Video Dates Before Real Dates: The Best Dating Apps with Video Chat in 2026
Here’s a sobering thought for the sales season: when Which? tracked 175 Black Friday deals from eight big UK retailers, it found that 83% were the same price or cheaper at least once outside the four-week sales period. On Black Friday itself, not one was at its lowest price of the year.
The lesson? Compare before you commit, whether it’s an air fryer or a dating app. Below, Hinge, Tinder and Bumble go head to head for UK singles, after a quick word on shopping smart for someone new.
A price-history tool such as PriceSpy or PriceRunner shows whether a “deal” is really a deal, and a short wish list started in October stops panic buying in December. Early in dating, the best gifts are small, personal and easy to accept.
Think a quirky notebook from Oliver Bonas, a cosy scarf found at TK Maxx, or a proper cafetière from Lakeland for someone who takes their coffee seriously. Keep it under the price of a dinner out.
According to Similarweb’s Android usage ranking for the UK (22 September 2026), Hinge is the most used dating app in the country, with Tinder second and Bumble third. All three are free to match and message. The differences are who they suit, how they get you to a meeting, and what the paid tiers add.
Hinge calls itself “designed to be deleted”, and the design follows. There’s no quick swipe: every match starts with a like or a comment on a specific photo or prompt, so every chat starts with a hook. It suits people who’d rather have three good conversations than thirty hellos.
Tinder is built for range. Passport, part of Tinder Plus, lets you match in another city before you get there, and Double Date lets you team up with a friend and match with another pair. It suits people who are new to a city or travel for work.
Bumble was long known for women making the first move. Since August 2026, either person can message first, and matches now last 72 hours instead of 24. That suits packed weeks, when a match shouldn’t vanish overnight.
This is where they split. Bumble lets you start a voice or video call inside the chat, without swapping numbers. Hinge removed in-app voice and video calls in January 2026, so Voice Notes are how you hear each other before you share a number. Tinder has retired its Face to Face video chat, so you’ll move to a phone call once you’re comfortable.
All three verify profiles: Hinge with Selfie Verification, Tinder with its profile verification tools and Bumble with ID Verification. Tinder lets you tell a friend when you’re meeting someone, Bumble lets you share your date details, and Hinge checks in after you swap numbers to ask how the date went.
The free versions are genuinely usable. Here’s what each paid tier adds, according to the companies themselves:
Our tip, Which?-style: use the free version for a week or two first, so you know which feature you’d pay for.
| Hinge | Tinder | Bumble | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK usage rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| First message | Either person, via a like or comment | Either person, after a match | Either person, within 72 hours |
| Hear them before meeting | Voice Notes only (no calls) | No in-app video chat | Voice and video calls in chat |
| Verification | Selfie Verification | Profile verification | ID Verification |
| Extra | Asks how your date went | Double Date, tell a friend | Share your date details |
| Best for | A relationship | Choice and travel | Busy weeks, calling first |
| UK App Store prices | Hinge+ about £12.99–£14.99, other plans up to £29.49 | Plus from £3.99, Gold about £7.49–£14.99 | Premium about £13.99–£16.99, Boost from £2.49 |
Prices are approximate at the time of writing, taken from the UK App Store, which doesn’t show the plan length for each price. Check the price and billing period in the app before you pay. All three apps are free to download.
Overall winner for UK singles in 2026: Hinge, by a nose, if a relationship is the goal. Tinder wins on reach and travel, Bumble on flexibility and calling before you meet.
UK first dates tend to be low-key: a drink after work, a coffee or a walk, often midweek. Plenty of couples split the bill, and a quick “home safe?” text afterwards is simply good manners. For something more memorable, try one of these:
Across the Irish Sea, Similarweb’s Android ranking (22 September 2026) puts Tinder first, Hinge second and Bumble third. The verdicts above still hold, but Tinder is the natural first download there. Prices are in euro, so check them in the app, and remember that 26 December is St Stephen’s Day, a public holiday.
For a relationship, Hinge; for choice and travel, Tinder. Hinge ranked first and Tinder second in Similarweb’s UK Android ranking on 22 September 2026.
Yes. Since August 2026 either person can send the first message, and matches last 72 hours.
No. Hinge removed in-app voice and video calls in January 2026, but you can still send Voice Notes.
Treat dating apps like a Black Friday deal: check what you’re really getting before you pay. Pick the app that fits your goal, try it free, and upgrade only if a feature earns its place.
With a bit of luck, by Christmas Jumper Day you’ll have someone to show yours off to.
