How to Match on Bumble

Last Updated: December 11, 2022

If you're brand new to Bumble, understanding how matching works might seem complicated—especially if you're coming from an app like Tinder or Hinge. Although matching is the most intimidating aspect of Bumble, it's actually really easy to make matches. It's also free! This wikiHow article will teach you everything you need to know about making a match on Bumble, including what happens after you swipe right and who makes the first move.

Section 1 of 5:

Can I match for free on Bumble?

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It doesn't cost anything to match on Bumble. Bumble does have paid tiers, but the most important features of the app, including the ability to swipe right (to show interest) or left (to pass), filter by basic preferences, and exchange messages are completely free. Matching comes down to one thing—you've both swiped right on each other's profiles.
- Despite many rumors that men must pay to use or make matches on Bumble, it's not true! Bumble is free for men, women, and users of any gender.
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You can get added features if you do want to pay. Depending on how busy of an area you live in and how serious you are about finding the right match on Bumble, either of the paid tiers might be worth an upgrade.
- Bumble Boost comes with 5 SuperSwipes per week, one Spotlight per week (to give your profile a boost), unlimited match extensions, unlimited swipes, and the ability to undo an accidental left swipe.
- Bumble Premium comes with all of the features of Bumble Boost, plus access to advanced filters for better matches, travel mode, rematching, and even the ability to see who already liked you.^{[1]
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Match

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Swipe right on a profile that interests you. Once you launch the app, tap the Hive to show your match queue. If you see a profile you like, swiping right is the first step in making a match. If you swipe left, that means you aren't interested in the person, and you'll advance to the next person in your queue.
- Swiping right does not notify the person that you liked them. They won't find out you like them until they also swipe right on you, or they subscribe to Bumble Premium, where you'll appear on their Beeline.
- If you want the person to know you like them right away, you can SuperSwipe them. You can buy individual SuperSwipes or subscribe to Bumble Boost or Bumble Premium to receive 5 SuperSwipes per week.^{[2]
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If that person also swipes right on you, you'll have a match. If they swiped right on you before you swiped on them, you'll see a yellow notification that says "You Matched!" Otherwise, you'll won't see a notification unless they swipe right on you in the future.
- If the person swipes left on your profile, you will not get a match. You also won't be notified about any left swipes on your profile.
- Don't be discouraged if nothing happens when you swipe right on someone. It's possible that the person you swiped on just hasn't come across your profile yet.

Section 3 of 5:

After You've Matched

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The person with First Move privileges must send a message within 24 hours of a match. If the person who has this privilege doesn't send a message within 24 hours, the match will expire. Who can make the first move depends on the gender of the people involved in the match:
- If the match is between a man and a woman, the woman must send the first message. Men cannot initiate a chat with a woman on Bumble.
- If the match is between two people of the same gender, either person can make the first move.
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The person who didn't send the first message then has 24 hours to respond. Once the person with First Move privileges sends a message, the recipient must reply within 24 hours to keep the match alive. As long as they respond, the connection will not expire, and you can keep chatting with as many days between messages as you need.
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You can extend the match if you're short on time. If you miss your chance to send or reply to the first message, you can extend up to one match per day with your Bumble free account. If you have Bumble Boost or Bumble Premium, you can extend as many matches per day as you'd like. But as with sending the first message, extending a match works differently depending on your gender:
- If the match is between a man and a woman, the woman can extend the match for 24 hours before they send the first message.^{[3]
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  Research source} Men can extend the match only if the woman does not make the first move within the first 24 hours.
- If the match is between two people of the same gender, either person can extend the match at any time before someone makes the first move.

Section 4 of 5:

What happens if my match expires?

You can rematch with expired matches. If you didn't send the first message (or reply to the first message) before the 24-hour clock ran out, the match will expire. If the match expired because you didn't act quickly enough, you'll be able to rematch with that person in the future. However, if they were the one who didn't write quickly enough, it's up to them to rematch.
- If you have the free version of Bumble, you can rematch once that person shows up in your queue again. If you pay for Bumble Premium, you can rematch instantly as long as you're the person who let the match expire.

Section 5 of 5:

Can I undo a right swipe or a match?

While you can't undo a right swipe, you can easily unmatch with someone you're not interested in. It's okay if you're not feeling a connection—just open your conversation with the person you want to unmatch from, tap the three dots at the top-right corner, and then select Unmatch.
- If someone is making you feel unsafe, tap Hide & Report at the bottom of their profile to report their behavior to Bumble.^{[4]
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