Badoo.com is perhaps the most peculiar dating site out there. Defined by its CEO as a social network designed to connect people, this site isn’t even formally geared towards dating. So, what is it for? Read my review to find out more.
Badoo is hard to define. It’s the seventh heaven of those selfie fanatics who want to display their best shot. It’s half social network and half dating site. An appealing hybrid with over 350 million members and counting. But why should you register?
When I first heard about Badoo, it was described to me as a platform for the friends yet to meet. A service designed to connect you with people located nearby or within a manageable distance. I thought the concept was awesome and decided to give it a try.
I expected to find a site filled with a bunch of people who just wanted to meet for a coffee and chat about the last book they’ve read. But I was wrong. Badoo is very romance-oriented despite its founders stating otherwise.
Yet, the concept and design make Badoo.com very user-friendly and easy to use. Now, this doesn’t mean Badoo is for everyone. Here are a few things to consider before signing up.
THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE SIGNING UP TO BADOO.COM
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Badoo.com is one of the most engaging online dating sites. Half social network and half dating platform, Badoo welcomes users worldwide but only shows you those who are located within a manageable proximity. You can select a specific city to search for members, but those cities are also quite close to you.
On the one hand, this is a great feature especially if you want to go on a real date. On the other hand, the site might not be the best if you’re looking for international romance.
Besides limited search features, you should also know that Badoo wasn’t launched as an online dating site. The concept was that of bringing together strangers located in the same city or geographical area. Many singles use the site for romantic encounters or for searching a partner, but there are also many members who’re just looking for someone to chat to.
Again, this doesn’t have all negative traits. For instance, you can use Badoo to make new friends while traveling. But at the same time, it might be more effective to use a mainstream dating service like Elite Singles or Lava Lifeif you’re looking for long-term relationships.
In fact, while you might just bump into the love of your life on Badoo, chances are you’ll only find casual dating and hookups on this site.
Designed as a social platform, Badoo is also super visually oriented. It might be the best platform if you’re an aspiring Instagramer looking to do some practice but it could be less appealing if you’re not at all photogenic.
However, if you have no issues with uploading dozens of photos, sharing your other socials on the platform and chatting with members interested in hookups alone, then this site could be one of the most attractive you’ve ever used.
WHAT IS BADOO.COM?
Badoo.com is a sort of a hybrid between a social platform and an online dating site, a place where you can find new friends, a date, or even your future husband. Characterized by a relaxed feel and a huge user pool, Badoo comes as a desktop site or mobile app.
The app is much more popular than the site, but the two share similar features.
Focused on creating visually appealing profiles, Badoo emphasizes the photos more than the content. You can have a blank bio but an attractive profile image and still find people interested in meeting you. The reason is simple. People on Badoo are rarely interested in serious dating and long-term relationships – and for just a hookup, the looks are more important than brains.
Another peculiar feature is that the site uses your IP to determine your location, then uses your location to determine which members to show you. If you’re browsing from home, you could see on Badoo a bunch of familiar faces, either neighbors or people living in the same city.
If you’re away instead, the platform will show you the members from that geographical area, and that’s where Badoo.com excels.
You can use the platform to meet new people while you’re traveling. If you want to have some fun or one-night stands, that’s also possible.
Signing up for Badoo.com is very easy. You can either choose the classical path and insert a username and password, answer a few questions, and upload a photo, or register via Facebook to speed up the process. Once registered, you can enjoy almost all the functionalities of the site to search for friends or intimate encounters.
BADOO ADVANTAGES
- Huge user pool. Badoo.com is available in multiple countries all over the world and counts over 350 million members. It’s easy to find someone to talk to at any given time, while you can find members of all ages, races, and orientations.
- Easy sign-up. Joining Badoo is dead simple. Just create an account via the classical path or choose to sign up with Facebook.
- User-friendly interface. This platform was born as a social network and the interface was developed with simplicity in mind. There aren’t complicated search options nor lengthy profile details to fill in. The dashboard is minimalist and overall, this site is very easy to use.
- Hot or not game. The first true indication that Badoo isn’t all about social is the Hot or Not game. It is very similar to the games present on other mainstream sites, such as Match and eHarmony, and it’s a fun way to find people you like.
- Relaxed vibe. Once again, due to its social side, Badoo creates a very relaxed environment. No one here is truly concerned about dating and that’s perhaps the best part. After all, the greatest stories happen when they are least expected.
BADOO DISADVANTAGES
- Badoo.com isn’t exactly the best place for those interested in long-term relationships and marriage. The site and app have more of a hookup vibe and users are rarely interested in more than casual dating.
- This platform comes with limited search options. Very geolocation-oriented, the site shows you only those members located within a manageable distance.
- Badoo has many free perks and features but those that require you to use credits are ridiculously expensive. However, basic communication is free, so that’s a big plus.
BADOO.COM FEATURES
Since its launch in 2006, Badoo.com has been subject of controversies. Too social for an online dating site and too sexy for a social network, the platform exhibits elements of both worlds. I found this site comforting, a breath of fresh air in the online dating world. Here are the features I enjoyed the most.
SPEEDY REGISTRATION
Setting up an account on Badoo.com is very easy, and that’s perhaps one of the things that encourage users to register in the first place. The platform gives you the possibility to create an account from scratch by inserting your personal details manually or to connect via various social media accounts including Twitter and Facebook.
If you choose the first instance, the online dating site will require you to select your sexual orientation, why you’re joining, and which sexual orientation you’re interested in connecting with.
You can join the platform for chat, to make new friends or date, and can connect with girls, guys, or both regardless of your gender and views.
Once the questionnaire is complete, Badoo also gives you the possibility to import friends from your email address or upload photos directly from your device or social media accounts such as Instagram, Google + or Facebook.
Connecting via the app gives you the possibility to enable geolocation and push notifications. When used from a desktop device, Badoo uses your IP address to create a custom list of matches and potential connections in your geographical area.
The last step of the registration process is to upload at least an image of yourself. You can skip the step at this stage but you won’t be able to interact until you do so. Fortunately, Badoo has mercifully thought about giving you the possibility to upload a photo from your connected social media accounts, your device, or you can even take a brand new photo thanks to the in-app camera feature.
ENGAGING INTERACTION
Badoo’s social side shines when it comes to interaction. It doesn’t matter what your purpose on the site is, connecting and communicating with others is a breeze.
You have various options to find new people. If you just want to socialize, the platform lets you browse people nearby. This feature is particularly awesome if you like to travel as it helps you connect with locals in the area you’re visiting.
For a more romance-focused browsing, you can click on Encounters, a hot-or-not kind of game that alerts users if you’ve liked their photo. This feature is very similar to Tinder, so if you have any experience with the popular app, you might like to find this Badoo game.
The site also contains a chat section, or you can freely browse and look through profiles.
If you want to be more selective, you can choose filtering preferences, for instance, if you only want to see those members who are interested in dating.
Once you found someone you like, you can either add the profile to your favorites, like the profile, start chatting or send a virtual gift.
LOOKALIKE
Lookalike feature was developed specifically to spice things up for those members interested in dating. The basic feature uses facial recognition to help you find other members who look like the profile you are currently viewing.
Admittedly, this is awesome if you really like someone but they don’t seem interested in meeting you.
The advanced Lookalike feature brings even more fun into the game, by letting you discover those users who look like your favorite celebrity. So, if you’re after Hrithik Roshan, this feature will certainly make things interesting.
GAMIFICATION
Another feature I thoroughly enjoyed is Gamification. This section includes superpowers and a popularity meter that shows you just how popular your profile is.
The superpowers can be accessed through an attractive superman icon and are designed to add more flavor to your game – albeit they can be costly. In fact, the superpowers are the only things that don’t come for free.
The most popular superpower used by members is the possibility to have your messages read first. The superpower can be activated for a variable period of time that ranges from one week to forever. Another nice perk is the possibility to unlike profiles you previously hearted.
When it comes to your popularity, the only way to grow it is by being an active member. You can also rise it by adding more photos and updating your profile with fresh information.
And Badoo emphasizes so much the requirement of being active, that finding the option to sign out is very well hidden and near impossible to find. Moreover, in case you do find it and really want to sign out, the platform offers to send you an email with your username and password details, just in case, and suggests you to rather hide your profile than signing out.
Another nice Gamification perk which isn’t included with the site but that is owned by Badoo is LuLu, a mobile app that allows women to rate and review men anonymously.
EXTENSIVE MEDIA ALBUMS
In an attempt to stay up to date and follow the trends, Badoo emphasizes heavily visual content. Writing a comprehensive bio can help your profile rise in popularity but it will not make it shine in the eyes of the other users.
What will make it shine are the photos and videos. You can upload as many as you like, divide it into public and private albums, import them from your connected social media accounts or simply take new selfies thanks to the in-app camera.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Badoo.com is a well-designed, easy to navigate, and aesthetically pleasing online dating site and app with a social network side. It provides a relaxed environment where users can chat, meet for a drink, or hookup. There is no “dating” pressure, and that’s perhaps the thing I enjoyed the most.
While signing up is a breeze, using the platform is equally simple. And more than any other service, Badoo helps members connect with people nearby.
Innovative features let you filter profiles by distinctive physical features thanks to the Lookalike function. The Encounter game and a completely free communication are two other things that make this site super user-friendly and engaging.
A thorough profile verification also ensures safety and security. Profiles are verified either via Facebook or alternative social networks or via phone while the site complies with all security regulations in regard to keeping personal data protected.
With users flocking to this site, there are high chances to find matches quickly and in fact, users have rated Badoo as the top app in the relationship category.
So, what are you waiting for? Badoo.com is free to join, almost all its features are free, and if won’t like the app, you can simply hit the uninstall button on your device. The only thing I can suggest is to give it a try.
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