Business & technology

Why a dating app charges for premium

Valon Asani · · 2 min read

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Original video. The written article below is available in English, Albanian and German.

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Dating app premium subscriptions help fund the team behind the service.

Why is dua.com not completely free? That is the question I answer in this TikTok post after a one-star review about payment. In the caption, I describe a limited free version and explain why premium access is paid.

Behind the app is a team that works on the service and needs to be paid. The business has to fund that work. That is the core of my answer, and it is a point worth explaining plainly instead of assuming everyone sees what happens behind the screen.

Explain what dating app premium is meant to support

In the source caption, I connect revenue with continued investment in safety, quality and the member experience. These are priorities for the business, not proof that every interaction is safe or that every feature works perfectly.

I also argue there that payment can encourage commitment. That is my rationale for the model, not a guarantee about an individual member. A subscription alone cannot tell you whether someone is honest, compatible or ready for a relationship.

A pricing question deserves a clear answer

Someone considering an app should be able to understand what is free, what is paid and what the paid option includes before deciding. The current app and its purchase screen are the places to check today’s offer; this article does not quote a price or reproduce an old feature list as if it were current.

A founder can believe in a paid product and still take pricing feedback seriously. Explain the value you intend to provide. Listen when the experience falls short. The existence of a team explains why the business needs revenue; the usefulness of the product is what the customer gets to judge.

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