Once is a relatively new dating app that claims to offer a more selective, meaningful dating experience than mainstream apps like Tinder. But does it live up to its promises? Or is Once just another scammy dating app? Naototnhat will examine the facts about Once to determine if it’s fake or legit.
What is Once Dating App?
Once is a French dating app launched in 2019. Its main diferentiator from other dating apps is that it only allows you to see one suggested match per day, rather than an endless stream of potential matches.
Some key things to know about Once:
It has a slow, intentional dating philosophy
The premise of Only Once is to encourage more meaningful connections instead of superficial swiping. Seeing just one match per day lets you really consider if that person is worth pursuing.
AI is used to suggest your daily match
Once doesn’t allow standard profile searching. Instead, an AI algorithm selects what it deems your most compatible match that day.
Matches expire after 24 hours
You have 24 hours to Like or Pass on your daily match. If both people Like, you can start messaging. If you Pass, a new match is served up the next day.
So in summary, Once offers a slower, more curated dating experience from the standard swiping apps. But is it too good to be true? Let’s evaluate if Once is fake or legit.
Is Once Dating App Fake?
As a relatively new app from an unknown startup, it’s reasonable for people to wonder – is Once a scam? Is Once fake in some way?
There are a few areas we can analyze to determine if Once seems legitimate or sketchy:
Who owns Once dating app?
Once was created by French startup Xatch, launched in 2019 by co-founders Clémentine Lalande and Jean Meyer. Lalande and Meyer seem to be authentic tech entrepreneurs.
In 2021, Once announced a $46 million Series A round led by two Israel VC firms, with plans to expand internationally.
So Once appears to have real tech leadership and investors behind it – not signs of a fake company.
Once has 4+ million users
As of 2022, Once reports having over 4 million users across all markets served. While not as huge as Tinder or Bumble, 4 million users suggests Once offers a legitimate app with real user interest.
Reviews show mix of positive and negative experiences
Reviews of Once tend to be either very positive from those who met quality partners, or very negative from those who didn’t receive any good matches. This range is consistent with the nature of dating apps – some people have success and some don’t. There’s no signs Once fakes profiles or matches as a scam based on user reviews.
So evaluating key aspects – like ownership, size, and community reception – indicates Once Dating App is a real dating app business. There’s no evidence to suggest it’s fake or a scam. But is it actually a good dating app, or just overhyped? Let’s look at an in-depth review of key factors:
Once Dating App Review: Scam or Legit
Origin of App
As mentioned, Once emerged from French startup Xatch in 2019. It’s raised $56 million from investors and expanded to serve France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, UK, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Luxembourg and the USA.
The app is owned and run by real professionals with dating app expertise. The approach is a newer dating philosophy – but doesn’t show signs of being a scam.
Number of App Users
Once reports having over 4 million users as of 2022. It has a modest but active user base, especially in major European countries. It has far less USA traction than the major dating apps, but already millions of members using it.
User Reviews and Experiences
Looking at App Store reviews and online reviews, Once experiences are very polarized – either very good or very bad.
Positive reviews tend to come from women who connected with serious, relationship-minded men. They felt the curated daily match was higher quality than endless swiping elsewhere.
Negative reviews often come from men who rarely received any matches. They felt frustrated and that the app lacked enough women users. They also doubt the accuracy of the AI matching algorithm.
So it seems Once has very satisfied female users who found strong partners. Male user experiences vary much more, likely due to an imbalance in male/female members on the app today.
Quality of Dating Partners
For women who get matches, the curated daily match approach does seem to filter for more serious, intentional men according to user reviews. Women praise the quality of the men suggested relative to more low effort men on Tinder and such.
However for men, the quality and fit of partners can be hit or miss depending how well the AI matching works for their preferences. When men get quality matches they praise the partners – but some receive few matches they like.
Information Security
As an app managing sensitive personal data around dating, Once seems to invest appropriately in data security based on reviews of their policies. They claim customer data is well-protected and never sold or used without consent. As with any app, users should remain cautious sharing contact info early with matches.
Is Once Dating App Free
Once offers free download and use of the app. They monetize through optional advanced subscriptions, similar to other freemium dating apps. Upgraded features include ability to Pass on unlimited suggested matches until you see one you Like, improved matching algorithms, ability to browse Once profiles in other geographic areas.
Is Once Dating App Good?
Once certainly offers something different than standard dating apps with the one-daily-match approach. For women and relationship-oriented men willing to take it slow, it provides a more curated, personalized matching experience that can yield quality connections.
However, men seeking a lot of choice and matches are more likely to be frustrated by Once’s selective approach. Plus, as Once is newer with fewer USA users, the pool of potential partners may remain limited in some areas.
In summary – Once has legitimacy as a company, but also some key limitations:
Pros:
- Curated daily matches
- Attracts more serious, relationship-minded users
- Stronger experience and quality partners for women
Cons
- Very mixed experience for men
- Still building user base, especially in US
- Questionable accuracy of AI algorithm
For the right user demographic seeking meaningful dating, not endless swiping, Once provides a refreshingly different take on dating apps. But individuals seeking maximum choice and quantity of matches may still prefer leading apps like Tinder or Hinge.
Conclusion
Is Once Dating App Fake?Is Once a scam app? No – by all legitimate accounts, Once offers a real dating app experience backed by tech professionals, with millions of real worldwide users.
But Once isn’t without flaws – male users in particular frequently complain about lack of matches or mismatched recommendations. As the app builds out its user base, AI algorithm, and ability to find compatible profiles, the experience and satisfaction rates may continue to improve.
For now, Once occupies an intriguing niche in the dating app ecosystem – some will love the focused, slow dating approach while others will lose patience with the limitations. But overall, Once does seem to offer a less superficial, more thoughtful way to connect for those focused on finding meaningful relationships.