# How to make a dating app in Bubble.io: Step-by-Step Guide

- Tool: Bubble
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Time required: 35-40 min
- Compatibility: All Bubble plans
- Last updated: March 2026

## TL;DR

Build a dating app in Bubble with user profiles, swipe/like/pass mechanics using Custom States and workflows, a matching algorithm that detects mutual likes, real-time chat between matched users, and location-based discovery. The core mechanic: when User A likes User B and User B has already liked User A, create a Match record and notify both users.

## Build a Dating App in Bubble

This tutorial guides you through building the core features of a dating app: profiles, swiping, matching, and messaging.

## Before you start

- A Bubble account with user authentication
- User profiles with photos, bio, and preferences
- Basic understanding of workflows and Custom States

## Step-by-step guide

### 1. Create Dating Data Types

Create 'UserProfile' (extend User): bio, photos (list of images), age, gender, looking_for, location (geographic address), interests (list of texts). Create 'Swipe': swiper (User), swiped_on (User), direction (text: like/pass), timestamp. Create 'Match': user1 (User), user2 (User), matched_date, last_message_date. Create 'Message': match (Match), sender (User), content (text), sent_date.

**Expected result:** Data types for the dating app are created.

### 2. Build the Discovery/Swipe Interface

Create a page showing one profile card at a time. Search for Users matching preferences (gender, age range, within distance). Exclude users already swiped on. Display: main photo, name, age, bio. Add Like (heart) and Pass (X) buttons.

**Expected result:** Users see potential matches one at a time.

### 3. Implement the Matching Algorithm

When Like button clicked: Create Swipe (direction='like'). Then search for Swipes where swiper = swiped_on_user AND swiped_on = Current User AND direction = 'like'. If found (mutual like): Create Match with both users, send notifications. Load next profile.

**Expected result:** Mutual likes automatically create matches.

### 4. Build the Chat System

Create a matches page with a RG of Matches involving Current User. Each row shows the other user's photo and name. Clicking opens a chat view: RG of Messages for this Match sorted by sent_date. Add input and send button. Create Message on send, update Match's last_message_date.

**Expected result:** Matched users can exchange messages.

### 5. Add Location-Based Discovery

Use geographic address fields and the ':distance from' operator. Filter discovery to users within a configurable radius. Show distance on profile cards.

**Expected result:** Users discover nearby matches based on location.

## Complete code example

File: `Workflow summary`

```text
DATA TYPES:
- User (extended): bio, photos, age, gender, looking_for, location, interests
- Swipe: swiper, swiped_on, direction (like/pass), timestamp
- Match: user1, user2, matched_date, last_message_date, is_active
- Message: match, sender, content, sent_date, is_read

DISCOVERY ALGORITHM:
Search for Users where:
  - gender matches Current User's looking_for
  - age between Current User's min_age and max_age
  - location within Current User's max_distance
  - NOT in (Search for Swipes where swiper=Current User):each item's swiped_on
  - is not Current User

MATCHING WORKFLOW:
1. Like clicked → Create Swipe (like)
2. Search for reverse Swipe (them → me, like)
3. If found → Create Match → Notify both users
4. Load next profile card

CHAT:
- Messages RG: Search for Messages (match = current match, sorted by sent_date)
- Send: Create Message → Update Match last_message_date
```

## Common mistakes

- **Not excluding already-swiped users from discovery** — Users see the same profiles repeatedly, creating a frustrating experience. Fix: Exclude users who appear in Current User's Swipe records from the discovery search.
- **Creating duplicate matches** — If both users swipe simultaneously, two Match records could be created. Fix: Before creating a Match, check if one already exists between the two users.
- **Loading all potential matches at once** — Searching all users in the database is expensive and slow. Fix: Load one profile at a time, or batch 5-10 profiles into a Custom State list.

## Best practices

- Load profiles one at a time or in small batches for performance.
- Exclude already-swiped users from discovery searches.
- Check for duplicate matches before creating.
- Use location-based filtering to reduce the candidate pool.
- Add photo verification for safety.
- Implement reporting and blocking features.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I handle the swipe animation?

Use CSS transitions or a swipe plugin for card animations. The Draggable plugin can enable actual swipe gestures on mobile.

### Can I add video profiles?

Yes. Add a video field to User and embed it using Bubble's Video element on the profile card.

### How do I prevent fake profiles?

Implement photo verification (compare selfie to profile photo), email verification, and phone verification. Add reporting features for users.

### How do I scale beyond a few thousand users?

Optimize discovery queries with geographic constraints first, then age/gender filters. Cache discovery results. For large-scale dating apps, RapidDev can architect optimized matching systems.

### Can I add premium features (super likes, boost)?

Yes. Create a premium plan with Stripe, add a 'super_like' direction to Swipe, and prioritize boosted users in discovery results.

### How does real-time chat work in Bubble?

Bubble auto-updates Repeating Groups via WebSocket. New messages appear instantly without refresh.

---

Source: https://www.rapidevelopers.com/bubble-tutorial/make-a-dating-app-in-bubble
© RapidDev — https://www.rapidevelopers.com/bubble-tutorial/make-a-dating-app-in-bubble