By Jeanne Sutton
04th Mar 2015
04th Mar 2015
woman using her phone
Last Monday saw the launch of Tinder Plus, the premium version of the famous dating app that users pay for. While a lot of the features available on Tinder Plus solve problems users have complained about – for instance, you can undo swipes where you accidentally dismissed a potential soulmate because your fingers slipped, as well as go beyond the limited geo-location setting – some changes are annoying a lot of people. Especially when it comes to charges.
In the United States, Tinder Plus charges users 30 years and older twice as much as what they’re charging users in their twenties, according to reports in Bloomberg. If you’re over the hill, according to Tinder’s definitions, you pay $19.99 for the chance to swipe your way to your next romantic encounter. All those nubile millennials pay $9.99.
In the United Kingdom, the prices are somewhat kinder, €3.99 for those under 28 and €14.99 for the more senior citizens, but the message remains the same. If you’re not in your twenties, pay up. The new pricing structure won’t hit the Tinder heartland – 52% are aged 18 to 24 years old but it will impact a significant cohort.
How unfair is that?
Tinder explained their reasoning was based on the financial realities of being in your twenties. ?During our testing we’ve learned, not surprisingly, that younger users are just as excited about Tinder Plus, but are more budget-constrained, and need a lower price to pull the trigger.? Okay, gun metaphor aside, we can understand and maybe respect that decision. Should grocery shops knock a few cents off the weekly shop for students, too?
Nymag.com are calling the price disparity an ?old-people tax?. Do you agree? Are you tempted to try Tinder Plus or will you stick with the ‘normal’ free version of the app?
Follow Jeanne Sutton on Twitter @jeannedesutun
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