Fighting dating fatigue? Meet the Thursday dating app.
Thursday differs from the best dating apps on the market because unlike traditional swipe-right-anytime apps like Hinge vs. Bumble, Thursday operates only one day a week-duh, on Thursdays-to cut through the back-and-forth slog of direct messages and get straight to the fun part, namely dating!
Thursday went live in May 2021 and per the BBC, it was downloaded 750,000 times in the last nine months.
But how exactly does the Thursday dating app work? Before you think of getting back with an ex because online dating sucks, here's everything you need to know about the new ways to meet potential dates.
Every other day, the Thursday dating app lays dormant-it's only on its namesake day after midnight that the platform comes alive, showing potential daters nearby. Users then have 24 hours to match, chat, and set up an IRL meeting with a said suitor.
The thought behind the app is that modern-day dating is already an exhausting enterprise, with so much time and energy being funneled into it with results that don't always match all of that effort.
"It's a fact: people are spending too much time on dating apps," the app's co-founders say on Thursday's website. "Not only is the whole experience underwhelming, but pressure to find 'the one' is boring. When did being single become a thing to be ashamed of? That's where Thursday comes in."
The statement continues: "We built an app where everything you want from online dating happens in one day, making Thursday the one day of the week when singles can match, chat and meet. Why? Because there's more to life than dating apps."
Spontaneity-and speed!-are the name of the Thursday game. You really do only have 24 hours to make a move, as matches and chats will disappear when the clock strikes midnight on Friday. So you better get a move on, Cinderella, and find that prince!
Like on any good dating app, first you need to set up a user profile. Along with the customary, carefully chosen pictures and the get-the-conversation-going profile questions and interest tags (gallery hopping, music festivals, and the like), the Thursday dating app also requires users to upload a photo of their passport or driver's license when they join, to verify their identity and make sure that no catfishing occurs.
Once verified, users are "locked out" of using the app until Thursday rolls around, during which they can see fellow users pop up on a map of their chosen area. (Your full location is never revealed for safety purposes.) You can explore their profiles, swipe right, and start a chat from there. (Here are some expert-approved online dating tips to get you started.) Users can match with up to 10 suitors each Thursday.
The app also has an Instagram Stories-like feature that allows daters to direct-message short video clips to potential matches. Like Stories-and everything else on the Thursday dating app-those are automatically wiped after 24 hours.
For now, the London-based digital platform is only operating in its home city and New York. However, singles in Dublin, Cardiff, and Glasgow in the UK will reportedly also be able to access the app in the coming weeks, with European cities such as Berlin, Paris, and Amsterdam to follow soon thereafter. So stay tuned!