply put, burnt out. To help alleviate these challenges and get people on more great dates, we’re continuing to identify innovative solutions like Your Turn Limits”, he explained.

Not only will this feature address dating frustration and ghosting, but the platform highlighted that it will actually lead to better connections. The dating app’s research found that with fewer chats to balance, daters are quicker to reply, and therefore more likely to go on dates. “In 2023, Hinge matches where the first message was responded to within 24 hours were 72% more likely to result in a date”, it cited.

“Every feature we test is intended to get daters to a place where connections happen – on great dates,” said Stéphane Taine, Chief Product Officer at Hinge. 

“In today’s dating world, it’s become far too normalized for people to send likes liberally and leave their conversations sitting, leading to feelings of dating burnout for people seeking relationships. With the Your Turn Limits test, we’re encouraging daters to keep the momentum going with their current conversations or properly close out a conversation to give the person on the other side the closure they need to continue their dating journey”, Taine added.

This limit on unanswered chats is the latest initiative by Hinge to encourage faster replies. In 2023, the dating app began sorting users’ conversations so that matches waiting on replies were placed at the top of the screen.

This feature will be tested in international markets this May, and pending feedback, could be further extended in due course. Read Hinge’s full statement on this new feature here.