Dating Agency and Dating Apps: What’s The Difference?

August 11, 2021

Romantic relationships can begin anywhere. When Cupid's arrow strikes, you might be at church or at school, on your way to the mall, on public transportation, in the gym or a bar. While the notion of accidentally meeting the love of your life sounds great (thanks to K-dramas), most singles who found love actually take their own action. Some dive into the digital world through dating apps, while others turn to professional matchmakers or dating agencies.

Both ways can aid you in your dating journey, but what’s the difference between the two? Continue reading as we’ll spill the beans on the pros and cons of dating apps and dating agencies so you can decide which one is suitable for you!

Dating Apps

In this day and age, speed dating comes in the form of dating applications. The process is as follows:

Swiping on profiles that do not appeal to you (swipe left) or attract you (swipe right!)
When two individuals swipe right on each other or their profiles are compatible, they match!
When there’s a mutual match, they will then be able to start a conversation, in hopes of sparks flying and eventually going on a date.

Pros:

1. Convenience

Dating apps have made it all very easy and convenient for singles to use and meet new people. Upon downloading the app and creating a dating profile, you can start swiping, matching and initiating a conversation with your match.

2. Price

Aside from some paid premium features on the app itself, dating apps are generally free to use. You are able to start matching, conversing and planning dates right away - with little to no commitment.

Cons:

1. Matchmaking Filters

However, the process of matchmaking on most dating apps solely depends on two individuals’ initial physical attraction towards each other. On some dating apps that do matchmake individuals based on compatibility of interests and values, they are often brief, and not as detailed. You swipe, match and talk to tons of people on the app every single day, in hopes to find the one in a million, so it can be time consuming and frustrating at times.

2. Lack of or No Verification

Since most dating apps are free, anyone can simply download them and put up information that may not be true. Creating a dating profile is very simple with no verification process, thus many users may misuse the platform by pretending to be someone else and having dubious intentions. This means, as sincere singles who are using the apps to find love, they have to take their own precautions and be wary of the people they meet online.

3. Targeted by Scammers, Married People, Insurance Agents etc.

With the lack of the authentication of profiles, dating apps are often made use of by people with ulterior motives such as scammers, insurance agents or even married individuals who do not have genuine intentions to make connections on the app. Make sure to always stay alert and vigilant whilst talking to people online, and keep a lookout for sketchy and dubious behaviour!

Suitable for: Singles who are looking to make friends and meet new people for friendship, or casual dates.

Dating Agencies

Dating agencies however, do offer a more personalized, and safe option for singles to meet like-minded people. The process is as follows:

A consultation with an experienced dating consultant for a friendly chat to learn more about you and your preferences.
Once you've become a client, real matchmakers start the search for matches based on mutual compatibility.
Once a match is made, matchmakers will arrange and coordinate the date for both clients.
Feedback and follow-up will be done after each date, so your dating criteria can be ‘fine-tuned’ to ensure better dates in the future!

Pros:

1. Personalised Matchmaking

A good agency will match you with someone who meets 70 to 80 percent of your dating criteria. Along with that, they possess a range of efficient and capable professionals such as dating consultants, matchmakers and dating coaches (with years of experience, intuition and expertise that can't be replicated by an application) to help you find the perfect one. Most of the work is done by the consultants, so clients can focus on their lives, and just have fun as they get to know their match better on the date.

2. Strict Verification

Unlike dating apps in which anyone can sign up and create a profile, dating agencies require verification to ensure that their members are real, and sincere in finding love. Most agencies would ask for identification, proof of education and employment, as well as other supporting documents such as divorce papers or payslip.

3. Favoured by Singles with Serious Intentions

It’s certain that singles opting to find love through a dating agency have more serious intentions, as investing in a paid dating service and willingness to go through a verification process show that they are sincere about finding their other half and at the stage where they are ready to settle down. This would mean that your chances of being led on by a date, or meeting casual daters would be much lower, and your chances of success is definitely higher!

Cons:

1. Price Point

In comparison to dating apps, the investment for dating agencies is usually higher due to your matchmaking and dates being handled by professionals. However, matchmaking is much more personalised and you’re more likely to meet a match that better suits you!

2. You may not see your match before the date

By placing your love life in the hands of a professional, it is essentially a blind date and you would not see your match’s picture before the date. In most cases, chemistry takes time to build up as you get to know each other better. You need to be able to communicate and have a good relationship with your matchmaker to share clearly about your expectations and feedback after each date.

Suitable for: Singles who are looking for a serious or long-term relationship, to settle down with in the next few years.

Ultimately, there is no-1-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the perfect dating solution. What works for you may not work for another single, so we hope this article has helped you shed clearer light on the differences between dating apps and dating agencies! Good luck and happy dating!

Maria Azzahra