If you’ve tried out Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge but still haven’t found love, you might be considering Badoo as your next dating app. Could it be the right fit for your needs? 

Before signing up for a new app, you probably want all the information you can get your hands on. How does Badoo work? What are users saying about it? Is Badoo a hookup app or could it lead to long-term love? With so many dating apps out there in 2024, it can be hard to keep track of which ones have which features. We get it—you want to spend your time dating, not researching various apps! 

Luckily, we have all the information you need about Badoo right here. Keep reading to learn about Badoo’s features, strengths, and even a scandal or two. 

Badoo Dating Site: Reviews, Pros, Cons, and Cost

What is Badoo?

Badoo is a free dating app that has been around since 2006. It’s used in 191 countries, with most of its users based in Brazil, France, and Spain. While it has its fair share of American users, it’s not one of the most popular dating apps in 2024. Badoo is owned by Bumble Inc, which is a far more well-known online dating platform. 

Badoo prioritizes security for its users, meaning you won’t have to worry about encountering fake accounts on their app. Badoo even released a “dating confidence report” to help its users find love. 

What are Badoo’s Reviews like? 

Badoo’s reviews are a mixed bag, and unsurprisingly, its unhappiest customers have the most to say about it. The most common Badoo-related complaint involved location: either location filters being reset every time you open the app or encountering people who are lying about their location. Read on to learn more about what folks are saying about Badoo! 

Badoo Reviews on Reddit

Reddit users do not have a lot of positive things to say about Badoo. Some people reported meeting an ex-partner on Badoo, while others claimed the app had gotten worse since Covid. The general consensus on Reddit is that Badoo is not a great app for singles in the United States. Some of the most common complaints were about constant advertisements, fake profiles, and Badoo users lying about their location. 

Badoo Reviews on Trustpilot

Trustpilot has three separate review pages for Badoo, one each in America, Spain, and the United Kingdom. American users have reviewed the app 12,859 times, landing Badoo an average of 3.0 stars. While many of the 4- and 5-star reviews didn’t contain much feedback, Badoo’s unhappy users did not hold back their criticism. People complained about ads, fake profiles, and being banned from Badoo for no reason. While it’s best to take those kinds of reviews with a grain of salt, it seems there are a lot of people who have a bone to pick with Badoo. 

Badoo Reviews on App Store

With 114,100 ratings and an average of 4.5 stars, Badoo is doing pretty well on the App Store. That said, a common theme surfaced in many of these reviews: Badoo users complained that other users were lying about their location. It seems that Badoo allows its users to set their location to wherever they want, and some people are abusing that by setting their location in the States despite living in a foreign country. 

Badoo Reviews on Google Play

Badoo has 6.45 million reviews on Google Play, which goes to show that this app is being used a lot worldwide. With an average rating of 4.1 stars, most customers seem to be happy campers. In spite of its high rating, though, there’s quite a lot of criticism in Badoo’s Google Play Reviews. Frequent complaints include ads, bugs, and filters that reset every time you close the app. Possibly due to this last point, many Badoo users were unhappy that the app showed them people outside their preferred distance range. 

Does Badoo have any complaints, lawsuits, or scandals? 

In spite of being a lesser-known dating app, Badoo has experienced its fair share of controversy. A 2019 Forbes report accused Badoo and its owner, Bumble Inc, of having toxic workplaces. Former employees said that racism and sexism were common at the Badoo office. That’s not great press for an app that claims to build people’s dating confidence! 

Then, in 2023, Bumble Inc was involved in a class action lawsuit related to a Badoo verification feature that allegedly caused biometric privacy violations. Bumble Inc ended up paying $315,000 and changing its business practices as a result of the lawsuit. While this doesn’t reflect well on Badoo’s past, it sounds like they’ve cleaned up their act since then. 

So is Badoo Legit or a Scam? 

With an abundance of users discussing its strengths and weaknesses online, there’s no doubt that Badoo is a real dating app. Not only is Badoo legit, but they’re focused on making sure their users are too. They released a “Deception Detector” that they say has a 99.5% accuracy when it comes to flagging spam, scam, and fake accounts. And with blog articles like “How to Stay Safe on a Date: Ten Tips for Meeting Your Badoo Match IRL” and their online Safety Center, it’s clear Badoo values its users’ well-being and security. 

How does Badoo Work? 

It’s easy to sign up for a Badoo membership. You create a profile, upload photos of yourself, and boom! You’re in. 

If you’ve used Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge, you won’t encounter too many surprises when it comes to using Badoo. In addition to Badoo’s “Encounters,” in which you swipe through profiles to find a match, they also have a “People Nearby” feature that shows you other Badoo users who are located in your area. If you indicate you’re interested in someone and they like you too, you’ll be matched and then can then chat with one another. 

What type of dating app is Badoo? 

Similar to Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble, Badoo is a swiping app. You create a profile with photos of yourself and a description, which other Badoo users will see. You then have the opportunity to look through a database of Badoo users who fit your filters, such as gender, age, and location. If you see someone you like, you swipe on them, and if they like you too, then you’re able to chat. 

Is Badoo just for hookups? 

Badoo claims to be a great platform for daters of all stripes. Whether you’re looking for a committed partnership or a fun weekend fling, Badoo says they’ve got you covered. It seems safe to say that Badoo is not just for hookups, but ultimately that will depend on the people you match with. 

How much does Badoo Cost? 

You’re probably curious about whether Badoo is free, charges for membership, or has hidden fees. Read on to learn all about Badoo’s pricing! 

Is Badoo free? 

Badoo is free to download and use, but like many other dating apps it offers certain features for a monthly subscription. If you find you’re running out of swipes or want to boost your profile, you can get Badoo Premium. While Badoo used to have members purchase credits on their app, it seems they’ve switched over to a monthly flat fee similar to other apps. 

Is Badoo Worth the Money? 

If you’re not feeling satisfied with Badoo’s free plan, you can pay to get access to more features. Whether it’s worth the money, though, is hard to say. Badoo claims that Premium users get up to 13 times as many matches as free users, but we don’t know if any of those matches turned into relationships. 

Badoo vs. Tinder

If you’re deciding between Badoo or Tinder and you live in the United States, you’ll probably have a better chance of meeting a match on Tinder. That’s simply because Tinder is one of the “big three” dating apps in the United States, meaning you’ll be exposed to a wider network of potential dates. Whether you use Badoo or Tinder, though, you’ll likely have to contend with advertisements and features hidden behind paywalls. 

What is Badoo’s success rate? 

Badoo doesn’t advertise a specific success rate. They claim to have brought millions of people together since they launched in 2006—though they don’t specify whether “together” means people matching, going on dates, or ending up in long-term relationships.