Services

Review: Badoo (The Worst Dating App I’ve Ever Encountered)

Badoo is an app I’ve only recently started using, and did so because it’s fast to set up with a clear interface, and easy to use with a web browser, if you don’t want another app on your phone or would prefer to use a computer. You login using your Facebook page and email or phone number, and fill out a brief profile to begin matching. Overall, I would recommend this if you’re seeking an app and service that can be used easily with a web browser or on your laptop, but in comparison to a a lot of apps in the category, it does not seem to offer any special features or benefits with use. In fact, it seems a bit “sketchy,” for lack of a better word, and I would advise using a lot of caution if you’re going to download this.

Especially for female users, there seems to be a very high degree of receiving unwanted and inappropriate commentary and questions, and the entire site and most of the user base lacks substance.

With that said, I tried to keep an open mind, and wanted to review the app for anyone else who may be interested. Dating services and apps are incredibly specific and unique to individual taste, so I’m sure there are a lot of people who would like this platform. It’s also a good middle of the road option, and while it seems like there are a lot of people seeking casual relationships, there are a fair number who seem to be looking for more serious connections as well. The service is free and it takes about 3 minutes to set it up (or download as an app), input information, and get started. It’s also ideal if you really enjoy photos, as you can add as many as you like without the typical 6 photo maximum found on other apps. If you have photos you do not want every user to view, you can also select that it remains “private,” and it will only be viewed upon your approval of another users request.

My opinions on this app and site are fairly negative, but this review will be as objective and honest as possible. It will cover how to set it up and get started, why it may or may not be ideal for you, and some main positives and negatives specific to Badoo to bear in mind prior to download.

How To Set It Up

To use the site, you can download the app or get started on any web browser, I opted for the latter as I heard the interface was better suited for computer use.

Most apps seem more suitable for use with a mobile device (particularly Bumble), so this was one of the main reasons I wanted to review one for users who prefer using laptops or desktops, or find that their phone of choice is often not compatible with dating apps. You begin by providing your Facebook and an email address or phone number, are sent a confirmation code, and filling out basic information (height, weight, zodiac, body type). You can use settings features to provide your own preferences, in terms of what age ranges you are seeking, and if you’re looking for men or women (or both, as the site is LGBT friendly). As soon as you sign up as a new user, you’re given free premium features to try out for the day. You can use the “encounters” feature to view user photos and either like or dislike them, use the “people near by” search tool to find matches close to your area, use the “live” option to view different users live streaming (and getting paid via the apps coin system to do so), the messages option is set up with a clear and easy to use interface, and the “matched” option allows you to see mutually liked profiles. With the premium features you can also see who has favorited you, visited your profile, and liked you.

While I ended up getting hundreds of likes within several hours, only 19 users took the time to visit the actual profile page, so it seems the vast majority of users are swiping left or right based on photos and names. It’s quite simple and fast to set up, and most of the initial process is quite self explanatory.

Badoo Phone Match Interface
Image Credit: Badoo
Badoo IG Meme Nachos
Image Credit: Badoo

Who It’s Good For

Without being too harsh, this app seems designed for people who are already in relationships and looking to cheat, or those seeking casual relationships (even more so than Tinder, which seems impossible).

There are some users who seem to be looking for longterm dating, and this app is ideal if you’re looking to connect with new friends, or if you just like chatting with people online. Personally, I was never a fan of chatrooms, and this reminds me of Yahoo chatrooms that were popular during my childhood. The same types of people that are attracted to those types of chat and communication would probably enjoy this app. Ultimately I would not really recommend it as an option if you’re looking for commitment or normalcy. If you’re looking to make money by simply posting videos (not of an adult nature), I suppose this would be the best reason to sign up for the service, but users doing this should proceed with caution and understand that streams can very easily be recorded and shared. In addition to that, anyone can find and import those on their social media accounts or email lists (and even LinkedIn pages), to view their online profile.

A Look At Some Of The Charm:

Review: Badoo (The Worst Dating App I've Ever Encountered) 1
Did not respond

 

Review: Badoo (The Worst Dating App I've Ever Encountered) 2
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Review: Badoo (The Worst Dating App I've Ever Encountered) 3
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Review: Badoo (The Worst Dating App I've Ever Encountered) 4
Resisted urge to respond

 

While I highly discourage signing up for paid features on most dating apps, doing so on this one seems particularly confusing given the quality of the app. With premium features you can see who has liked your profile, your messages will show up first in other users mailboxes, if you accidentally make a mistake in swiping you can backtrack, you can view which users have added you to their favorites list, and see which users would want to meet you in person. The fees for the service are featured below:

Review: Badoo (The Worst Dating App I've Ever Encountered) 5
Image Credit: Dating Scout

Positives and Negatives

To be very honest, I was not personally very pleased with using this app, and found there were many more downsides than positive or unique features.

Overall, the notification sounds are quite loud and irritating, the majority of the user-base seems fairly unimpressive, and you are matched with users who are not close to your area at all. I’m uncertain of why this would be a preferred app, but in speaking to different users on the platform, they seem to say they prefer it to any other dating app. If you’re looking to meet new friends or establish pen-pal type connections, you might like this app. You can connect with people from different states as well as those within close proximity. Ultimately, and it comes down to personal preference, I would not really recommend this site if you’re looking for a good online dating option, and something about it really makes me sad. I almost feel as if the cons list could go on beyond what is written.

With that said and in the interest of fairness, here are some main pros and cons to bear in mind if you’re considering joining and downloading:

Badoo IG Meme
Image Credit: Badoo

Pros

  • Unlike other apps which generally have 6 photo maximum settings, you can upload as many as you like or import photos from different social media accounts
  • There are “live” options where you can watch users who are streaming content in real time (ultimately I did not watch any of these videos as I was a bit scared in terms of what the content would be, particularly given some of the thumbnails, there are also coins, so you can pay whoever is streaming)
  • You can see whoever likes your profile as a new user, unlike most apps, as you begin as a premium user (with no purchase or credit information)
  • You can see whoever visits your page in real time as a new user (again with premium features)
  • Users can rate the photos of matches and other profiles (which may be a positive or negative feature depending on your “scores”), this feels a bit strange though
  • You are given a premium subscription to start with, which I suppose makes this site slightly better
  • Very easy to download and get started with an easy to understand interface
  • In a sense having to authenticate using so many social media sites adds to security and safety, the only downside is the ability for anyone to import and find your profile this way

Cons

  • There seems to be a lack of substance in most messages and openings, and most (for female users) are the typical comments about looks, so if you’re seeking meaningful or thoughtful opening lines and messages, this app is probably not ideal
  • It may seem superficial, however I noticed there were not a lot of users that I personally felt were very attractive, however this is based on personal preferences, and how much this bothers you is determined by your requirements for physical chemistry
  • I’m not sure why this is (and there is a feature to connect with those in your area based on proximity), but you are also matched with people from different states and there are a fair number of people that seem to be seeking pen-pal type interaction and communications
  • Depending on your personal preferences this may be a positive or negative, but unlike any of the other apps I have tried out or reviewed in the category, on this site users are allowed to have “private albums,” and nudity is allowed, however these photos are only available upon request and you do not have to view them (but presumably if you are connecting with someone you would be curious as to what they have in this collection)
  • For many reasons and especially if you’re a female user, there’s something that just seems a bit off putting and sketchy about this site, it’s unclear if users are married, many send inappropriate messages (as well as photos and requests for photos), and there’s just something that seems “off” about a lot of people on this app
  • There is a setting where you can find profiles for anyone in your email contacts or social media accounts who may also be using the site, which is fairly creepy
  • A lot of profiles are fake
  • There are a lot of users that are married or in relationships, and the rate seems higher than Tinder (perhaps because it’s less popular, and for good reason)
  • Profiles are very brief and it’s difficult to determine any information about a user based on such little information
  • There is no algorithm that calculates matches, and there doesn’t seem to be any locational matching either
  • You receive likes from people in different states and even countries
  • It’s difficult to listen to the noises when you get a new notification, and quite irritating and loud
  • Extremely high degree of inappropriate comments and questions (this feels like the opposite of Bumble or OKCupid, in terms of general levels of respect)
  • The site is so bad that it even seems bad using it with premium features
  • Users often have unclear and dimly lit photos, some of them are very unusual and perturbing
  • The site made me attach all social media accounts and even a LinkedIn page, which felt very strange
Badoo Couple on phones
Image Credit: Badoo

The Final Verdict

The final verdict is you probably want to stay away from this app and opt for other digital dating services. While it may seem harsh, the list of cons associated with using this site far outweigh any benefits or features, there are no clear factors of differentiation (aside from negative ones), and female users can expect to experience a lot of unwanted and inappropriate commentary. I was very thankful to delete this app and out of every review I have written, this is the longest list of cons in comparison to any other single service or product, even longer than the abysmal MoviePass app, which is currently stealing money from customers and a service where actually going to the movies (i.e. the point of the platform) is bad for their business. While I would encourage online daters to seek out other sites, I will say if you’re looking for a platform to get paid to post live videos, or looking for new friends and pen pal type communications, you may enjoy using this site. If you do not have a phone that is compatible with most dating apps this may also be an option.

Ultimately I urge anyone using this app, particularly women, to proceed with a lot of caution and ensure that safety and privacy standards are your top priority. Not recommended, this app puts me in a really negative mood, and it’s fairly fitting that the name starts with “bad.”

Badoo Dating App

Effectiveness
Matches
Algo Match
Members
Features

Not Recommended!

Download At your own risk
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5 Comments

  1. Never ever use the Badoo. Do not even download this app on your phone ever. Badoo did unauthorizedly charged the credit card $131 dollars after I just downloaded their app on my smartphone! After I report the problem to support team about 4 times they just didn’t even reply to my queries. It’s online rubbers, criminals and cheaters! New Zealand bank cannot do anything against od this rubbery company. They rubbed several millions of ppl across the globe. I run an online business and I know a lot about. I personally will never use the Badoo

  2. Yes, it’s a fraud. BADOO is a fraud!
    STAY AWAY! Stay away!
    On the first day, I was charges $29.99 for credit I didn’t ordered on top of my $24.99 premium membership. They have a policy of no refund so, I had to go trough PayPal to ask for a refund. Believe me when I say the site is not worth it and I won’t recommend it for anyone.
    Their business plan is to obtain payment details, and then trick their customers into making payments WITHOUT CONSENT. They do this by providing “one-click payments” defaulting to large sums of money. Once THEY RECEIVE payments, they use every trick in the book to prevent a chargeback.

  3. I suspect – that after years of using Badoo (without success) some of the people I have been chatting with (who always produced facile conversations) were in fact bots. Highly sophisticated, but bots nonetheless.

    I also suspect that Badoo is free because it’s a testing ground for algorithms, bots and AI. This can be proven by blocking some of the people who ‘like’ you. Block them and they come back and ‘like’ you again. Block them again and they come back again.

    No doubt meta data is collected and sent to government departments, so they can refine their ‘methods’.

  4. Absolutely worst dating app on this planet with lots of fake profiles. This application steals personal information and essentially are involved in data fraud. Think twice before even downloading this app. additionally, this company treats people very poorly and deserves to be shutdown.

    Even one star is too many for this fraudulent, pathetic application run by some very shady people. if Apple or Google App Store allowed zero stars or negative stars, that would be apt for this app.

  5. This thing came out of nowhere and took over my phone! It opens itself and just starts an add every few minutes! I downloaded it to try and connect them but I didn’t want to start a profile. It has opened twice in the time it took to write this and interrupted while I was typing! That just made three times! I want to hunt these people down and shove this app up their ass! I’m about to throw my phone in the lake to make it stop!!! That makes 4!

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