When dating app Bang with Friends introduced in 2013, it rapidly ended up being more popular than Tinder and Plenty of Fish. After rebranding as DOWN, the dating app still continues to serve more than 10 million users.
Bang with Friends (BWF) exceeded 1 million users 3 months after its preliminary launch, raising over $1 million in a financing round. Following this development, the platform rebranded to the “less salacious” DOWN.
BWF was special due to its straight to the point sincerity, serving as a ‘Facebook dating app’ which enabled users to pick which friends they ‘d like to hook up with. The DOWN rebrand brought new features while keeping the simple principle the exact same.
By 2016, DOWN produced the three-directional format for its swiping where a LEFT swipe implied not interested, a swipe UP implied thinking about dating, and a swipe DOWN implied thinking about a casual hookup.
DOWN’s customisation and openness relating to hookups and relationships alike, brought “other apps down this course”. The platform credits itself with motivating Tinder’s shift towards assisting in more significant relationships, in addition to hookups.
Along the way, DOWN has actually presented new features to its platform consisting of:
- 3Some: This function sets users open to threesome hookups or polyamorous relationships.
- Snap Match: When users tap the ‘Spin’ button, they’ll be immediately coupled with a random person who fits their choices. This person can be anywhere in the world.
- Emphasizes: These add-on sticks assist users’ profiles stick out amongst the crowd, enabling them to reveal their character, bed room behaviours, and romantic choices.
- Icebreakers: To lower the early awkwardness of a new match, DOWN makes it possible for users to play a casual video game together. These consist of ‘Would You Rather’ and more.
From 2019 onwards, the app has actually seen consistent development. Considering that Q4 of 2019, DOWN users are matching with 5 times as lots of people. The business’s profits has actually grown by 250%, with the number of downloads doubling.
According to research study in 2021, DOWN tape-recorded more new downloads than eHarmony and HER, not far behind Match, OkCupid, and Grindr. The platform shares that “The future looks brilliant for DOWN. Which is excellent news for the future of online dating”.
You can learn more about DOWN at its site here.