Encounters vs Tinder: Know What They Want Before You Swipe
Tinder offers the classic swipe and a Double Date with a friend. Encounters.uk is for when you’d rather know what someone wants before you say hello, in a UK section made for exactly that.
Decide in under a minute
- Both sell upgrades on top of the basics: Tinder Plus, Gold and Platinum on one side, VIP and VIP Plus on the other.
- Tinder puts every intention in one stack. Encounters.uk gives casual fun, relationships, over-40s and Milf dating a section each.
- Tinder chats open once you match. On Encounters.uk everyone starts as a Classic member, with a set number of messages a day and replies to any VIP member who writes.
- Tinder is an app with a web version, while Encounters.uk runs in any browser with nothing to install.
Start with people who want what you want
Tinder launched in 2012 and is built around the swipe. Owned by Match Group, it’s made for meeting someone new and seeing where it goes, whether that turns out to be a drink, a fling or something long-term. Your profile carries photos, prompts and interests, and everyone shares the same stack.
Encounters.uk asks the “what are you after?” question first. Online since 2014, it divides UK dating into four sections with separate members and sign-ups, so you choose the room before you meet anyone in it. Casual Encounters is our biggest section, with over 900 adults who want fun without strings attached. Single Encounters is where people look for a proper relationship, Mature Encounters is made for the over-40s, and Milf Encounters pairs older women with the younger men who like them.
Across the whole site there are over 1,200 members, three in four of them aged 25 to 54, from London and the West Midlands to West Yorkshire and Devon. If you’re weighing up more than Tinder, our comparisons page covers Plenty of Fish and Badoo as well.
Line them up and choose
Tinder’s details come from its own subscription page and its UK App Store listing.
| Encounters.uk | Tinder | |
|---|---|---|
| Online since | 2014 | 2012 |
| Who you meet | UK adults, in the section that fits: casual, relationships, over 40s or Milf | Everyone in one stack, with any intention |
| Finding people | Daily match suggestions, swiping and browsing | Swiping, profile prompts and Double Date |
| Messaging | A set number a day for Classic members; unlimited with VIP | Chat once you match |
| Group chat | Chat rooms and group chats for up to 50 people, with VIP | Double Date pairs you with a friend to match with other pairs |
| See who likes you | With VIP | With Tinder Gold |
| Paid options | VIP and VIP Plus, with boosts and Super Match as add-ons | Tinder Plus, Gold and Platinum, with Boosts and Super Likes |
| Where it runs | Any browser | iPhone and Android apps, plus the web |
| Minimum age | 18 | 18 |
Daily matches that know what you’re after
On Tinder you send likes, match when the feeling is mutual and chat from there. Prompts add a little personality, and Double Date lets you team up with a friend and match with other pairs.
Encounters.uk has a swipe of its own, right for yes and left for no, but it also hands you fresh match suggestions every day. Those take in age range, gender, distance and how recently someone was online, along with what they’re looking for (casual, long-term or friendship), whether they drink or smoke, their interests and their religion. So the people you see have something in common with you from the start.
Choose the extras that suit how you date
Tinder’s basic app lets you send likes, match and chat. Tinder Plus adds unlimited likes, rewinds, Passport for matching in other places, no ads and Incognito. Gold adds a look at who likes you, weekly Super Likes and a monthly Boost, and Platinum moves your likes to the front of the queue. Boosts and Super Likes are also sold one at a time.
Classic membership on Encounters.uk includes your profile and photos, daily matches, swiping, status updates, polls and quizzes, plus a limited number of messages a day. VIP opens unlimited messaging, advanced search, chat rooms and group chats, and VIP Plus adds exclusive matches and a place at the top of the match stack. Every plan is on our pricing page.
Keep your dating to yourself
Tinder Plus includes Incognito, which gives you more say over who sees you. On Encounters.uk the basics come with every membership, whether Classic, VIP or VIP Plus: you go by a username, your real name and email address stay hidden, and your location shows as the nearest town or city rather than an address or a live pin.
If someone gets too much, block them and they can no longer contact you. If something looks wrong, report the profile or the message from inside the site. And because Encounters.uk works in your phone’s browser, there’s no dating app icon for anyone to spot unless you add one to your home screen yourself. Before you meet anyone, have a read of our dating safety tips.
When Tinder may suit you better
Go with Tinder if you love a quick swipe, if you’d like to date alongside a friend with Double Date, or if you’re travelling and want Passport to match in another city before you land. It also suits anyone still working out what they want, because its stack holds every kind of intention.
When Encounters.uk is the better fit
Choose Encounters.uk if you’re in the UK and already know what you want, if you’d like matches that weigh your lifestyle and interests, or if you enjoy chat rooms and group chats as well as one-to-one messages. Nothing stops you keeping Tinder as well, since the two services have no connection.
From sign-up to first message tonight
Choose your section from the coloured bars at the top of this page. Each one has its own quick sign-up: add a few photos, say what you’re looking for and how far you’re happy to travel, and your first match suggestions arrive. Swipe, browse, then spend your daily messages on the people you like most. Want something casual? Our guide is there a casual encounters site in the UK explains where that kind of dating happens now.
Tinder or Encounters.uk: quick answers
What do Tinder Plus, Gold and Platinum add?
Plus brings unlimited likes and rewinds, Passport for matching in another city, Incognito and an app with no adverts. Gold shows you who has already liked you and comes with Super Likes every week and a Boost every month. Platinum puts your likes first, so they skip to the front. Boosts and Super Likes can also be bought one at a time. On Encounters.uk, VIP covers rewinds and seeing who likes you, and VIP Plus puts your messages and likes first.
Who owns Tinder?
Match Group, which also owns Plenty of Fish and Hinge. Tinder launched in 2012. Encounters.uk has no connection with Tinder or with Match Group.
Is there a Tinder alternative for casual dating in the UK?
Yes. Casual Encounters is the adult section of Encounters.uk, for people aged 18 and over who want fun with no strings. Everyone there joined for the same reason, so nobody has to guess what the other person wants.
Can I swipe on Encounters.uk?
Yes. Swipe right for yes and left for no, and with VIP you can rewind a swipe you didn’t mean. You also get daily match suggestions based on what you’re looking for.
Swipe with a head start
Pick your section and see your first matches tonight.