DOWN review: free features, VIP, photo verification and privacy

What DOWN is

DOWN is a swipe-based casual dating app run by Down App, Inc., a US company whose privacy policy gives an address in Dover, Delaware. The App Store title is "DOWN: The Casual Dating App" with the subtitle "Seeking a Meetup or Wild Date?", and Google Play calls it "the casual dating app for open-minded Gen Z women."

The FAQ puts the idea in two sentences: "Unlike most apps, you don't have to declare what you're looking for before you start. You decide with each person: swipe DOWN for something casual, UP for something more." The About page and homepage advertise 19M+ users and 58M+ matches. Both figures are DOWN's own and carry no date, and the pages do not say whether "users" means registered accounts or active ones. No gender ratio or age split is published.

Who DOWN is for

The homepage calls DOWN "the best casual dating app for women to explore desires with no mixed signals," and the FAQ calls it "the now-or-never dating app and the best dating app for women." The App Store text is wider and says the app suits people seeking casual relationships, long-term commitments or anything in between. Sexual orientation and LGBTQ audiences are not discussed on the pages checked; the LGBTQ hookup and dating app list sorts apps built around that need.

Couples and groups get a separate preference called Group Play. The FAQ describes it as a way to "find people who are open to group play, polyamory, or a group arrangement," and adds: "Single? You can choose what kind of setup works for you. Already have a partner? You can search together." How a partner joins an account is not described, so paired couple profiles are not confirmed. See also dating apps for couples and the open relationship app picks.

Dating or hookup

DOWN's own listings use the phrase casual dating. The word hookup shows up only in the names of some iOS in-app purchases, such as "VIP Wild Dating & Hookup," and in the Google Play package id, down.date.hookup.app. The App Store text says "If you're seeking casual fun, say 'GET DOWN.'" The other swipe, "GET DATE," is the one for something more serious.

Section 2 of the terms states in capitals that "DOWN IS A SEX-POSITIVE PLATFORM" and warns that users may see user-generated content that could be considered objectionable in certain contexts. For a search on sex apps or one night stand apps, DOWN qualifies through the casual swipe and that framing. It is a mixed case, since every profile also carries the swipe for something more. How hookup apps work covers the category, and casual dating apps collects apps with the same stated intent.

Matching and messaging

On each profile you swipe down for something casual, up for something more, or left to pass. The FAQ answers the obvious question: "Still a match. If you both like each other, even if one of you swiped UP and the other swiped DOWN, we'll connect you." Seeing who has swiped up or down on you is a VIP feature, listed as a Visitors tab. Whether a free account sees the other person's swipe direction after a match is not stated.

Daily Nearby Picks suggest people based on your preferences, and a sticker system with 30+ options lets others find you by interest. Conversations can start with Playful Prompts or a Photo Challenge, a photo swap between matches. To end a chat, swipe left on the conversation and tap Unmatch; the FAQ says that cannot be undone.

Whether two free matches can message each other is not stated in the FAQ, the terms or the store listings, and daily like or swipe limits are not published. Video chat, voice messages, group chat rooms and disappearing messages are not described in any of them either.

Search and filters

The homepage lists "Powerful Filters: Dial in filters and find exactly who you want." The FAQ narrows that to filtering by gender, location and dating preferences, and a free account can do all three. Which other filters sit behind a paid plan is not stated. Other apps with this feature are collected under dating apps with advanced filters.

Location

DOWN is built around people nearby. The App Store says "Like singles nearby" and "Find attractive singles near you," Google Play says "Find local singles near you," and the FAQ mentions filtering by location and the daily Nearby Picks. The privacy policy lists "your geographic location" among the device data DOWN collects. How precisely distance is shown to other members is not stated, and a travel mode is not confirmed. The feature pages for location-based matching and travel mode compare how other apps handle it.

Privacy and incognito

Down App, Inc. is the data controller. Its privacy policy, last modified on February 24, 2026, lists geographic location, device ID, contact details and billing data as collected, plus Facebook profile and friend data if you sign in with Facebook. Face data from the selfie check is stated not to be retained.

On sharing, the sources pull apart. The FAQ says "We'll never sell it or share it." The privacy policy says DOWN does not sell or share data with marketers today but may use interest-based advertising, and the Google Play data safety section says the app "may share these data types with third parties: Location, Personal info and 2 others." Incognito mode and private photos are not confirmed for DOWN. The only photo feature described is the Photo Challenge swap. More is in the dating app privacy guide and the discreet dating app picks.

Verification and safety

Verification is mandatory here. The FAQ says "Every person on DOWN is photo-verified before they can swipe," and Google Play describes a quick selfie check that confirms a real person and that the selfie matches the profile photos, under the line "No verification, no entry." The privacy policy (section 16) says the check confirms identity and age with on-device liveness detection. Profile verification compares other apps.

The terms read differently. Section 2 says DOWN does not run criminal or background checks and does not verify user-provided identity details. Both statements can hold, since matching a selfie to photos is not a document check, but the pages never say where the line sits. Every profile has a Report button, reviewed by the DOWN team, and Unmatch works at any time. No separate safety center was found. The safety guide and the page on dating app scams cover the usual precautions.

Free version

The App Store text is direct: "The app is free to download and use. We also offer an optional subscription package called DOWN Private Membership." A full list of free and paid limits is not published.

The paid side has several names. The FAQ calls it a VIP membership, the App Store text says DOWN Private Membership, and the iPhone price lists show Down VIP, VIP on DOWN Dating App, VIP Wild Dating & Hookup and Upgraded Dating & Matches. The sources do not say which are one product. One-off Profile Boosts are sold separately. Free options are compared in best free dating apps and free hookup apps.

Pricing

All prices below come from iPhone App Store listings, checked on November 5, 2026. The lowest listed subscription price on the US App Store is USD 12.99 for 1 week of Down VIP, and the same item name also appears at USD 24.99. The same US App Store lists VIP on DOWN Dating App at USD 19.99 for 1 month, Upgraded Dating & Matches at USD 29.99 for 3 months and VIP Wild Dating & Hookup at USD 35.99 for 3 months.

On the UK App Store the lowest listed price is GBP 12.99 for 1 week of Down VIP, which is also listed at GBP 24.99, and VIP on DOWN Dating App for 1 month is GBP 19.49. Google Play and web prices are not covered. The full country-by-country breakdown is on the DOWN pricing page.

Cancelling and deleting

Subscriptions are bought through the App Store or Google Play and renew automatically until you turn auto-renew off in your store account settings, at least 24 hours before the period ends. The App Store text says "No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period," and section 4 of the terms calls in-app purchases final and non-refundable, with refund questions going to Apple or Google. The general steps are in cancelling a dating app subscription.

Disabling the account is done from Settings in the app. To delete it fully, submit the account deletion form or email feedback@downapp.com. The privacy policy says DOWN deletes the account within 48 hours of a request and keeps transaction data for seven years. A store subscription has to be cancelled separately with Apple or Google. See also how to delete a dating app account.

Platforms and age

DOWN has an iPhone app (170.8 MB, 132K ratings on the App Store) and an Android app (package down.date.hookup.app, 1M+ downloads on Google Play). The FAQ tells people to download DOWN on iOS or Android, and a web version is not mentioned either way; dating sites without an app covers that option. The App Store lists DOWN in 43 of 45 storefronts checked, with Turkey and South Africa missing. No official country list was found, and the pages only say the service is for users throughout the world.

The FAQ says "DOWN is for adults only, so you'll need to be 18 or older to get started," and the privacy policy says "Our Services are not for individuals under the age of 18." The terms page does not state an age. The App Store shows 18+ and Google Play shows Mature 17+.

Pros and cons

Alternatives

The list of DOWN alternatives sorts other apps by what DOWN leaves unconfirmed, such as incognito mode or a stated free messaging policy. Best dating apps and best hookup apps rank the wider field.

DOWN review verdict