(Yes, I am going Crazy Cat Lady like about this. I am now updating again for what feels like the 100th time. My most recent updates are in BOLD.)
Everyone’s favorite time-suck smartphone app Tinder launched a new update today advertising their highly anticipated “Rewind” feature. Swiped left for the hottie by mistake? Go back and fix it! (Instead of deleting the app, and starting from scratch.) What Tinder failed to mention was that “this feature ain’t free, yo.”
Don’t get me wrong, I am ALL ABOUT companies being able to make a buck. I’d like to do the same someday. I would like to go on record and let you know that it does NOT bother me that Tinder is charging for premium upgrades. That makes sense, and is totally allowed. Their employees need to eat. I do not care that they are incorporating ads, and took away unlimited likes.
My beef is that I looked into TinderPlus and was quoted $19.99, as shown below, and other users were being charged less, also shown below.
TinderPlus for the LOW LOW price of $19.99 per month
Honestly, I was a bit surprised. $19.99 PER MONTH for a hook-up app that has thus far proven to be a big joke? It seemed a bit excessive, so I took to the Twitter. (Are you following me on Twitter? No? You should get on that. @Soon2BeCatLady) What I found out on Twitter was that some people were seeing THIS:
TinderPlus for the LOW LOW price of $9.99
Wait.. What? Not that $9.99 per month is some great deal, because it’s not. (I think a fair price would be $5.00 per month. — If I ran Tinder, that’s what I would charge.) But, why am I getting ripped off? Luckily, the internet is a wonderful thing, and Tinder did some interviews where they essentially claimed that users 30+ can afford to pay more, and in focus groups, were told that us “over the hill 30+ ers” would pay that much for these great features: Unlimited likes, which until today was free, the “rewind” feature, turn off ads, and the option to change your location without actually changing your physical location. (I definitely paraphrased here. There are countless articles that quote Tinder’s spokesperson, who said younger people are more financially constrained and need a lower price point to pull the trigger.)
Aside from Tinder now being a bunch of ageist assholes.. Let’s talk about this last nifty paid feature of changing one’s location. Is that not completely rude to anyone who decides to pay for this? Let’s say I fork over $19.99 per month for TinderPlus, which believe you me I will not! Super Hot Stud Muffin shows up and I swipe right, he swipes right, and it’s love at first swipe.. Turns out he is half a country away, or perhaps in another country completely. How is this fair? The chances aren’t very likely that we will ever be able to meet up. It’s really not fair to anyone but the jerkwad who decided s/he wanted to mess with the heart of someone far away.
As I type this, I see another tweet where someone is offered TinderPlus at $4.99 per month. Maybe they’re 12 or something. (**Update, I’ve now seen screenshots as low as $2.99 per month, and as high as $24.99 per month. This is utter nonsense. Based on what I have read, in the U.S. price should either be $9.99 if you are under age 30, or $19.99 if you are older than dirt. A friend of mine who is local to me is offered premium services at $4.99 per month. She states she has had Tinder for roughly two and a half weeks. I can’t find any information on the random pricing.)
Tinder just got very political, you guys. If this pricing system works, other companies will follow suit. Can you imagine as you physically mature having to pay more for milk, food, clothing, cars, heat? The same thing that someone younger than you can buy at a cheaper price? Simply because since you are older, you should be able to afford it. What if I act younger than I am? Do I get a price break?
Someone on Twitter asked if I avoid restaurants that offer a senior discount. No, that is asinine, and completely different. A senior menu item at a restaurant is less food than the normal menu, and prices are clearly defined. I gave Tinder access to my Facebook page when the app was new, which gave them my age, which they are now using against me.
Let’s change the scenario a bit. Imagine pulling up into the gas station to fill your car up with gas. It asks you to swipe your driver’s license, and then gives you the price of gas based on your age. If you’re 16, you probably only have a part time job, gas is $.50 per gallon. If you’re 30, gas is $4.99 per gallon, because you probably have a decent paying job and understand the value of driving. You’re getting the exact same amount of product – does that not piss you off?
If we aren’t LOUD about this, how everything is priced in the future could be on this system. Is that a tad dramatic? Maybe. But wouldn’t you rather err on the side of caution?
I vote that we #BoycottTinder until the price for their not-amazing features is $4.99 or less for everyone, regardless of age. Who’s with me!?
My Tinder account has been deleted, and the app has been uninstalled, I encourage you to do the same.
Soon2BeCatLady 
A Twitter friend, aged 32, posted a screen shot to me of her TinderPlus being $22.99 per month.
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$24.99 per month here!
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Can you email me a screen shot of that? Soon2BeCatLady@gmail.com
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It’s on my @desert_dates Twitter. Can you share the source of your research that said Tinder was adjusting pay rates?
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http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/tinder-charging-people-30-tinder/story?id=29335809
http://m.bbc.com/news/technology-31700036
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In some ways it is kind of smart for Tinder because they are enticing popular people who keep their app running. I think it is more of a popularity thing than an age thing, although I can imagine age discrimination is quite possible here due to less people using it who are above 30 or even 26 or so. Just for the record I’m in college and got $19.99.
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They want to charge me 19.99 as well. I said hell no, I’m not paying that much. I suspect that it’s also based on how many people that have expressed interest but that’s only speculation.
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Tinder is free in Australia ! Can’t believe you have to pay for it. I just met someone really cool on it, don’t give up!
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I would like to make the argument that some people have more success with dating apps due to their demographics than others, yet those who never get any dates despite how long they spend using the app have to pay the same price. I say the price you pay should reflect how much you actually get out of using the app. So if you don’t get any dates, you shouldn’t need to pay as much as someone who has hundreds of messages filling their mailboxes every day.
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