1) What is Whim?Whim is a new mobile dating app that sends users on real-life dates instead of endless texting, online flirting and winking. Whim is currently available for download in the
iOS App Store.
2) How does Whim work?After creating a profile, you tell Whim when and where you’re free, browse profiles, and choose the people you’d like to meet. As soon as two of you with mutual interest have your schedules align, the app selects a local bar or cafe and sets you up for a date. Once the date is set, matched users are encouraged to get in touch and confirm plans with each other using their personal phone numbers. After the date, Whim asks you for feedback about your date (which is seen only by Whim admins, not by your date).
3) How is Whim different from other dating apps?Other dating apps are essentially match-and-message platforms that give users a way to chat with one another. However, our research has shown that matches on other dating apps result in actual dates less than FIVE PERCENT of the time! Users waste significant time and energy on conversations that lead nowhere, or that ultimately disappoint.
Whim is the first dating app to offer a true dating service -- taking matches offline and turning virtual connections into real-life dates.
4) Why doesn’t Whim have a messaging feature?Whim doesn’t have a messaging feature because texting is an inefficient -- and mostly ineffective -- way to get to know someone. Nearly 80 percent of messages on other dating apps go unanswered altogether, and it takes an average of two weeks of back-and-forth messaging to get to a real-life date. Additionally, time spent messaging leads people to build up a false sense of rapport that often leads to unrealistic expectations.
Once Whim users match, they do generally contact each other via one another’s cell phone numbers. However, since the date is already arranged, their messaging tends to be efficient, direct, and limited to confirming plans that are already established.
5) Why does Whim use real phone numbers?Experience in our test markets (San Francisco and New York) has shown that connecting two people for a date via their actual phone numbers encourages increased authenticity and accountability. Users are more likely to respond to messages and to show up for their dates.
6) How does Whim guarantee users’ safety?Whim is deeply committed to ensuring that our users have a safe and enjoyable experience dating through our app. We hand-screen every profile before it is approved and accepted into the community. In addition, should there be any reports of bad behavior via our app's built-in feedback feature, we are able to respond immediately and remove the offending user from the system.
7) Is Whim free?It's currently free to download Whim and go on dates! Users can choose to upgrade to Star Membership to take advantage of premium features. For example, “Connect Now” is a feature that lets you get in touch to plan dates with your matches directly even if your busy schedules don’t align in the app right away.
8) Does Whim support same-sex dating?Absolutely. Whim users can choose to view and engage with either or both genders.
9) When was Whim founded?Whim was founded in 2014 in Los Angeles by CEO Eve Peters, formerly of OkCupid Labs. HQ later moved to San Francisco and is currently running a live public beta in San Francisco and New York.
