Dating apps with video chat: which list it and which plan covers it

Dating apps with video chat and what they call it

Video chat on a dating app means in-app video calls between members, usually with people you have matched with or are chatting with. Badoo's App Store listing puts it as connecting with your matches through face to face video calling. Google Play adds that Badoo's video chat helps people get to know each other better.

The labels vary a little. Badoo and Bumble say video chat, Grindr and Pure say video calls, and happn writes Video Call. HUD's homepage lists Interactive & Video Chat, and its Google Play listing calls the feature Auto-Blur Video Chat. AdultFriendFinder files it with text: the homepage says you can engage in live chats and video calls on a smartphone or tablet, and the navigation lists Live Chat and Live Models.

Which plan covers video chat

Bumble is the one clear answer. Its Google Play listing names video chat and picture sharing with matches among the free features, and the safety centre mentions in-app voice and video calls. Photo sharing has its own page, dating apps with private photos.

For the other entries the plan is open. Badoo's store text describes the call and names no tier. HUD's homepage, happn's terms and Pure's FAQ do the same. Grindr's store listings do not list calls at all, so which plan includes them is not stated. AdultFriendFinder's homepage mentions video calls, and whether calls between ordinary members need a paid plan is not stated either. Plan prices by country and store are collected under how dating app pricing works, and apps with a real free tier under dating apps you can use without paying.

How firm each entry is

The entries rest on different kinds of page. Bumble's comes from a store listing and the safety centre, Badoo's from two store listings. HUD's, Pure's and AdultFriendFinder's come from the service's own homepage or FAQ, and the AdultFriendFinder one is a mention with no detail on how calls work between members.

Grindr's and happn's entries are the thinnest, because they rest on legal documents. Grindr's privacy policy says the Services facilitate communications between users, including messages, photos, audio calls, video calls, videos or audio. That describes what the service carries, not a feature page. happn's terms describe a Video Call feature for calling your Crush spontaneously, for a limited duration. They also refer to "virtual" meet-ups and do not say which plan includes the call.

Blur and camera-off controls

Two apps add a control to the call itself. HUD's homepage says cameras stay blurred until both sides are comfortable. Pure's FAQ says you can communicate face-to-face directly from the chat, and that you can turn the camera off and use voice only. Neither entry says which plan includes the control. No other entry describes a way to limit what the other person sees during a call.

Apps where video chat is not confirmed

The sources read for Ashley Madison, Coffee Meets Bagel, DOWN, Feeld, HER, Hinge, Match, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish and Tinder could not confirm video chat. Whether those apps have it is open.

Video calls, privacy and safety

The entries describe who can call and what the call looks like. They do not cover whether calls are recorded or kept, which is a question for each privacy policy; the dating app privacy settings covers that side. Profile checks are a separate feature, collected under verification across apps, and the safety on dating apps and the page on scams on dating apps deal with meeting people from an app. Video chat is one of the tools listed in dating app features.