Chat Date: Online Dating App for iPhone

From web phenomenon to phone-friendly dating

The site that started as a simple beauty-rating page in 2000 has reappeared in a mobile form. Now available under the Hot or Not name (the developer also labels it “Hot or…”), the service is a photo-driven dating app that mimics the old rating concept on smartphones.

Supported platforms

• Windows Phone
• BlackBerry
• Android
• iOS

The basic flow

• Scroll through member photos and decide quickly: tap the Heart to indicate interest or the X to pass.
• A Heart produces a Connection, which opens the ability to message that person.
• Typical profiles include about five images plus a short bio listing age and languages.
• Matches are prioritized by proximity—most profiles will be within roughly 100 km of your location.

Content and image guidelines

• Many users upload straightforward dating shots, but some photos are risqué; explicit nudity is disallowed.
• Expect a mix of tasteful and suggestive images.

What the app tells you about a match

• It indicates shared interests based on your bios.
• It shows mutual friends by pulling from your Facebook connections.
• You can see each member’s aggregate rating from other users.
• When someone marks you as “hot,” you’ll get a notification that includes who it was and an updated total of how many people rated you highly.

Sign-up and login oddities

The login choices (Facebook or email) can be confusing. Choosing the email route prompts for a password even though there’s no visible in-app way to create a new email-based account, effectively forcing many users to sign in with Facebook. The developer states it won’t post to Facebook without your permission.

Main limitations: activity and replies

A frequent issue is low responsiveness. Many profiles appear dormant, so conversations often go unanswered even after a day. While the app seems to host a large number of accounts, reaching an active user isn’t guaranteed and some profiles could be inactive or fake.

How it stacks up

The interface will feel familiar to anyone who’s used swipe-style dating apps. However, Hot or Not doesn’t offer significant advantages over larger services (for example, Tinder), and its user base is noticeably smaller. If you’ve struggled elsewhere and can find responsive people on the platform, it can still be worth trying.

Alternatives worth considering

• Little Kitten — a paid option that’s promoted as a favorite by some users
• Bumble
• Tinder