PETALING JAYA, Feb 11 — The Covid-19 pandemic may have brought our lives to a halt but that doesn’t mean all is lost when it comes to the search for love.

The abundance of dating apps means singles are spoilt for choice when it comes to finding love at a distance, even during the ongoing movement control order (MCO).

Check out our list below for some ways to spark an online connection with a special someone this Valentine’s Day.

Bumble

Women make the first move in heterosexual matches on Bumble. — AFP pic

If you’re tired of gender stereotypes putting pressure on men to make the first move, Bumble might just be the perfect dating app for you.

Women on Bumble will have to send the first message within 24 hours once they match with a man, otherwise the connection expires and the chat disappears once the time limit is up.

Users can also specify details such as their height, religion, political leanings, their views on pets and children, and whether they drink or smoke, which in turn allows them to filter their matches based on these preferences as well.

Don’t know what to say to a new match? Play a fun Question Game to get the conversation going and banish any awkward silences in the chat.

Facebook Dating

Facebook Dating was launched in 2019 to give users a seamless experience with finding love online. — Reuters pic

The best thing about Facebook Dating is that you most likely won’t need to endure a complicated sign-up process if you already have the Facebook app on your smartphone.

You can easily create a profile by clicking on the Dating tab in your Facebook app menu, which then pulls information from your profile and allows you to choose which details you’d like to show to others.

You can also link your Instagram profile which lets other users strike up a conversation with you about specific posts, such as your latest outfit of the day or a cute picture of your pet.

By default, the app won’t match you with your Facebook friends but you can add existing friends or Instagram followers to your Secret Crush list to show your interest in them.

If that special someone adds you to their Secret Crush list as well, you’ll both be notified but if not, the other party remains none the wiser to save you from any potential embarrassment.

Joompa

The app’s Compatibility Meter helps users to assess how well-matched they would be based on several key factors. — Screengrab via YouTube/DHF Date High Flyers

Joompa stands out from the usual array of apps aimed at helping users find love thanks to its Muslim-friendly nature.

The matchmaking app will ask users questions about topics ranging from their hobbies to their level of religiosity which will be used to assess their compatibility with other people on the app.

The questions will also cover Islamic beliefs and practices such as fasting during Ramadan and performing daily prayers.

Joompa’s unique Compatibility Meter will then take your answers and crunch the numbers to show how well-matched you would be with other users on the app beyond reasons limited to physical appearance.

Maintaining safety standards is also a priority for Joompa’s developers and users will have to go through a series of steps to verify their identity before they can use the app.

Lunch Actually

Lunch Actually is aimed at career-driven individuals who are looking for love. — Picture via Instagram/lunchactually

If you’re a Malaysian professional looking for love, Lunch Actually might be the answer to your search.

The matchmaking platform boasts 16 years of experience and their dating consultants have arranged more than 129,000 dates for its users.

Lunch Actually takes the guesswork out of dating by pairing you with a dating consultant, who will match you with other users based on your interests and relationship goals.

While the MCO means in-person dates are out of the question for now, Lunch Actually can arrange for virtual dates with your matches so you can get to know each other better while staying safe at home.

Coffee Meets Bagel

 

 

There’s no doubt that swiping fatigue is a real issue for many people on dating apps, where an abundance of profiles leads to users swiping endlessly instead of investing time and energy into a single match.

Coffee Meets Bagel intends to change that by presenting you with a curated selection of profiles, known as "bagels”, which you can choose to like or pass on.

Each day at noon, you’ll get a new batch of bagels specially picked for you based on your set preferences, location, gender, and more.

You’ll also be asked to fill out three fun facts about yourself which will then be used as icebreakers to jumpstart conversations with your matches and get the ball rolling.