If you’re looking for casual hookups and want to flirt with locals online before committing to a date, iDates is the dating app for you. In this iDates review, we go over how users can enjoy successful hookups or even serious relationship opportunities. We also break down the costs of iDates and answer frequently asked questions, so that you know what to expect when you try it out.
How iDates works
iDates is an alternative to Tinder, taking on a different approach to app dating. On the surface, iDates gives users an opportunity to date, flirt, or chat. The service encourages casual dating for a younger user base, between 18 and 30, but is open to older members as well.
While you need to purchase coins to send messages or gifts, you can still read any texts you receive for free, as well as browse through potential date matches to your heart’s content.
Despite the cost, our iDates review wants to highlight that this is more of an alternative service to large-scale dating sites. You will find users here that you won’t elsewhere, and signing up is fast, easy, and won’t cost you anything to just try it out.
Pros and cons
Although according to our iDates review, the site does offer free registration, this only seems to encourage fake accounts and the potential for notifications to just be bots or scams. However, moderators are working hard to keep the service clean for you to chat with local users. Here are other advantages and disadvantages of iDates:
Pros
Cons
- Contacting and chatting with members requires you to pay
- No subscription model to streamline the dating process
- Not many features even if you do buy a lot of coins
- Fake profiles and bots suggest scammers do use the service
- Many members who write an iDates review on sites like Trustpilot dislike iDates
The registration process
According to our iDates review, you can sign up quickly via your Facebook or Google+ account. If you would rather sign up with an email address, you can follow these steps:
- Register
You need to first state if you are male or female and what kind of partners interest you. You will then have to choose a username that will show up on iDates, as well as a password. Finally, you need a valid email to verify your account. You get 25 free coins by verifying your email address. - Create your profile
All information from here on is optional when signing up. However, you will see improved odds for meeting someone if you take the time to fill in the facts about yourself on your profile. This includes your body type, hobbies, relationship status, and lifestyle choices. - Upload photographs
The most important key to success with iDates is to have a great profile picture. Having a picture to match to the profile inspires confidence in other members when they come across your profile. To upload a profile picture, go to your personal settings and choose to edit your profile. Just drag and drop pictures or upload them from your device. Now you can message matches and start buying coins.
Free features
All members have a free membership that they use to create their profiles. Then, they can purchase coins that unlock features used for interacting with others. Here are the free features you can access when you first sign-up:
- 100 free coins
- Receive messages
- See who viewed your profile
- Browse and like other profiles
While you can receive messages for free, without purchasing iDates coins, you won’t be able to respond to anyone that contacts you, and you can’t reach out to others.
Prices
To use iDates, you must purchase coins. You will start with 100 free coins when you first register. However, sending a message will cost you 50 coins. You can download the app and pay via the google play store, amazon pay, or through their website. You can pay with a credit card, PayPal, or a debit card.
Coins and bundles
Sending messages on iDates can cost a lot of money, but to help offset that, iDates offers you a 10% bonus (rounded up) with each bundle that you purchase. This means that when you buy 100 coins, for example, you will get 110 coins.
This scales with the total purchase, so the more coins you buy, the more you get for free alongside your purchase. Here is the breakdown of the different coin bundles, according to our iDates review.
| Price | Number of coins | Bonus coins |
| 4.99 GBP | 170 Coins | incl. 20 Coins |
| 9.99 GBP | 390 Coins | incl. 50 Coins |
| 24.99 GBP | 990 Coins | incl. 120 Coins |
| 49.99 GBP | 2040 Coins | incl. 240 Coins |
| 99.99 GBP | 4180 Coins | incl. 500 Coins |
*Pricing provided for illustrative purposes based on available information at the time of writing.
Paid features
- Send as many chat messages as you want as long as you have the coins
- Send messages and gifts
- Become a “top profile” in searches (costs 20 coins)
- Highlight messages from other users
FAQs
Although signing up with iDates is easy, that doesn’t mean you won’t have a few questions of your own about it. That’s why our iDates review has answers the most frequently asked questions.
How can I pay for coins?
If you are using the iDates app, you can only pay via PayPal or AppStore, and they both require a registered credit or debit card. If you are using the web version, you can pay via direct debit payment, credit card, or internet banking.
How do I cancel my iDates membership?
As noted in our iDates review, there is no membership. To delete your profile you will have to contact [email protected] with your user data (username and email address) so they can process your request as quickly as possible. This is the same process for both the app and website.
Could I purchase a weekly or monthly VIP membership?
No, there is currently no subscription / VIP model for iDates. Once you have used up the purchased coins or the initial ones you start with, you will have to buy more to continue messaging.
However, this means you don’t have to worry about cancellation costs or any running fees with a subscription service.
Why are my coins gone?
If you have bought these and your current balance shows that there is nothing present, our iDates review can think of 2 things that may have happened:
1. You spent all the coins you had bought. As a reminder, sending a message always costs 50, and “TopChat” will use an additional 20.
2. You/your bank has cancelled the purchase and there is an existing outstanding balance that needs to be paid first. You can contact support in this case: [email protected].
Why were my purchased coins not unlocked?
There may be a delay between when you make your purchase and when you will be able to spend these coins. If they have not been unlocked after 2 hours, our iDates review suggests that you make sure to send the invoice to [email protected] to resolve the issue.
Note that if you paid through your own App store account or PayPal, confirmation is always sent to you. This confirmation is used to check why your purchase has not been unlocked yet and to then manually unlock them.
Can I also earn coins?
No, aside from the 100 free coins at registration, you have to buy coins.
Why can’t I send messages to someone I am in contact with already for free?
Sending messages will always cost you per message sent, regardless of how long you have been chatting with the person, be it on the app or website.
Who owns iDates?
iDates is owned by Boranu Online B.V., located at Frans Erenstraat 14A, 5921VG Venlo, Netherlands.
Our final thoughts
Our iDates review covers how to use the dating service, and the expenses you will accumulate. The cost might cause some potential new members to shy away from trying it.
However, iDates does have a lot to offer someone who can afford to try an alternative casual dating service. It’s free to register and extremely fast to get started with, making a test run take only a minute or two. Sign up today and see if iDates is right for you.
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