I've Spent 10+ Years On Dating Apps & I Was Still Impressed By This New Option

I've been on dating apps for nearly a decade. I've swiped on Bumble, matched on Hinge, and even given OkCupid a fair shot. So when I heard about Hily—an acronym of "Hey I Like You"—I was skeptical whether there was that much to change about a dating app.

But Hily isn't trying to be another swipe-first app. It's built around the idea that compatibility, not just chemistry, is what leads to real connection. And after two weeks of using the app to connect with others as a 32-year-old in New York City, I can say it genuinely delivers on that promise, with a few honest caveats worth knowing before you download.

What is Hily?

Hily is a dating app designed for both casual and serious relationships, with a main age demographic of 18 to 30 and a 4.4 out of 5.0 rating on the App Store. Available on iOS and Android, the app sets itself apart by centering compatibility, shared interests, and conversation tools as the foundation of its matching experience.

Where many apps ask you to judge a person on a handful of photos, Hily builds in layers of context: interest badges, dating goal signals, compatibility scores, and built-in icebreakers. With these additions, it feels less you're making decisions to match based on more than a first physical impression.

How to use Hily

Setting up your profile: After signing up, you'll build out your profile with photos, a bio, and interest badges that signal your hobbies, values, and what you're looking for. Dating goal indicators are displayed directly on profiles, so you can see at a glance whether someone wants something serious or casual. If you want to optimize your dating profile, spending time on your interest badges pays off, as Hily's algorithm uses them to curate your Discover page.

Swiping and matching: Hily uses an up/down swipe motion rather than the traditional left/right. Swipe up to like, swipe down to pass. The vertical motion slows you down just enough to actually read a bio before making a decision. It's a subtle but meaningful design choice that encourages more thoughtful engagement than the reflexive left/right flick most apps rely on.

The Discover page: This is where Hily shines. Refreshing every 24 hours, it's divided into three curated sections: Top Picks, profiles with shared interests, and profiles with similar dating goals. Unlike the main feed, which can feel like an infinite scroll, the Discover page creates natural stopping points. You're browsing a curated selection rather than an endless stream, which makes the experience feel less overwhelming and more purposeful.

The Likes page: All incoming likes are organized in one place, with a separate tracker for likes you've sent. This dual-tracking system eliminates the guessing game that plagues most apps. You're never left wondering whether a match has swiped no on you after you've expressed interest. If I kept going back to a profile, I'd feel the pull to send a Mega Crush a.k.a. Hily's version of a super like that signals elevated interest. Just note: You can't see all Likes at once. About 20 are available, and you'll have to use an "Unblur" to access more. You can win these in your daily Roulette spin or purchase with a paid membership.

Conversation tools: Once you match, Hily surfaces shared interests within the chat and offers pre-generated conversation starters, questions, and icebreakers. While you can send generic ice-breakers—think "heeeey"—the app also curates more interesting openers. You can send a compliment, a pick-up line, or ask a question to start the conversation. Between the easy-to-view badges and chat prompts, it's easy to get the conversation started.

The compatibility check: The full quiz is 50 questions, and scores shift meaningfully as you answer more. I'd strongly recommend completing all 50 before drawing any conclusions (more on that to come). Once finished, you can see where you click and what's an ick.

Verified profiles: The verification process requires a selfie that matches your profile photos, meaning you can trust the person you're chatting with actually looks like their pictures.

My experience dating on Hily

I downloaded Hily with two weeks to test it (and a decade of dating app experience to compare it against). While my top priority was match quality, I was quickly impressed by the overall UX. It was easy to pick up the flow of dancing through profiles, even after spending most of my time on apps that encourage a quick left or right swipe.

I immediately loved how organized the app felt, with multiple ways to find a potential match. You can opt for the general pool of matches—which requires a bit more involvement to find the one—or opt for the curated Discover page and pared-down Likes page.

Personally, I found myself drawn to the latter two. Dating in New York City often feels like I'm being tossed into an endless pool of suitors. By paring down who was visible to scroll, I found myself really taking the time to look at profiles (instead of following a gut instinct to skip).

The Discover page became my daily ritual. The three-section structure made browsing feel purposeful rather than passive. There's a psychological difference between "here are 500 profiles, good luck" and "here are 15 people we think you'll genuinely connect with." When I needed the confidence of knowing I'd match with someone, I was drawn to the "Likes" page. Knowing that every potential match had already expressed interest took the guesswork out of swiping.

Perhaps my favorite feature is the compatibility quiz (which is why I considered it a con that the longer compatibility quizzes cost extra). When you find a profile you like, you can run a quiz to see how well your profiles align. If the percentage is super high, you can actually share it with another profile as a starting point for your connection.

But word to the wise: Finish the entire compatibility quiz before using this feature. I started playing with the quiz feature after only answering about 15 questions. I stumbled upon a profile with a 100% match and decided to answer a few more questions to discover what else we aligned on. Once I'd finished the entire 50-question survey, our compatibility dropped to just 69%.

Of course, there's always room to grow—and in Hily's case, this feedback is literal. Although Hily is one of the fastest-growing dating apps, there's still a smaller user base compared to competitors. In NYC, I needed a 20-mile radius to find enough matches (which isn't as feasible in a big city where most people don't have cars).

I also found that my dating pool skewed either younger or older. Admittedly, this is likely a reflection of my stage of life vs the app itself. The dating pool thins out in your early 30s and picks back up in your 40s. Hily isn't to blame for that reality.

Hily pros & cons

How much does Hily cost?

Hily offers a solid free tier with access to scrolling, the Discover page, the Likes page, and basic conversation tools. For users who want more:

Cancellation policy: Cancel anytime through your device's app store settings. Deleting the app does not cancel an active subscription. Make sure to cancel through your account settings before your next renewal date.

Is Hily Premium worth it?

The free version is genuinely generous. I explored the Discover page, browsed the Likes page, and had real conversations without paying a cent. That being said, I did win a free three-day Premium trial through the Roulette wheel, which gave me an authentic look at what the upgrade offers.

The standout Premium feature is the ability to unblur profiles, giving you a window to see all the likes you've received (not just the first 20 or so). You can also send more Mega crushes, but truthfully, I found myself flattered by the Mega likes but unlikely to send personally. It's similar to a rose on Hinge; it just feels a little too earnest for my personality.

If you check the app daily and are genuinely invested in finding a match, the weekly subscription is a low-risk way to test Premium. If you're more of a casual browser, the free tier is more than sufficient, and the Roulette gives you occasional Premium perks without spending a dollar.

Hily vs. competitors

Hily vs. Bumble: Bumble encourages women to make the first move in heterosexual matches (though it's no longer a requirement). Hily doesn't have that restriction, and its compatibility tools offer more structure for intentional daters. Bumble has a significantly larger U.S. user base, meaning more matches in most cities. But if depth of connection matters more than volume, Hily has the edge. Bumble also recently removed its 24-hour response window; Hily never had that pressure built-in, making conversations feel less rushed from the start.

Hily vs. Tinder: Tinder is fast, photo-driven, and built for volume. Hily is the opposite: slower, more intentional, and designed to surface compatibility before chemistry. If you're tired of Tinder's surface-level experience, Hily is a natural next step.

Hily vs. Hinge: Hinge leans heavily on profile prompts and conversation starters. Hily shares that intentional spirit but adds more structured compatibility tools: the quiz, the Discover page, the interest badges. Where Hinge asks you to "like" a specific prompt to start a conversation, Hily gives you multiple entry points: icebreakers, shared interest callouts, and direct profile comments. The result is a wider range of ways to break the ice that feels less formulaic over time.

The takeaway

If you're tired of swipe-first apps that prioritize photos over personality, Hily is worth downloading. Its compatibility tools, curated Discover page, and conversation features make it one of the more thoughtful options on the market—and the free tier is generous enough that you can get a real sense of the app before committing.

While the U.S. user base is smaller than Bumble or Tinder, and some of the coolest features are behind a paywall, I still think it's a great option for people who want a more intentional dating experience that goes beyond the photos. My recommendation: download Hily, complete the full compatibility quiz, and give the Discover page a week. You might be surprised.