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2.3

Overall Score

Author: Kaitlyn Short

LAST UPDATED: June 19th, 2024

Based in London, Badoo is a culturally diverse online dating website and app. Available in over 250 countries with 47 language options, the Badoo app is a popular online dating platform for people all around the world. 
 
Badoo believes that there is someone out there for everyone. The company’s years of experience have helped Badoo to solve some of the significant challenges in the social networking and discovery realm, especially issues associated with privacy, safety, and security. 
 
Badoo boasts impressive user stats:

  • 350 million messages sent per day
  • 450 million users worldwide
  • 60 million monthly active users
  • 300,000 new daily signups

Badoo is not just another online dating app; it's a real place to chat, find great friends, hook up, begin casual dating, or even fall in love. If you are a teen or young adult looking to make connections, you will love using Badoo. Our Badoo review spotlights the unique features offered to Badoo users.

Keep reading for pros and cons, or skip straight to Badoo reviews from real people that have tried out the Badoo mobile app. 

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The Good

  • Free Basic Membership 
  • Easy Sign-Up
  • Badoo Premium Features
  • Real-Time Location Connections 
  • Transparency and Security
  • AI Photo Filter 
  • Lookalike Search Function 
  • Badoo Account Verification

Free Basic Membership 

The real question is “Is Badoo free?” Yes, Badoo offers a free app and the option to create a free profile. You can even start chatting with other members free of charge — which is not always the case with other online dating sites. However, if you want your dating profile to stand out and be seen by more people, you might consider joining Badoo Premium or purchasing credits. 

Easy Sign-Up 

Signing up for Badoo is relatively simple. Start by grabbing your smartphone and downloading the app. The app is available for download on an Android or IOS device.  
 
Daters can sign up free of charge and create a Badoo profile. On the free version, you can upload a photo or video from your computer or social media (Instagram or Facebook account), connect with people nearby, and chat with new people every day.
 
You connect your Badoo login to several social media accounts, including the following platform options: 

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • MSN
  • VKontakte
  • Odnoklassniki
  • Yandex
  • Mail.Ru

Connecting to a social media account lets Badoo verify your account. You can also connect with your Twitter and Facebook friends on Badoo by linking your accounts. 
 
After creating a profile, members can check out the Badoo Encounters feature, a game that gives daters the option to vote yes or no on another person's profile. Similar to the Tinder app, users swipe or click to accept or reject a potential match based on a simple profile introduction. If a match is made (both parties say yes), then they can start up a conversation on Badoo chat. 

Badoo Premium Features

Badoo users interested in meeting more people and more potential dates can sign up for Badoo’s premium subscription. When you join this dating website as a paid member, its premium services help boost options when chatting, finding new people, sharing pictures and videos, and having more fun. Badoo’s premium service gives you added knowledge and resources to improve your dating game. 
 
Here are the features Badoo Premium members receive:

  • Liked You — users can see who voted ‘Yes’ on their profile in Encounters
  • Invisible Mode — members can browse Badoo without anyone seeing 
  • Undo Your Last Vote — be able to undo your ‘No’ votes in Encounters
  • Added You As A Favorite — members can see who likes them the most
  • Chat To Popular Users — access to the most popular people on Badoo
  • First To Contact New People — chat with new members as soon as they join
  • Highlight Your Message — members messages will be read first by their contacts
  • Stickers — access to cool stickers

In addition to the features listed, Badoo premium members can use the dating platform free of advertisements.

Real-Time Location Connections

Badoo connects the physical world with the online dating realm through its “bumped into” feature. If you allow the app to track your location, the app will notify you if you cross paths with another Badoo user. You will automatically match and be given access to messaging. This is not a feature found in any other online dating app. The “bumped into” feature is especially useful for individuals attending school or university who pass a large number of potential matches every day. 

Transparency and Security

Before signing up for any online dating site, it is recommended users check out the dating site privacy policy. 
 
When reading through Badoo’s privacy policy, there are several noteworthy sections. First, Badoo encourages its users to be careful about posting sensitive details. Online daters can voluntarily provide any information they please, but there is no requirement to do so. Badoo also encourages daters to be cautious about uploading photos and videos to the network that may disclose any sensitive information. 
 
The privacy policy also states the kind of data collected and why from both its premium and non-premium account users. While this information might not seem particularly interesting to the everyday Badoo user, the transparency Badoo provides is refreshing, as members can at least be aware of how and why their information/data is being used and shared.

AI Photo Filter 

Badoo recently launched a new AI feature named the “Private Detector” that filters photos being sent through direct messages. This safety feature protects users from receiving unwanted, explicit photos — especially for women. The AI feature blurs out any photos that contain inappropriate content. The recipient can choose whether or not to open the image, block the user, or report the incident to the company. 

Lookalike Search Function 

Have you ever wanted to date someone that looks like your celebrity crush? If so, Badoo is the place for you. Badoo offers a lookalike search function that scans the user base for lookalikes. Start by connecting to your Facebook account to receive profile photos suggestions. With these photos, you can conduct a doppelganger search to find individuals who look like your Facebook friends. Using facial recognition technology, Badoo will identify profiles with similar facial features. Awesome or creepy? We’ll leave that up to you. 

You can also upload photos of your favorite celebrities or political figures to find lookalikes. You will still need to match with the individual before you can start a conversation. This protects individuals who might have a close resemblance to a famous individual. If you match with your lookalike search, your match will receive a normal match notification. This feature is included with the free membership. 

Badoo Account Verification

Badoo offers a helpful profile verification system. A dating profile that has been verified by at least two methods is indicated by a blue checkmark with a white background. A profile that has been verified by at least three methods is indicated by a white checkmark on a blue background. 

In addition to social media verification, here are two of the basic ways Badoo verifies that you are a real person: 
 
Photo Verification

In order to create a Badoo profile, users must upload a picture of themselves posing in a specific way. Badoo matches this photo with your uploaded profile pictures. Each profile picture goes through a quick verification process. This helps stop scammers and fake accounts from being made. 
 
Phone Number Verification

To ensure that users get the best possible experience, Badoo requires users to verify their accounts and might ask for a phone number. Badoo uses a third-party provider for account verification, who keeps users' phone numbers up to 90 days for fraud identification purposes. This policy helps to stop fake Badoo accounts from being created as well as lowering the chances of malicious activity and cybercrime.

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The Bad

  • Pay to Increase Profile Views, Status, Encounters
  • Purchased Credits Will Expire
  • No Matching Algorithm 

Pay to Increase Profile Views, Status, Encounters

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but members wanting to increase their status, profile popularity, or encounters will have to buy credits or purchase a subscription. However, Badoo does offer a variety of online and in-app purchases for its members to choose from. 
 
Members can purchase a one-month, two-month, or six-month subscription. You can also purchase a lifetime subscription if you predict that you will need that app longer than one year. Subscriptions and credits are competitively priced. 
 
Badoo credits are used to help user profiles get more attention. Purchasing credits will increase the likelihood of other members seeing your profile, either by using the "Get Featured" service or getting more displays in the Encounters game. 
 
Members can buy 100, 550, 1250, or 2750 credits at a time. These additional payment options can improve the user experience. However, the charges can add up quickly and catch users off-guard if they are not careful. 

Purchased Credits Will Expire

Badoo users who purchased credits to increase the number of encounters, voting limits, etc. would be wise to use their credits. Badoo reserves the right to expire any unused credits after six months (unless the credits are purchased through iTunes). If the account is deleted or terminated, all accumulated credits will be lost. Badoo credits are not redeemable for any sum of money or monetary value unless Badoo has agreed to this in writing. 

No Matching Algorithm 

Badoo does not use a matching algorithm to connect users. Badoo functions similarly to a social network site allowing users to connect on their own without much intervention. Other dating sites offer quizzes and questionnaires to match users with similar interests, hobbies, skills, goals, etc. This is not the case with Badoo. 

Similar to Tinder, Badoo focuses on psychical appearance and short bios to help users connect. Compared to other dating websites, Badoo is less formal and serves a much wider variety of dating purposes. Some users join to find a new friend and others sign-up to meet a long-term partner.

You will need to vet through profiles that have a different dating motive than you. However, you can still find success by being direct in your intentions when talking to matches.

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The Bottom Line

There are a lot of positive aspects to the Badoo website and mobile app. The fact that the company is reasonably transparent with its customers and provides profile and photo verification to lessen the chance of members running into fake user profiles is a major plus. 

Another positive aspect is the simplicity of the app itself. The free account is simple to sign up for and after signing up, members should have no difficulty finding like-minded people nearby that they are interested in. This dating service seems to be catered toward those looking for casual dating, but it is entirely possible for someone to find others interested in a long-term relationship. 
 
However, to get the most out of the app, Badoo members will probably have to consider buying credits or paying for a premium account to get access to all the site's premium features. The prices on Badoo don’t seem outrageous for the online dating industry; however, lots of little purchases can add up over time, and Badoo users might have spent more than they expected to. Also, Badoo credits will expire, so it is best to use them as soon as possible. 

Check out our Tinder vs. Badoo comparison page or View Best Online Dating Companies.

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1.6

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13 Reviews

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1 grade

85%

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Adam Scondo

Badoo is my best app ever I like the ease of connecting my Facebook account with my Badoo account is amazing and I have make a couple of friends on badoo without no stress

5 months ago

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Review Source

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Brenda Mertes Houston, TX

Badoo has been fun. I haven't taken it seriously, but it is nice to be able to simply click a little heart icon to show interest in someone and learn that a hundred people actually like you back. Chats are casual and you can see who wants kids, who is living with their parents, and what their interests are.

5 years ago

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Steve

Another site that's a complete joke......Hardly anyone talks..... You can't report a fake profile and add proof so it's become a site full of fakes and scammers......Hence all the females are wary of all the men.....Even if they are genuine..... The LIVE chat where you can see the real person on webcam is full of men telling the women to get undressed....Example....Show your chest....Open your legs.......It's disgusting......And when the female does'nt do as she's asked..... the men throw abuse at the girl......If someone takes a dislike to you and you get reported...Badoo block or close your profile.... But can't provide any proof that you've done something wrong............Because you have'nt...... The site is sadly full of perverted men all after the same girl.....Hence they get nasty......And that is the truth... Nice people don't stand a chance of meeting anyone as all the men are seen in the same way....

5 years ago

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Musician College Park, MD

I believe, Badoo uses fake accounts to make customers use paid services. At least, this applies to the Russian-speaking segment. There has been a great deal of girls, chatting with me on Badoo, but no one ever expressed a wish to meet in real life or gave any contact info. After several days off Badoo, I always got a new "interested to chat" user, with model-looking photos, only to find out that this was another fake profile. It'd be OK if I initiated the chat, but no: the other party always wrote first. So, I think it's not worth registering in Russian-speaking countries. However, Badoo in the U.S. looks by far more credible.

6 years ago

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Bruno

Badoo has dubious and unethical ways of charging your payment details without you knowing. For example, I purchased something they call super-powers. I did this with full consent. Then, while using the site, the option to buy credits for gifts was available. I clicked on one button and was instantly billed. I was given no options for how many credits I wanted nor was I shown a payment screen, nor was I informed of any automatic top-ups. And yet an automatic top-up was applied once my credits fell below 200. Which happened in about 5 minutes with three or four gifts ( I can't remember the exact amount) So I was instantly billed again. I immediately informed customer service how basically told me I had no options. They insisted I would have seen the payment screen (I did not) and refused to uphold their own terms that a premium service could be cancelled and refunded within 14 days. Zero stars for customer service.

7 years ago

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Rob B

In a nutshell: after a few days, can't chat to new people unless buy credits which aren't cheap. The main problem with Badoo is that they quickly reduce your chat/messaging limit to zero unless you want to pay. After a few days and maybe sending 10 messages in that time, the screen kept telling me I need to buy 20 credits, sometimes 40 credits to talk to someone I hadn't matched with. By match, they mean get a mutual click on Encounters. I clicked 100 or so on Encounters and got no matches. The only Likes I got were from some very unsuitable women. Initially, you get something like 5 or 6 messages every day and then you have to wait 16 hours or something for another allowance. But that disappears after a few days. I don't know why - I'm guessing it's if the user has 'low popularity' as per the battery icon in the display screen. I was unable to find an official explanation anywhere for this, but it may exist buried somewhere. Why the chat limit starts off at 6 messages a day then goes down to nothing I can only assume is due to 'popularity levels' and so that if someone is not popular they won't allow you to message someone else who is. That's just a guess because there's no Help info on this anywhere. It's all a bit mysterious and perhaps this is a reason to simply avoid it. They clearly are in it for money because it costs money to run the servers and pay staff, but the odd reduction to ZERO message limit each day seems to be kept rather secret. Time and again when I click the 'chat now' I get a message saying to buy credits. How many messages had I sent in the past 3 days? One. So, it seems they take all chatting away and squeeze you into buying credits - if you're fine with that then go for it, but if not then don't bother as it's a bit stinky. Also, the women there seem pretty fussy, frankly, so must be getting lots of attention.

7 years ago

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Daniel Maguire

This site only offers a decent service to paying members, however, if you purchase anything you will be automatically subscribed to an ongoing payment. If you try to cancel your ongoing subscription you will automatically lose whatever you have paid for. If you were subscribed unknowingly like I have been twice now, they will keep your money and refuse a refund. If you purchase to be shown more in encounters, it is supposed to be 100 extra shows but you get like 10 max, most of the extra likes will be bots or people trying to solicit viewers to online sex cams or people interstate/inter country who you will almost certainly NEVER date. This website is a scam.

7 years ago

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Shane Ward

I have spent over £500 on this app in a year. Everytime premium runs out you get one like but have to sign up to reveal. The funny thing is you only get a like when the premiuk runs out its a con to make you pay again. The whole tging is a rip off. I was depressed didn't realise i spent so much they take advantage of men like me. I woupd avoid at all costs you shouldn't have to pay to find love. You know it makes sense.

1 year ago

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Michael Lyman Salt Lake City, UT

Badoo was a decent dating site. I used it a few years ago, and was able to go on a few dates. The quality of users was not great, the interface was not the best, and when Tinder became the “it” app, I abandoned my Badoo account to try other dating apps that had better interfaces. I wouldn't recommend using Badoo, there is just too many other apps to try to use this one.

7 years ago

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Tom Berry

Badoo used to be a great free app, but now you have to pay to message and no one replies. Don't waste your time. This app is fine for women because they will get conversation with pervy men who have plenty in money but for ordinary men it's a disgrace.

1 year ago

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Pete Nikolic Columbus, OH

Don't use this service it's a scam!!!!! I purchased a premium for $12.99 for s month just to see what is all about and without my knowledge, Badoo charged me an additional $39.99. If I didn't check my PayPal account I would not be able to see that transaction at all. It's a scam so stay away from it.

5 years ago

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Leigh Green

No personality matching, childish friend-making feature, no consistency between sections. Nothing here for free users. Terrible. Everything is waaaaaaaaay over priced. Just seems like a total con. If any site takes advantage of somebody's misfortune it's this one.

8 years ago

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Abdu AB

No matching Messaging paid free user can do very little The people u like in the encounter cant message them even with initial few days of superpower

8 years ago