This New Dating App Banishes Awkward First Dates & It's Literally A Brit's Dream

Online dating can be pretty exhausting. Putting in the time to swipe can be quite enough but then what do you do after you match with someone? You start the obligatory initial chat to establish what they do for a living, how far away they live, and crucially what you both are looking for. Negotiating what each of you want without the conversation going down the gutter can be hard. However, Tapdat is the new dating app that seeks to clear that up. Aiming to fill the gap in the online dating market between mainstream dating apps, like Bumble and Tinder, and anonymous hook up sites like Pure, Tapdat wants to encourage healthy, positive, sexual encounters without the awkwardness that so often occurs when you meet people online.

Developed in Norwich, Tapdat uses humour to make signing up and using the app less intimidating and more enjoyable. You can spend hours attempting to work out what exactly your match is looking for on some dating apps — are they in this for the long haul, or is this just going to be a special friend you see every couple of weeks but who will never meet the parents? Whilst this can all be very exciting it can lead to a lot of dead chat, and you’re busy, so who has time for that.

Tapdat is pretty clear in its USP. Its creators believe “people shouldn’t be ashamed of their sexual desires, and that for too long we have been reserved about them or haven’t had the courage to act upon them in the right way.” Openness is key and while users are told to be responsible, kind, and aware of their actions, they are also encouraged to be have fun.

Global Dating Insights reported that from a study of 5,000 18-30-year-olds, millennials spend 10 hours a week on dating apps ,with most matches made after Christmas in the New Year. So there is no denying it, people are putting in the time on dating apps. The key idea behind Tapdat is to cut any confusion; honest communication leads to better connections. I couldn’t agree more.

When creating a profile, as well as inputting your name and age and sexual orientation, you will be asked to select your interests from a list of icons. These interests include friends with benefits, partner sharing, water sports, amongst many others. Whilst it does seem a little up front, at least it avoids any miscommunication.

I spoke to the developer of the app, James Skilton of Hyper Pixel, who explained:

"We wanted to push boundaries in a fun, creative and humorous way. Tapdat is situated between all of these [other apps], it's sex-positive, fun, and uses humour to encourage people to act on their desires — desires it doesn't think we should hide or be ashamed of."

Dating, in whatever form that takes is supposed to be fun. I know for me, the sure fire sign of a great date is if I don’t stop laughing (usually with them, not at them.) While Tapdat encourages fun and games, there is no shortage of advice for users. Tapdat promotes a "no protection, no connection" stance highlighting that people should definitely feel no shame around sex, but being careful and safe is absolutely key. The app provides NHS resources on safe and positive sexual encounters on everything from what an orgasm is to how to protect yourself from STI’s. There are also fun hints and tips on good sex because after all, that is the aim of the game with this app.

So, if you’re not completely down with cuffing season this year and are in no rush to find a partner, Tapdat might be the app for you. It is definitely a shake up from any of the other dating and hook up apps on the market right now. It was launched in Nov. 18 and is available on all IOS and Android phones. All I can say is, good luck and happy swiping.