Advertiser Disclosure & Methodology

The bottom line

MatchGauge earns affiliate commissions when you sign up through our links. Apps cannot pay to rank higher. Every MatchScore™ is calculated identically using our published 47-metric methodology. If a higher-paying app appears below a lower-paying one, the data placed it there.

1How We Earn Revenue

MatchGauge generates revenue primarily through affiliate partnerships with the dating apps reviewed on this site. When a visitor signs up for an app through one of our links, the app pays us a commission. This is a standard practice for comparison sites and is how we fund the time, accounts, and panel research that goes into every review.

Commission rates vary by app — some pay $30 per signup, others pay over $150. These rate differences do not influence our editorial rankings or scoring.

2What This Means for Rankings

Our MatchScore™ system is built on objective measurements rather than commercial relationships. The score for every app is calculated from the same 47 metrics, applied identically across all platforms. An app cannot pay to appear higher in our rankings, comparison tables, or quiz results.

Our editorial team is structurally separated from any sales conversations. The team that creates accounts and tests apps does not negotiate or even know affiliate commission rates.

3Our Testing Methodology

Every app on the site is tested using the same protocol:

Real accounts only — we create genuine profiles representative of typical users in each app's target demographic, not throwaway test accounts
30-day active use — every app is used actively for at least 30 consecutive days in real cities, not simulated
12,400-member research panel — outcome data on match rates, conversation quality, first-date conversion, and longer-term satisfaction is collected from a standing research panel
Re-testing on changes — when an app makes a major algorithm, pricing, or feature change, it is re-tested before any score updates
Monthly rescoring — scores are reviewed and updated monthly to reflect new panel data and platform changes

4How MatchScore™ is Calculated

Each MatchScore™ is a weighted composite of six metric categories, with weights chosen to reflect what actually predicts dating outcomes in our panel data:

Match Quality30%

Relevance of suggestions, real-world date conversion rates from the panel

Value & Pricing20%

Free tier functionality, paid plan cost relative to outcomes

User Base20%

Active users, demographic fit, density in major metros

Profile Depth15%

How well profiles convey personality beyond photos

Safety Features10%

Photo verification, report flows, in-app calling

Outcome Data5%

Verified relationship and satisfaction outcomes from panel

5Corrections and Disputes

If you believe our ranking or score for a specific app is inaccurate, we want to know. Contact us with specific evidence — particularly user data, methodology concerns, or recent platform changes we may have missed — and we will review and respond.

Apps that wish to challenge a score must submit data, not commercial offers. Contact our editorial team →