BiCupid Reviewed: How the Site Works and Who It’s For
Unless you’ve spent the last few years under a rock like my favorite sea creature, Patrick Star, you know that looking for love in the tech era has worn down singles of every demographic. Narrow the focus to the bisexual dating community, and the search gets even harder.
Besides the usual headaches of modern romance, bi singles run into doubt and dismissal from gay and straight people alike. They’re frequently told that bisexuality isn’t real, or that they ought to “pick a side.”
Bi singles and couples looking for more choices often turn to BiCupid.
And when the bisexual person is a woman, straight men often treat her fluidity as a turn-on. That fetishizing comes close to harassment and is definitely creepy.
Bisexual singles have it rough, and that’s why safe spaces where they feel completely understood and accepted matter so much.
One such safe space is BiCupid, a dating platform built for bisexual and bicurious people. Or that’s the goal, anyway.
In this in-depth review, I’ll walk through how the platform works, share what users have said, and suggest a few comparable dating apps. By the end, you’ll have what you need to make dating a more positive and intentional experience.
Joining BiCupid and Searching Every Gender Costs Nothing
First, the fundamentals. BiCupid, a free dating platform available on both iOS and Android, claims to have the “largest, most secure, and most effective” bisexual user base anywhere on the planet.
At 230,000 visitors a month, it’s nowhere near as influential as mainstream rival Tinder, which pulls in a massive 75 million monthly visitors. Then again, it isn’t really trying to compete, is it?
After all, it’s a niche service, made for bi people who want a long-term partner, casual hookups, someone to complete their throuple, or just about anything in between.
Bisexual singles got a place of their own when BiCupid launched in 2003.
As for other key demographics, expect most members to be between their mid-20s and mid-30s, with the majority (75%) identifying as male (more on that later). Most BiCupid members also live in the U.S.
Like most dating apps these days, BiCupid is simple to sign up for. To save a few steps, you can log in with whichever social media account you like and let it fill in your details automatically. If not, you’ll be asked to enter everything by hand.
Couples who are poly and want to meet bisexual dates will find options on BiCupid.
Along with your email address and age, you’ll need to give your gender identity (there are 19 choices, Prefer Not to Say among them) and the gender identity you’re hoping to meet (Woman, Man, Trans Woman, Trans Man, Couple, or Non-Binary). Picking more than one is allowed.
These choices go much further than most mainstream dating apps, but it’s worth pointing out that BiCupid doesn’t let couples label themselves as straight, gay, or lesbian. Hopefully that changes soon.
After that, you’ll build your profile. You’ll enter a few basics like your ZIP code, country, and relationship status, while details such as ethnicity and height are up to you.
Curiously, you can start swiping without adding a profile picture. Still, the site says profiles with photos get 20 times as many views as those without, so unless you feel like sabotaging yourself, I strongly suggest posting at least one.
Users can express themselves through BiCupid’s private chat and video tools.
When the basics are filled in and you’ve (ideally) uploaded a gorgeous selfie, you can start hunting for your next bisexual babe, bicurious cutie, or flirtatious third for your throuple.
I’ll be straight with you (pun not intended): the design looks frozen in 1997. If you’re accustomed to browsing sleeker, better-looking apps like Tinder, your first minutes on BiCupid might feel like digital culture shock. The platform still does its job, though, even if it’s a lil’ bit ugly.
Extra Features Cost Extra
Prepare for a letdown: for all the size of its user base, BiCupid doesn’t do much unless you spend money. A free membership lets you run searches, browse user profiles (with their name, age, photo, and membership type), and send virtual winks. What it won’t let you do is send any kind of personal message.
In my view, that leaves the free tier nearly pointless, except for one loophole that rescues BiCupid here: free members can reply to someone if that person is a paid member who wrote to them first. That’s a big IF, though.
If you think dating apps are worth spending money on, you can unlock a Premium Membership.
Here’s how the pricing breaks down:
- 6 months at $19.99 a month
- 3 months at $23.99 a month
- $33.99 for 1 month
This exclusive membership lets you message any BiCupid member (matched or not), find out who has checked out your profile, and use more advanced search filters.
Paying up might also make sense if you’d like to try a distinctive BiCupid tool called “Reverse Matching.” This clever (borderline sneaky) feature shows you every user whose searches closely match your own traits.
Say you’re a bisexual Asian American man who’s 29 years old: the link might pull up a list of BiCupid members who searched for one or all of those traits.
Every month, more than 2.2 million chats get started on BiCupid.
I’d be doing you a disservice if I skipped one standout BiCupid perk that could justify the time and money. Free and premium members alike can join a community forum that covers everything from first date ideas to bi-erasure to dating advice.
For bisexual people who are closeted or just came out, this safe space can play a key role in getting their bearings on a new (and often daunting) road.
What Real Users Say About BiCupid
Describing a platform’s bells and whistles is one thing; judging how well it does the job it was built for is something else. BiCupid claims more than 60,000 success stories, but there’s more to it than that. Our dating experts like to keep a finger on the pulse and find out what people are saying about it. By that I mean what they’re really saying.
I’ll be upfront: online reviews are thin on the ground (on Reddit and Quora, at least), but a few stood out. One man, for instance, was frustrated by what many of the people he met on the app were really after:
“I downloaded the app and created a profile (M60). Ended up uninstalling. There were some great looking guys close by to me, but no one seemed to be interested in making friends and building relationships, more like just hookups.” – TheShadowKnows63
A different user had trouble with how few daters there were nearby:
“Tried it but found no one within the geographical boundaries in their settings; they always tried to match me with people over 30 miles away.”
This reviewer didn’t say where they live, but my research turned up plenty of people outside the U.S. reporting the same problem.
Several other reviews griped about how little free members can do; one of these said:
“The free features in this app don’t do anything to actually connect people. You can’t see likes unless you pay, or they message you (which no one does). I’ve literally matched with NO ONE for over a month. The free version is so bad that I have zero interest in seeing what the paid version offers. – Rachel Hahn-Koppe
Still, on Trustpilot and Google Play, I came across a good number of users with happier experiences. One brief review praises how easy the platform is to use and how it builds community:
“I’ve tried several dating apps, but this one truly understands the nuances of bisexuality. It’s been a game-changer for me. The app runs smoothly and efficiently, making for a seamless user experience.” – Alex Redding
Another member offers tips that could come in handy if you’re hoping to bring an extra player into your favorite bedroom games:
“If you’re looking for a triad, it’s a good place to vet couples. Verification is the most important feature for me on apps, and it has that so I recommend.” – Yhav Sims
And one more review raises an intriguing point about how BiCupid can help people find more than romance:
“If you are a bisexual man or woman and want to have a long-term relationship, please don’t hesitate to create a profile on bicupid.com and start your online dating journey. I’ve benefited a lot from it. I used to be a lonely bisexual woman, now I have many friends with common hobbies. We share our life with each other, and we treat each other as life partners.”– W. Sineateng
Judging by this mix of reviews, BiCupid gives off major “hit or miss” energy, which, honestly, sums up online dating as a whole pretty well.
In the end, what you make of it is your call. Start with the free version and see what happens. In love (and sex), you have to be ready to take a few chances.
Well-Known BiCupid Alternatives
Maybe you’ll try BiCupid and find it just doesn’t tickle your pickle. Or maybe this review has put you off trying it at all. Either way, you still have choices. Here are four other bisexual dating apps to consider.
Match
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: “Match pairs a large dating pool with search filters specific enough to make that size useful rather than overwhelming.” Our Review »
- Browse Free:View Photos Now
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | Today’s Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Singles | 49%51% | 14.6 Million | Try Match FREE |
If your dating goals lean toward the serious end, Match, widely seen as a pioneer of online romance, might suit you better. This dating platform, which has one of the biggest user databases on the planet, uses a smart compatibility algorithm that weighs lifestyle preferences and dating goals when suggesting matches.
A big dating pool could give bisexual singles more shots at finding what they want; then again, Match wasn’t built with queer people in mind. Bi or bicurious users might find it limiting that there’s no way to filter by sexual orientation.
eharmony
- Relationships: Casual Dates, Deep Relationships
- Match System: Personality test suggests matches
- Our Experts Say: “eharmony helps relationship-minded singles meet compatible people who share their values and long-term outlook.” Our Review »
- Browse Free:View Photos Now
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | Today’s Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Singles | 48%52% | 4.1 Million | View Profiles FREE |
Among the original dating apps is eharmony. It’s famous for its detailed questionnaire, which pairs singles by personality traits drawn from the Five-Factor Model of Personality.
For bisexual singles who want a real long-term relationship, that method could prove especially useful. eharmony wasn’t built for queer daters or open relationships, yet lately it has grown noticeably more LGBTQ-friendly.
3. HER
HER is a queer dating app, aimed specifically at LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people. Beyond giving bisexual users a judgment-free place to look for a long-term partner or a threesome, HER also builds community.
Most of HER’s 15 million-plus members are in the U.S.
Members get a Social Feed that feels a lot like scrolling a social media app. There are also discussion boards where curious users can talk about anything related to queer dating. Don’t miss the listings for local LGBTQ+ meetups and events, where online connections can become real ones.
4. Grindr
Grindr is basically paradise for gay guys, provided what they want is fast sex with other men. Famous worldwide as the top gay hookup app, it has more than 27 million users, all of them men looking for companionship.
Since 2009, Grindr has helped gay and bi men find nearby dates.
If you’re a gay, bi, trans, or non-binary person who wants to get in and get out (or, failing that, swipe through a few shirtless hotties), the Grindr app is a strong pick.
BiCupid Is Just One Choice for Bisexual Singles
Overall, BiCupid may be a good fit for bisexual people, bicurious singles, and polyamorous couples. Its free tier has limits, but it lets daters try bisexual dating out in a setting that’s safe and free of judgment.
Later, if you decide you want more out of it, you can upgrade to a premium membership and unlock extra features.
Nothing is guaranteed, naturally, so I’d advise against betting everything on one app. Join several at the same time, or if all the choices overwhelm you, use one app for a month before switching to another.
You may not like hearing it, but the more time you invest and the more platforms you try, the better your odds of finding what you want. So don’t stay under that rock for too long. Be brave about putting yourself out there. Keeping to yourself has never led anyone to love.
About the Author
By: Camila Wright
Feature Writer
Camila Wright brings a unique storytelling voice and marketing background to feature stories on thecandiddate.com.
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