For some, it's a simple matter of “hooking up”. For others, it's about making room for a new person with common interests and exploring what comes next. But the damn virus changed the rules completely, while laughing heartily at the ones that remain. How we work, how we travel, how we shop... how we seek companionship. And that's when the Web, a digital whirlwind of wonders and horrors alike, gives us that minimal margin of adaptation thanks to dating apps. Two names came to my feed, Lovoo and Twoo. Oh yes, we're doing this, and you're coming with me....
I imagine you must have seen the main news outlets completely scandalized, reporting that “People are breaking quarantine to have sex”. But with almost eight months of certified pandemic and no effective solutions in sight, to be honest, we're not surprised. Those who can have guaranteed sex are going to have it, and the rest of us... we have to improvise.
But not everything is lost! Why? Because you, who have had the courage to click on this article, are what the media generally call a “digital native.” And if you can find the atomic weight of molybdenum in a single search (!), then you can use a dating app. However, the battle plan is not “go mainstream.” Let's be honest: Recommending Tinder at this point is equivalent to making no recommendation at all. That's why we're going to visit alternatives like Lovoo (under the wing of The Meet Group) and Twoo, with nine years under its belt (and preceding Tinder).
I stood in front of the mirror and said: “I'm not the right person. I don't have a good opinion of social networks, and dating platforms don't appeal to me.” The problem is the mirror replied: “Exactly for those reasons you are the ideal person to do this.”.
Well, damn it.
Getting to know new people on Lovoo
A brief disclaimer before we start: Lovoo's first suggestions are fairly obvious: Everyone should feel comfortable, the goal is to create a nice place, work on your profile, don't be toxic, “Hello, how are you?” is a thing of the past. Logical, reasonable. For poisonous wars, there's always Twitter. (?)
Entering Lovoo is not difficult: An email address and a password. All verification comes later, and a point in favor of the platform is that it doesn't insist too much on that at the beginning. In other words, Lovoo allows a certain margin of exploration before committing more deeply (if you want to call it that), but the underlying truth doesn't change: If you want to meet someone interesting, you must seem interesting. Uploading a photo is not enough: This requires determination, and the algorithm has to be fed. In basic terms, Lovoo asks for a profile photo, verify that profile, and confirm an email account. Everything else helps to add up.
Its search parameters are relatively simple: Gender, age range, and geographic location. It would be very practical to have finer control over distance (after all, a province can span hundreds of kilometers), but I haven't found it in the standard Web version of Lovoo. In fact, its results can show people from other countries even when you specify a province or municipality, and there's always the occasional man filtered in among the women section (small tip: if you want to improve your visibility, that's not the way), or those ladies who use Lovoo to promote their Instagram account.
I liked the “Game Boy camera photo” style. I guess that's the geek whispering in my ear...
The profiles are divided into general data and personal information (where you live, what your studies are, etc.), but as far as I can tell, not many people devote much attention to those points, and let their photographs speak for themselves. Honestly, they're right: If you find someone who interests you, it will definitely enter through your eyes, and that's why you must work on your profile. This works both ways, or it doesn't.
Getting to know new people on Twoo
I admit that entering Twoo was a bit more... chaotic? demanding? While you can skip the first step of uploading a photo, the platform makes it clear that many basic functions will remain restricted until you do this. You can use something from Facebook, Instagram, uploaded from your computer, or captured with the camera, it doesn't matter. The point is that you must introduce yourself, and if you were expecting something like Lovoo's “initial exploration space,” you won't find it here. The platform even goes so far as to block access to additional photos of its users if you don't share a profile photo first.
One striking aspect of Twoo is that it has integrated with LiveMe, a streaming platform. If you think it's too hasty, you can skip that option entirely, but we can't deny that streaming is trying to establish itself as the next “evolutionary phase” for dating apps. From a certain point of view, the Twoo+LiveMe fusion only increases the chances of discovering new people, but taking it easy is the moderate alternative.
Every time you click the “Discover” button on Twoo, you'll see someone different, and with each change comes a new question. It's the same as I mentioned above: you have to feed the algorithm. However, certain details can feel a bit uncomfortable for the uninitiated. For example, one of the questions was “Have you ever used a fake ID to get something you legally couldn't because of your age?” (My answer: If I ever did something like that in the past, you'll never know), and sometimes it falls into existential territory, directly asking if we are happy with our lives. Please! I just want to meet someone... Also, Twoo insists a lot on accessing “Premium mode to chat with sexy users.” Hmmmm...
That said, Twoo's search options are superior. Gender, age range, location, maximum distance, and language are accompanied by several advanced filters like career, education, children, substance use (alcohol - tobacco), religion, sports, and even food. Anyway, we're talking about an engine that depends on shared information, which brings us back: You must work on your profile, and share, share, share.
Which dating app is better?
In summary, which is the best dating app? My answer is divided into two parts: Personally, I felt more comfortable with Lovoo, although its results weren't as strong. On the other side, at times Twoo seems like a hybrid between Candy Crush and Trivia Crack, but its search and location potential is greater. Likewise, if it comes to that... why choose?
Needless to say, both platforms have premium options that remove limits, improve your position on each site, disable advertising, and offer other additional advantages. But if you're going to dip your toes, the rules are simple: Upload some photos, talk about yourself, appeal to good humor, don't be pushy. There are many people looking for someone out there, and maybe... that someone is you.
Enjoy!
Lovoo: Click here
Twoo: Click here
