We are in a technological age where artificial intelligence is taking over taking orders at restaurants, bioprinting human cells, and sending CEOs of powerful tech companies into the vastness of space in auto-piloted space capsules.
Given this reality, it makes sense that there is a mobile matchmaking app that has totally streamlined the process of hooking up.
DOWN is just that.
It is an online dating platform that was created in 2013 by Colin Hodge, but initially got its start as a Facebook web app by the name of “Bang with Friends.”
This is a dating app that makes no qualms about putting singles in charge of their erotic escapades.
The dating app boldly tells its users to proclaim themselves as “down to date” or “down to hookup,” so all prospective matches are aware of what they are looking for from the preliminary message onward.
Casual daters have a field day in this freeing and nonjudgmental online space.
How the App Functions: Facilitating Easy Hookups
When you are thinking about intimacy, time is critical, and the idea of dealing with a run-of-the-mill dating app that makes you go through hoops just to get laid is not what you want.
Thankfully, DOWN has an intuitive interface that makes the process of finding someone to hook up with so much faster, and without the added stress that run-of-the-mill dating apps make their users go through.
Members of the dating app begin this process by constructing a dating profile that links to either their Facebook account or telephone number.
Should you decide to go with linking your Facebook account, no need to worry.
The dating app is diligent in never posting any information on your Facebook page that lets the world know that you have signed up for the dating service.
Basically, the dating app is merely confirming that you are who you say you are by using the Facebook linking tool.
This is yet another sign that DOWN takes the privacy and security of its users seriously, as it doesn’t want any of its legitimate users to have to contend with robots, scammers, and catfishes, as they utilize the digital dating portal.
What’s more, linking to your Facebook account does have the added benefit of saving you time and thought, given that the rudimentary information from your Facebook profile, including your pictures, can be spontaneously blended into your DOWN account, as long as you permit it.
How DOWN Operates
Upon constructing your profile, you are ready to start mingling.
The interface is simple, with a splash of a seductive purple and black.
Navigating through this simple interface is elementary.
DOWN does provide the ability for users to swipe on those they are interested in, but there is a little extra to this that makes it that much more fun and interactive.
While users peruse through hundreds of local singles, there are two buttons underneath each user’s photo.
One with the word “Date” and the other with the word “DOWN.”
Here are your options:
1. Click “Date” (or swipe upward) in the event you are seeking a life-long partnership with a future love of your life.
2. Click “DOWN” (or swipe downward) in the event you are in search of a freak in the sheets.
3. Swipe left in the event you are not in the market for either.
This is ingenious, as it makes it clear what you are in search of from the start, which in turn, makes the process of matching with a like-minded user on the dating service so much easier and faster.
Who Utilizes or Signs Up on DOWN?
So many dating apps are constantly striving to get people to sign up for their services, irrespective of what said people are looking for. Getting what you want out of online dating requires that you take the time to find the perfect dating app for you and what you are in the market for.
Prior to signing up on DOWN, take into account the demographics of the singles utilizing the dating app and know whether you are a good fit for that kind of crowd.
Inside the dating app’s user base of 13 million people, roughly 6 million (or 50%) of them are Generation Z, while millennials are the second largest age group.
Should you be a person in your 30s, you aren’t completely out of luck in finding a hookup partner on the dating app. You simply have less prospects in your age bracket to hook up with.
DOWN Members
There is clearly a surge of individuals in the U.S. who identify as LGBTQ+. Sadly, many dating apps haven’t adjusted their platforms to be more inclusive of this demographic.
Thankfully, DOWN is available to queer people who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
The dating platform has not made public any information about its non-binary or transsexual users, but given how inclusive DOWN has proven itself to be since its inception, there is no doubt that these individuals are well-represented on the platform as well.
There is something else about the demographics of users on DOWN that is worth getting really excited about.
The data shows that 80% of users on DOWN are men, and 20% are women.
Should you so happen to be a straight woman in search of some casual fun, this is an indication that there isn’t any scarcity in the number of prospective hookup partners to choose from of the male persuasion.
That said, should you be a straight man, you simply have to work a little harder and be a little bit more tenacious than your female brethren.
Always call to mind that patience is a virtue.
Irrespective of whether you are in search of a hookup, a casual date, or a long-lasting partner, there is a degree of time investment that is required in order for you to gain the intended results that you desire on the internet dating app.
That being said, for some of you, a speedier process to finding a hookup that fits what you are in the market for requires that you acquire a premium membership.
It’s fair if this is a deal breaker for some, given that obtaining a service for free has that human effect of making us feel like we just got away with something we shouldn’t have.
Is a User Capable of Using DOWN for free?
Resoundingly, yes.
Any individual that identifies as a male or female has the ability to download the dating app, put together a profile, and begin swiping without having to make a payment.
That said, your hunt for a Friend With Benefits (FWB) is limited by a finite number of prospective matches presented to you each day.
Free Membership Features
1. Create a basic profile that contains pictures and information about yourself.
2. Basic browsing lets you view profiles of other members close-by, matching the gender and other preferences that you have specified in your profile on the matchmaking service.
3. Send and receive “Down” messages to demonstrate that you have taken a liking to a user’s profile.
4. “Match notifications” gives you the ability to see who “Downs” your profile, which is a signal of possible interest.
Premium Membership Features
1. See who viewed your profile.
2. Adjust your location to anywhere you choose in the world.
3. Access to viewing an unlimited number of user profiles.
4. “Flirt” feature lets you dispatch direct messages to prospective matches prior to a match being confirmed.
5. “Read receipts” tool gives you the ability to see who has read your message.
Pricing
1 Month Membership – $19.99.
3 Month Membership – $29.99 (or $9.99 per month).
12 Month Membership – $79.99 (or $95.99 per month).
On top of its paid subscription, the mobile dating app provides singles the option to utilize paid features that optimize their likelihood of connecting with their best hookup match.
For instance, you have the option to pay $4.99 for Supercharge Boosts, which utilizes the dating app’s intuitive algorithm to make your profile stand out to potential partners for the duration of a week.
Furthermore, by paying a one-time fee of $1.99 to use the More Picks feature, you receive an extra amount of compatible matches than would otherwise be accessible.
Basically, should you be in the market for a hookup in the nearby future and have the finances, DOWN is a great destination to satisfy that itch.
Obviously, if you are lacking in the finances department, the free membership would be more your speed.
User Ratings & Reviews
DOWN is a dating app that prides itself in its openness and nonjudgmental atmosphere. It encourages its users to be open with their intentions without fear of judgment.
DOWN has a commendable star rating of 3.9 on Google Play and 4.2 stars on the Apple Store. This is impressive, given that it has had thousands of downloads among the two stores.
The reviews have users stating that they love how honest and user-friendly the dating app is.
Irrespective of the lopsided distribution of male versus female users on the cyber dating app, several users speak of having success on DOWN.
Some going as far as saying that it is quick and easy to connect with women and set up a meeting.
Thankfully, they confirm that the women don’t require extended amounts of time talking on the dating app, as they are game to meet up for a sexual hookup in no time at all.
As good and well-reviewed by its users as this dating app is, there is always room for enhancements and fixes to it.
A common complaint that users have is that the dating app doesn’t give users the ability to determine how far or close a new match is based on distance.
The dating app’s interface shows a user that a match is nearby, but that match could just as easily be as far as 100 miles or further away.
Additionally, there are user complaints about the messaging and photo verification features being buggy, and a dissatisfaction with how few features there are for free members.
Recommendation
DOWN is by far one of the better cellular dating apps out there for those in search of hookups.
Its free features for its free members leave a little to be desired, but the premium prices are very affordable, especially in comparison to other hookup apps out there.
In conclusion, there is a lot to like about DOWN.
If you are in the mood for a quick and easy hookup with someone in the mood for casual fun, this is the dating app for you.