Hily dating app review: A generous free tier, gamified swipes, and so many fish pics

Whenever my friends ask me about the apps, they’re focused on the Big Three: Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge.

While these are all good places to start, they’re not the only apps out there. Take Pure, for example; it’s super niche and super fun. But almost no one in my inner circle knew about it until I told them.

That’s why I’m writing today’s review: It’s on Hily (short for “hey, I like you”), and I wanted to see if this lesser-known platform deserves a spot on your home screen.

What is Hily?

Hily, despite literally no one I talk to knowing about it, isn’t a new dating app. It officially launched in August 2017, and get this: it used AI to improve its safety features back then! According to a TechCrunch article, the app had 35,000 users during beta testing. By 2019, that number grew to over five million active users.

Now, the app has more than 42 million users (according to the Hily website).

What’s it like to sign up?

I’ll be the first person to tell you that signing up for a dating app is a lot of work (well, if you’re serious about finding someone). There are all the questions, and the thought that goes into crafting a profile worth swiping right on or “liking.”

Fortunately, Hily lets you decide how much you want to spend on your profile. If you’re raring to go, you can fill out the basics and start swiping. Or, if you’re interested in finding your forever person, you can include all the quirky things that make you you through its various questions and profile add-ons.

Here’s a play-by-play of signing up for the Hily dating app.

First, it asks for a few simple details: how you identify (e.g., man, woman, non-binary), who you’re looking for (e.g., man, woman, non-binary), your name (you don’t have to use your full name), your birthdate (you have to be at least 18 to use the app), and how you heard about the app.

It’ll also ask you to enable your location and notifications. I liked that I could skip the notification part, though (I have enough notifications on my phone as it is).

The next set of questions is obviously a little more detailed, but it looks as though you can skip anything you’re uncomfortable answering up to this point. It’s kind of nice that they let you decide how much effort you’re willing to put in — this helps weed out potential partners, too. If their profile is low-effort, what’s their dating etiquette going to look like? (Something to think about!)

It asks for your ethnicity, highest level of education, things you’re passionate about, and favorite movies or TV shows.

When you get to the “Things you’re passionate about” section, you can add up to 12 items to your profile. Examples include what kind of music you like, what you enjoy doing for fun, whether you like sports, and, of course, personal values like self-care and body positivity.

Then, it gets a little Hinge-y. There’s a section that asks for “profile answers.” The app reads: “Share your character with your future matches.” Unlike other apps, you can skip this section if you choose. Though I filled it out because I want all you hopefuls out there to see the process start to finish.

When you click the little plus button, you can choose from multiple profile answers from three categories: About Me, My Dating Guide, and Life Vibes. Some of these answers look very similar to prompts from other apps.

You’ll also be asked to add some photos. You can add up to six.

What are you looking for?

After you’ve answered the questions about yourself, the app asks you what you’re looking for in a partner.

The first screen offers:

• Committed relationship

• New friends

• Something casual

• Physical connection

• Going with the flow

You can select two.

The next screen asks, “What vibe are you looking for?” Options include things like “sense of humor” and “emotional availability.”

You can choose three.

You’ll also be asked how old your date should be. There’s a sliding scale from 18 to 80. If you want to change this later, you can in the “filters” section.

There’s also a distance filter, which I appreciated. You can slide the scale anywhere from one mile to 200. However, it’s important to know how this filter works: it only controls who you see in the “Finder” swipe deck. Every other user has their own radius, so someone 40 miles away with a wide filter can still find and “like” you, regardless of your distance settings.

Once you fill out that section, you may get hit with the “Roulette.” This is a little wheel that lets you tap the center to earn a perk, like “rollbacks” or a “profile boost.” (I’ll go over these features in a little bit.) These perks are apparently free as long as you use the app every day. So, that’s cool.

It looks like you’ll also get a “feature pack,” which is just a random set of features the app decides to give you after you spin the wheel.

I liked that there was a toggle that said: “Stop showing Roulette at startup.” Other apps (looking at you, eharmony) won’t let you skip these pop-ups.

Now, you’re ready to start browsing!

If you want to add more to your profile, you can.

One of the nicest things about Hily, as I mentioned above, is that it lets you decide how much you reveal about yourself. If you’re good with the pre-set questions and setup, you can move on to browsing, but if you want to add more, you can.

If you go back in to edit or add new photos, you’ll get a little notification that your new photos are “in review” and won’t be available to the public until they’re approved.

You can also add a photo to showcase your top interest (the passions you chose earlier). I chose a photo of the day I took home my late beagle, Biscuit.

How does matching work?

Hily is a swiping app, but there are a few different ways to find a potential match. Also, instead of swiping left/right, you swipe up/down.

Finder

The “Finder” section lets you discover new people, “like” them, or skip them. People here should match your filters (e.g., age, gender, location, etc.).

To learn more about a potential match in “Finder,” all you have to do is scroll up to see their profile details. If you’re into them, you can tap the heart button. If you’re not, click the “X” to skip. You can also send a “Major Crush” to message them immediately.

Discover

The “Discover” tab shows you profiles that Hily thinks you’ll “vibe with” based on what you’re looking for, your filters, and your interests. It’s basically a menu of potential suitors the app thinks you’ll hit it off with, based on the data you’ve shared.

This page updates every day, so there’s always someone new in here. There’s a “Top picks” carousel at the top, followed by a “Shared interests” carousel, and then the last carousel is filled with people who have similar dating goals. There are about 15 profiles total within this tab.

“Likes”

The “Likes” tab shows you everyone who’s already “liked” you.

In my experience, the people in this section aren’t within the location range I chose when I signed up — some were in totally different states! (Again, this is because their search radius reached you, not the other way around.)

The other issue with this section is that sometimes the faces are blurred. This means you’ll need to use an “Unblur” to see them, or you’ll have to purchase a Premium+ plan.

If you don’t want to spend any money (I get it), just go back to the “Finder” to keep searching. You might be able to match with someone from your “likes” list there.

The “Finder” is the best way to match with people for free. Hily usually puts the people who’ve already “liked” you back into your swipe deck. If you “like” them there, it’s an instant match.

What do you get with the paid version vs. the basic free tier?

OK, so here’s where it gets hairy. There are a ton of features, and it’s kind of confusing figuring out what’s what.

In short, free Hily members can browse profiles in “Finder,” use basic filters, and chat with their matches. (So, you don’t have to pay to browse, “like,” or chat!) You’ll also get up to 100 “likes” per day. That said, you’ll have to deal with ads and pay a la carte if you want to use “Unblurs,” “Boosts,” or “Rollbacks.”

Basic filters include search radius, age, gender, showing profiles without photos, and showing only verified profiles.

Paid members get a suite of features, including:

• Compatibility Check: The “Compatibility Check” is a quick test you can take to see how compatible your profile is with potential matches. If they’ve also taken the test, you’ll see a compatibility score on their profile and where you have things in common. The app calls this “Icks & Clicks.” Note: If you decide to end the quiz early, your compatibility score may be off. So be sure to answer all the questions first! I think there were 40 total.

• Personalized Finder and Advanced Filters: While free users get basic age, gender, and distance filters, paid members have access to more advanced filtering options, including height, education, occupation, whether someone has kids, smoking/drinking habits, and even a “nearby search” that’s restricted to a 30-mile radius.

• Extra Shows: Think of “extra shows” as extra visibility.

• Incognito Mode: Incognito mode removes your profile from “Finder.” Just note: it’s not a full invisibility cloak. Anyone you “like” or send a Major Crush to will be able to see you, and your existing matches (or anyone who’s already interacted with you pre-incognito-mode) are unaffected.

• Remove Ads: Paid members won’t see ads.

Bonus features include:

• Major Crush: The “Major Crush” feature lets you message someone before you even match. It’s kind of like Hinge’s “Match Note.”

• Boost: The “Boost” feature puts your profile front and center, so more people will see you and “like” you.

• Rollback: If you accidentally skip someone you didn’t mean to skip, the “Rollback” feature lets you use the “undo” button to bring them back into your feed.

Hily Premium gives you an ad-free experience, unlocks the advanced filters and incognito mode, and gives you two “Major Crushes” a day, five “Crushes” per day, and five “Rollbacks.” Your “likes” are capped at 100 per day, and you won’t get any free “Unblurs” or “Boosts.”

Hily Premium+ gives you unlimited “likes,” two “Unblurs” a day, two “Boosts” a day, five “Major Crushes” a day, 10 “Crushes,” and 10 “Rollbacks.”

How much does Hily cost?

Hily has a weird pricing structure compared to other apps I’ve tested, but here’s the breakdown:

• Premium: One week for $9.99 (I do not see a monthly pricing option for this tier)

• Premium+: One week $14.99 / One month $29.99 / One year $119.99 / Lifetime $199.99

You can also buy “Unblurs” and other features separately or as a bundle. One “Unblur,” for example, is $7.99.

Note: These prices are based on the 40 percent discount that’s showing in my app. Your app may show different pricing options.

What’s it like to use Hily?

In my personal experience, Hily seems to be for the blue-collar crowd. This could be because I’m in a southern beach town, but when I tested Hinge in this same area, the guys weren’t as bearded or burly as they are on Hily. Almost every profile I saw was of a bearded, traditionally “masculine” man posing with a fish, deer antlers, a gun, or something like that. And even though I am bi and set my filters as such, I only saw two women (the rest were couples looking for a third) the entire month or so that I tested the app.

Something else that stood out to me is that most of these men had “conservative” listed on their profile, so this could be an OkCupid alternative, maybe for those who are looking for a right-wing crowd. (Again, I live in NC at the moment, so that could definitely be a factor.)

That said, the profiles I saw were definitely honest in every way. The men on here put exactly what they’re looking for in their bio, so that’s refreshing. Those who were looking for something serious specifically said so.

I think Hily is probably a good option for anyone who’s looking for a sexting partner, too. Tons of guys on here are just looking to “swap nudes,” and I had more than a few spicy messages come through my chat inbox.

I liked that the Premium+ version let me change my location to France (or wherever else), so there’s definitely potential to have your Princess Diaries moment. (A journalist for Business Insider did it, and now she’s moving to Europe to be with her forever person — nothing’s impossible.)

How does Hily handle safety and security?

Hily has quite a few tools to keep you safe and in control of your inbox:

• Consent Guard: This is easily Hily’s best safety tool. Launched in late 2025 to replace their older photo-blurring filter, Consent Guard uses AI to scan incoming messages for explicit text or visuals. If someone tries to send you something spicy (or just straight-up unsolicited nudes), the app pauses the message and asks if you consent to seeing it. It’s very similar to Pure’s new My Media Rules feature.

• Photo Verification: Users who do a quick photo check to prove they look like their profile pictures get a blue “Verified” badge, so you know you aren’t being catfished.

• In-App Video Calling: If you want to vibe-check a match before meeting IRL, Hily lets you start a video call right inside the app so you don’t have to give out your phone number. (Though if you do want to take things off the app, I recommend using Signal.)

• Standard Block and Report: If anyone makes you uncomfortable, asks for money, or acts suspiciously, you can tap the three dots in the corner of their profile to instantly block them and report them to Hily’s moderation team.

Is Hily worth it?

Overall, I think Hily is worth the download. The free version is generous once you’ve figured out what all the features mean/can do, and there are plenty of options to show off your personality and interests.

The app has a smaller dating pool than the mainstream apps, but my screen always told me there were 1,400+ men online at any given time. That’s a substantial group of suitors to choose from. I also received 1,560 “views” and 868 “Likes” in the month that I tested it. (You can view these stats right in the app.)

However, if you live in a southern town and you’re not into the typical southern man, or if you’re a bisexual woman, lesbian, trans, or non-binary dater looking for similar partners, you might want to try a different app like HER first.