So, I first downloaded Tinder back in 2013, so I’m kind of a veteran when it comes to the total shitshow that is the world of dating apps. Ah, the carefree days of swiping on however many profiles you wanted without being worried about seeing ads or having to pay to see more, *sigh*. As such, I’m often asked what’s the best plus size dating app.
So, here I’ve listed the dating apps I’ve had flings with over the years with a total rating out of 5 stars, and separate ratings for usability and the caliber of matches I’ve received. Several BBW-specific apps/sites are put through the gauntlet, as well as more popular mainstream apps where I explicitly say on my profile I’m large and include full body photos. It should become quite clear which I prefer, but each app probably has its merits depending on what you’re looking for.
wooplus
Rating: *
usability **
WooPlus is a dating app specifically designed for plus size women and guys who are into us. The interface for WooPlus is very similar to that of the mainstream dating apps: you have a few pictures, list your height, interests… it’s quite simple to use.
What I don’t like about WooPlus is the continuous prompts you get to answer more inane questions about yourself before you can swipe through more profiles. No, app, I’m not too inclined to share with you what my perfect Saturday night looks like, I want to see the men.
caliber of matches *
Poor. I honestly don’t think many “normal” guys who like fat women are aware this app exists, and if they do, I rarely find any. To be honest the only reason I discovered the app was an old plus size model promoting it; they don’t advertise anywhere as far as I know. The guys I have matched with have been lacking in basic conversation skills and there just aren’t many profiles to swipe on. I’ve “flirted” with this app a few times but these days it just isn’t worth the time.
bbwcupid
Rating: **
usability *
I used this site a lot back in the mid-2010s. As you’d expect from the name, it’s a site specifically for BBWs to find men or women who like them. It’s clunky and hasn’t ever really been updated. You also need the paid version to message people (I remember having to download “Kik” then put my username in my profile heading, which got me many unsolicited messages…) More like a match.com site, I thought I’d include it because, at one stage, it had hope.
caliber of matches ***
The guys I met were usually pretty decent, normal guys and there was definitely less fetish-based talk, although there was still some of that, of course… I had several multiple-date meetups from the site which is progress from the first two I’ve discussed. The issue, like Feabie, is that there aren’t really enough users to match with someone anywhere near you, so for my dates I was often driving far or having to book off a weekend to make a longer trip. There are a lot of foreigners using the site and they don’t have a screening process for catfish, so I stopped using it after a while but there are decent guys nestled away here.
feabie
Rating: **
usability ***
Feabie is primarily a fat fetish site that I wouldn’t recommend using like a “traditional” app, but it does have some benefits.
I give Feabie decent marks for usability because you can use it on your phone or, as I prefer, on your desktop which makes things like searching a hell of a lot easier. It isn’t a traditional “app”, and it’s debatable whether Feabie is actually for dating or just a place for OnlyFans models to promote themselves and guys to discuss their fetishes, but it’s very easy to use and you can easily refine searches.
caliber of matches **
As mentioned above, Feabie is a melting pot of fat fetishes. You will almost certainly get messages asking to see your belly. You’ll probably get asked to sit on (squash) someone. Between the various fetishes that prevail, if you’re looking for something traditional, it’s kind of hard to find meaningful conversation, or a straightforward “hookup” in your immediate area.
Given this info, you might be asking why I included Feabie in the list? Well, I’ve actually met several of my fat girl friends there. These days, I kind of use it more like social media than a legit dating site. I’ve also had a few interesting chats with guys from other parts of the country/world, it’s just never materialized into anything more.
I think it’s a really fat positive site where you’ll never be judged, rather, as a fat woman, you’ll be complimented a lot, and if you happen to be into the fetish stuff then you’re probably going to find some hookups pretty easily!
tinder
Rating: ***
usability *****
And so, we come to the OG of the dating app world. The first of its kind, and as you’d expect, it’s the easiest to use and get matches with because of its notoriety and popularity. Things like incorporating Spotify and Instagram are a great way to see what a potential match is actually like and also bats away fears of the classic catfish.
caliber of matches **
When people told me back in 2013 Tinder was “a hookup app, right?” I refused to believe them and tried hard to find “the one” on there – I’ll admit I was deluded. It’s a hookup app, plain and simple. You can have a lot of fun, and there are an abundance of FAs (fat admirers) on there. I don’t pull any punches: the guys I match with are all aware I’m a big woman, and I get a lot of matches.
I rated the caliber of matches two stars here because to me the guys I meet are often closet fat admirers who just want a hookup and would probably never think about introducing you to their friends. So, they’re kind of douchey, but if they’re hot, you can fulfill the goal of a hookup without getting too concerned about their flaws. I gave up wanting guys to be better a while ago so for this purpose, it’s fine.
bumble
Rating: ****
usability ****
Whitney Thor is a badass boss bitch. Now we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s focus on the “Tinder 2.0” that Whitney created that is hands down much safer, and much more likely to net you a date than any of these other apps discussed.
While some women lament having to make the first move, I’ve never seen that as an issue. I simply talk to who I want to, I don’t get any unsolicited dick pics or dirty talk, and it’s incredibly easy to match and message. I particularly like the verify feature they added that a lot of apps now have, and personally don’t even touch profiles that aren’t verified.
caliber of matches ****
Good. Real good. You do get the occasional idiot, but most of the guys I talk to and meet up with from Bumble are genuine and we have at least a few things in common (a win in the online dating world.) I literally know two couples that are now married after meeting on Bumble… it works!
I particularly like the verify feature they added that a lot of apps now have, and personally don’t even touch profiles that aren’t verified. This means everyone I’ve met is who they say they are, even if they do lie about their height (why!?) There is certainly a higher class of individual that uses Bumble and this puts it head and shoulders above the others I’ve used, I’d highly recommend it whether you’re looking for something casual, or serious.
