Hookup.com
HookUP.com is a mobile-first dating platform serving adult singles across US cities, offering geo-matched profiles, messaging, video chat, TikTok-style Hooks video clips, and a freemium subscription model at $25 per month.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersJoplin, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Hookup.com does
HookUP.com, operated by HookUP.com Inc. (a Delaware corporation) with an affiliated Hookup Group, LLC entity, is a mobile-first dating platform available on iOS, Android, and web. The platform serves adult singles across primarily US markets including Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, and New York, enabling users to browse profiles, match with nearby singles via Google Maps-integrated geo-location, exchange messages, conduct video and phone chats, schedule in-person or video dates through an Around Me venue database, and send virtual or real-world gifts. Differentiating product features include Hooks (TikTok-style short video clips for self-expression), Hit or Miss (random global video chat), women-first messaging control (offering flexibility over Bumble's strict women-initiate-only model), and HookUP Gifts (real-world physical gift delivery to matches).
The platform is built on standard mobile dating app architecture with self-serve onboarding, profile-based matching, and an algorithmic recommendation engine. Content moderation relies on Amazon Rekognition, a third-party managed machine learning API for image and video scanning. The company processes subscription payments through Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and SegPay merchant services, and supports Facebook Login for account creation. The platform was redesigned and relaunched as a mobile app in March 2021, blending elements from Tinder, Bumble, TikTok, and ChatRoulette.
Revenue is generated through a freemium model with a 36-hour free trial converting to a $25/month subscription, plus tiered multi-month and annual plans ($59.99/3 months, $89.99/6 months, $119.99/year). Additional revenue streams include virtual Coins used for in-platform digital gifts (kisses, flowers, flirts) and transactional fees from real-world gift delivery. Distribution is entirely self-serve via app stores, web signup, and an affiliate program (HookUP.cash). The company is privately held, headquartered in Dover, Delaware, with 251-500 employees, and announced an ambitious but apparently stalled 2021 plan to transition into a blockchain-powered decentralized social network.
Hookup.com firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hookup.com
- Legal name
- HookUP.com Inc.
- Website
- https://hookup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- HookUP.com is a mobile-first dating platform serving adult singles across US cities, offering geo-matched profiles, messaging, video chat, TikTok-style Hooks video clips, and a freemium subscription model at $25 per month.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hookup.com industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Dating
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dating & Relationship Networks (BPAMABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dating & Relationship Networking (MPACAJAH), Community/Group Chat Platforms (BPAMACAH)
Keywords
Where Hookup.com is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Joplin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hookup.com business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Freemium Subscription Model: Free basic access with limited features; premium subscriptions unlock full functionality including unlimited messaging, video chat, advanced search, and date scheduling. Subscriptions auto-renew at $25/month after 36-hour free trial.
- Virtual Coins and Gifts: Virtual currency (Coins) used within the platform to send digital gifts such as kisses, flowers, flirts, and other virtual items. These coins hold no monetary value outside the platform and are non-refundable.
- Real-World Gift Delivery: Users can send physical gifts (flowers, chocolates, hot sauce) to matches delivered confidentially to their location, creating an additional revenue stream beyond virtual items.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier with basic features |
| Subscription | Monthly | 36-hour free trial converting to monthly subscription |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 3-month premium subscription |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 6-month premium subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | 12-month annual premium subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Hookup.com product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HookUP.com is a mobile-first online dating platform available on iOS, Android, and web that allows users to create profiles, browse and match with local singles, send messages, conduct audio/video chats, schedule in-person or video dates, and exchange virtual and real-world gifts. The platform blends profile-based matching with TikTok-style short-form video content (Hooks), random global video chat (Hit or Miss), and an Around Me venue database, offered via a freemium model with tiered premium subscriptions.
Product overview
HookUP.com is a single-platform free dating app available on iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), and web. The core product centers on profile-based matching with swipe/scroll browsing, messaging, audio/video chat, date scheduling, and virtual gifting. It is differentiated by its Hooks video shorts feature (TikTok-style short video clips for self-expression) and its Hit or Miss random global video chat feature. Supporting modules include HookUP Gifts (real-world gift delivery to matches), the Around Me Database (venue-sourced date planning), and Virtual Coins (in-platform currency for digital gifts). The platform blends elements of Tinder, Bumble, TikTok, and ChatRoulette, with a women-empowerment first-move option.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HookUP Gifts: Real-world gift-giving feature that allows users to send flowers, chocolates, or hot sauce to matches.
- Hooks
- Hit or Miss
- HookUP.cash
Products and services
- HookUP.com Dating App Free mobile dating application for iOS, Android, and web that lets users browse local profiles, match with nearby singles, send messages, conduct video/phone chats, schedule dates, and exchange virtual gifts. Designed for adult singles 18+ seeking casual connections, meaningful conversation, or relationships.
- Hooks Video Shorts TikTok-style short video clip feature allowing members to showcase themselves or share videos they are passionate about, expressed as an additional way to attract potential matches through a swipeable short-form video feed.
- Hit or Miss Video Chat Random global video chatting and socializing feature that lets users swipe to explore potential connections and video chat with people from around the world, designed for casual entertainment and meeting new people.
- HookUP Gifts (Real-World Gift Delivery) Feature that lets users send physical gifts such as flowers, chocolates, or hot sauce to a match, delivered confidentially to their location without revealing personal information; recipient receives a link to the sender's profile.
- Around Me Venue Database Venue discovery and date-planning database integrated with the in-person date scheduling feature, allowing users to browse restaurants, coffee shops, museums, and other venues to plan and send date requests to matches.
- HookUP Virtual Coins Virtual currency used exclusively within the HookUP.com platform to send digital items such as kisses, flowers, flirts, and other virtual gifts; coins hold no monetary value outside the platform and are non-refundable.
Companies that use Hookup.com
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Hookup.com technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability4 records
Feature7 records
Hookup.com partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hookup.com competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- eHarmony: Long-term relationship-focused dating platform with compatibility matching. Competes for the same dating subscriber dollars but is positioned upstream of HookUP.com in the relationship-intent spectrum.
- Zoosk: Global dating app with behavioral matchmaking algorithm and coin-based virtual currency. Highly comparable business model feature-set: subscription + virtual currency monetization, mobile-first.
- Tinder: Largest global swipe-based dating app, owned by Match Group. Competes head-to-head with HookUP.com for casual and general dating users on iOS/Android with freemium subscription monetization and geo-location matching.
- Bumble: Women-initiated dating app that owns the women-first messaging mechanic HookUP.com differentiates against. Direct competitor in freemium mobile dating with similar feature set including video chat and premium subscriptions.
- Match.com: Pioneer subscription online dating service owned by Match Group. Competes with HookUP.com on the online dating subscription model but skews older and more serious-relationship focused.
- Hinge: Match Group's relationship-focused dating app with prompts-based profiles and 'Designed to be deleted' positioning. Competes for overlapping mobile dating users but skews more serious-relationship intent.
- OkCupid: Free-tier dating app with algorithmic matching and detailed profiles, owned by Match Group. Direct competitor on freemium model with broader use case appeal than HookUP.com's casual-only positioning.
- PlentyOfFish (POF): Free-dating site/app with large global user base, owned by Match Group. Competes directly with HookUP.com in the free mobile dating category serving casual and serious daters alike.
Emerging players
- Coffee Meets Bagel: Curated dating app delivering limited daily matches to women. Overlaps HookUP.com in mobile dating freemium model with a quality-over-quantity positioning that some HookUP.com users also seek.
- Hily: AI-powered dating app with video chat and live streaming features. Shares HookUP.com's emphasis on video-first discovery (e.g. Hooks) and is positioned at similar casual-to-serious dating intent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Hookup.com social profiles
Digital presenceHookup.com financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hookup.com leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Hookup.com funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hookup.com M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hookup.com
What does Hookup.com do?
HookUP.com is a mobile-first online dating platform available on iOS, Android, and web that allows users to create profiles, browse and match with local singles, send messages, conduct audio/video chats, schedule in-person or video dates, and exchange virtual and real-world gifts. The platform blends profile-based matching with TikTok-style short-form video content (Hooks), random global video chat (Hit or Miss), and an Around Me venue database, offered via a freemium model with tiered premium subscriptions.
Is Hookup.com a public or private company?
Hookup.com is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Hookup.com founded?
Hookup.com was founded in 1992. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Hookup.com based?
Hookup.com is headquartered in Joplin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hookup.com make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Freemium Subscription Model is the primary driver. The others are virtual Coins and Gifts and real-World Gift Delivery.
Who are Hookup.com's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are eHarmony, Zoosk, Tinder, Bumble, Match.com, Hinge, OkCupid and PlentyOfFish (POF). Emerging players are Coffee Meets Bagel and Hily.
Does Hookup.com have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hookup.com.
What industry is Hookup.com in?
Hookup.com's product category is Online Dating. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMABAF, Dating & Relationship Networks, with a secondary code of MPACAJAH, Dating & Relationship Networking.