Coffee Meets Bagel
CoffeeMeetsBagel Signup
CoffeeMeetsBagel Match
CoffeeMeetsBagel Profile

Our Review

Launched in 2012 by three entrepreneurial sisters, Coffee Meets Bagel is a San Francisco-based mobile dating app that values quality over quantity. The CMB app was created primarily to counteract the endless swiping and casual connections that saturate the online dating market today. 

A customised service named #LadiesChoice was created to elevate the quality of mobile dating for members. Men will receive matches - known as "Bagels" and have 24 hours to either like or pass on the Bagels. Among the men who expressed interest, CMB curates the best potential matches for women. This model uses your Facebook information to curate a matching pool from the friends of your friends. #LadiesChoice ensures that your potential matches are already more familiar to you (compared to other dating apps) and gives you the opportunity to create more meaningful relationships.

New members at Coffee Meets Bagel in March 2024 in comparison

Here you can see how membership figures at Coffee Meets Bagel are developing compared to others

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Coffee Meets Bagel Members

Members
60,000 from New Zealand
Members activity
10,000 active weekly
Gender Proportion
60 %
40 %
  • 73% of Australian users are looking for serious relationships while only 12% are looking for casual dates/hook-ups
  • The average age of worldwide users is 30

Although the founders are extremely private about their userbase, they have been reported to target 300,000 users in Sydney alone during the Australian launch. The first thing they look for in a city is a large population, especially among 21 to 35 year olds. With this selectivity, their target demographic seems to be young professionals. In a survey conducted among Australian Coffee Meets Bagel members, the men stated that their biggest turn-ons during a first date are physical attraction, sense of humour, and intelligence, in that order. For the women, their biggest turn-ons are sense of humour, physical attraction, and intelligence.

How to Sign Up for Coffee Meets Bagel

CoffeeMeetsBagel Signup
  • Easy to set-up
  • Coffee Meets Bagel is available in the App Store and Google; not as a desktop or mobile website
  • Your matches are found through your Facebook friends-of-friends
  • Members are required to sign up through Facebook to authenticate their accounts; which means no Facebook, no CMB account
  • You automatically get free Beans just for logging in

Signing up for CMB is easy. Once you download the dating app on your smartphone, you are guided through a series of steps for your profile creation. You are required to provide your ethnicity, height, education, occupation, and religion. Additionally, you would need to finish these three phrases: "I am...", "I like...", and "I appreciate when my date...". Your photos can be automatically grabbed from your Facebook account, with a maximum of 9 photos.

Making Contact on Coffee Meets Bagel

CoffeeMeetsBagel Match
  • Men only have 24 hours to "pass" or "like" on women
  • Women are presented with 6 matches everyday
  • Chatting is only available for 7 days and expires after
  • Women are only presented with matches who have already liked them
  • Potential matches/"Bagels" on Discover get refreshed every day at noon and may disappear from your radar forever
  • All members can send messages for free
  • There is a chatroom

Women are presented with 6 matches everyday. If the number of men who liked their photo do not reach 6, Coffee Meets Bagel will still find potential quality matches to offer. Since CMB is not yet extremely popular, the number of matches is still based on availability of members in different cities.

One interesting thing about CMB is that members are encouraged to include 3 tidbits about themselves which will not be shown on their public profile. These are known as "Icebreakers" - once new members are connected, they will be shown the icebreakers in the chat to encourage flow of conversation.

Coffee Meets Bagel Profile Quality

CoffeeMeetsBagel Profile
  • The names of other members are not available before connecting, but most of the other basic information is
  • The profiles are presented in a way that emphasises educational attainment and occupation, lending it a sense of professionalism
  • Only 9 photo uploads are allowed, and 140-character captions can be attached
  • Users have the option to see where their profiles rank against the averages of other male or female profiles
  • The profiles are quite detailed
  • The profile information can be changed later
  • Profile pictures are visible to everyone for free

The profile information is more detailed than other popular dating apps, and is good as a starting point for users to chat with each other. However, these fields are easy to fake. CMB admit themselves that there have been fraudsters known to put a high level of education on their profile (e.g. Masters, PhD, etc.) but have disjointed grammar once they start communicating. The dating app also offers a feature where members can poll two profile photos and have the CMB community vote which one is better.

Coffee Meets Bagel Real Life Review

"Using Coffee Meets Bagel was quite a new experience since only a limited number of matches are shown everyday. After pressing like or pass on all the matches, I had to wait 24 hours before I could be given other matches. It's pretty much a waiting game on the next matches, then on when you're going to be connected to someone, and after that waiting for that connected match to reply to your message. If you don't want to spend much money on this app, you're going to have to be very patient in using it. The activities like Photo Lab were fun though. I was able to meet interesting individuals through it." - Male Nurse (25)

Design and Usability

Since all the Coffee Meets Bagel action happens in the mobile app, the website is understandably minimalist in both design and function. The welcome page was clearly made for wide-screens. The enlarged videos and photos are pleasing to the eyes. The dating website contains, first and foremost, a link to the Android and iOS downloads. Beyond that, there is a general overview, a list of real-life couples they've matched, and then their blog page. The website does a good job of introducing CMB to first-timers and can be a motivator in trying out the dating app.

Coffee Meets Bagel Costs and Prices

Free Features
  • Mobile app (iOS and Android)
  • Profile creation
  • Browsing potential matches' profiles
  • Messaging (once connected)
  • Free Beans
Premium Features
  • Access to activity report on matches
    ?
    Activity reports include the number of their chats with others, number of times they sent the first message and the average response time to messages
  • See when your messages are read
  • Monthly 6,000 Beans
  • 5 free takes
  • Unlimited Woos
  • Seeing mutual friends for all matches
  • 15% more beans on all purchases

Is Coffee Meets Bagel expensive or cheap?

In comparison to other providers Coffee Meets Bagel is in the upper midfield.

Duration / Credits / CoinsCostsTotal
Premium Membership
1 Month34.99 NZD / Month34.99 NZD
3 Months34.99 NZD / Month104.97 NZD
6 Months34.99 NZD / Month209.94 NZD
Beans (In-App Currency)
100 Credits0.03 / Credit3.00
2,000 Credits0.02 / Credit31.00
3,000 Credits0.01 / Credit33.00
Coffee Meets Bagel Price Table
Payment Options
  • Credit Card
  • PayPal
  • Via Mobile Phone

Beans

Beans are a type of currency used in CMB. By using Beans, you can unlock extra features. For example: 

  • "Mirror Mirror" costs 500 Beans
  • "Rematch" costs 205 Beans
  • "Open Sesame" costs 50 Beans
  • "Photo Lab Report" costs 49 Beans

What are these? Read the Special Features section. 

You can collect beans by purchasing them in the Bean Shop, doing simple tasks (e.g. logging in every day for 7 straight days, following the CMB Instagram page), performing fun tasks (like voting in Photo Lab), or inviting your friends to join the dating app.

The premium feature of CMB was rolled out as a countermeasure against "ghosting". "Ghosting" happens when your potential match, after exchanging a few messages, suddenly disappears. No reason is given, not even a flimsy excuse. They just drop off the grid. CMB Premium, according to its co-founder, will help members distinguish ghosters from members who actually engage in conversations regularly. By showing stats on members' last log in, when they usually reply, and how often they send the first message, CMB hopes to combat ghosting completely.

Special Features

Coffee Meets Bagel is an intricate dating app. It has a forest of features and unique jargons that you could easily get lost in. Luckily, we have compiled this list of definitions for your convenience. Read on for a better CMB experience!

#LadiesChoice

Every day at noon, men will receive 21 quality matches - known as "Bagels". The men have 24 hours to either like or pass on the Bagels. Among the men who expressed interest, CMB curates the best potential matches for women. Women will then receive 6 matches who have already liked them. If there are fewer than six #LadiesChoice matches, the dating app will provide regular matches which women can either like or pass on. Women have full control over who gets to talk to them.

Discover

To get the opportunity to explore more matches in your area, CMB offers the Discover feature. Matches in Discover may be outside your preferences, or you may be outside of theirs; unlike the carefully-curated Daily matches. If you find a match that you like, you will have to use your Beans to take that match through the clicking of the heart icon. If you want to play matchmaker, you can recommend a match to a friend and give that match through the clicking of the arrow icon. Do make sure to take action immediately if you're interested, as Discover matches get refreshed everyday at noon!

Give

The Give feature lets you be the matchmaker for your friends. Giving a past Daily match or any of your Discover matches to your friends means they will receive him/her as a match. If your friends check the match that you've Given them, you earn free Beans. You can earn a maximum of 300 Beans per friend per day through the Give feature.

Take

The Take feature lets you maximise your exposure to matches that do not fully meet your set preferences. When you Take a match that you find in the Discover section, your profile appears in their Discover section in the following days, accompanied by a note that you've Liked them. To connect, all they need to do is Like you back, and they don't have to spend their own Beans.

Woo

Sending someone a Woo lets them know that you have an elevated interest, similar to the familiar "Super Like". Woo lets you stand out from the crowd and get noticed by your match faster. Woos cost Beans, so your match will know that you put extra effort into getting their attention.

Photo Lab

Photo Lab allows you to "put your best face forward". Basically, this feature lets you run an A/B test on two photos from your profile, and members vote on which one they prefer. The results of the voting can be unlocked using Beans. The opposite is also available, wherein you can vote between two photos of other members. You can earn free beans through this fun feature.

Open Sesame

Open Sesame lets you unlock the identities of mutual Facebook friends between you and your current match.

Rematch

If you missed a match (e.g., they did not respond within the 24 hour limit), you are given another chance through Rematch. You can hit "like" again or send a message to the potential match.

Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror discloses your ranking across the whole CMB app. The data is based off your 10 most recent matches. It is a visual representation of where you score among male and female average ratings. Additionally, a chart shows how your profile is trending weekly.

Express Delivery

This feature allows you to send your message to a match in advance for a cost of 50 Beans. Your match will receive an email notification of the Express Delivery and be able to see your message after checking your profile.

Question of the Day

This feature allows members to record themselves answering the daily question up to eight seconds. These are then posted in the video section, where other members can browse through them.

Ready to Meet

Because of COVID-19 pandemic, many online dating users are scared to go out on dates. Which is why Covid Meets Bagel incorporated a "Ready to Meet" feature wherein you can decide whether or not you already feeling comfortable meeting each individual match in person. If both you and your match choose 'Yes', your chat will be upgraded to "Date" and will prompt for you both to organize meetup plans. This feature works in harmony with the site's Vaccination update in profile statuses.

Our rating

Signing Up: 4.0 / 5
Making Contact: 4.0 / 5
Profile Quality: 4.0 / 5
Real Life Review: 3.5 / 5

Editor's Conclusion

Datingscout.nz Author Chris Pleines
Chris Pleines
Founder of Datingscout and Author of the book "Online Dating for Dummies"
The idea was that users of the Coffee Meets Bagel app would every day receive a few, quality matches over hundreds of randos. As observed, it has been efficient in saving time and effort for busy young professionals and effective in creating quite a number of successful relationships. Although there are fake profiles to be wary of, CMB can still be a useful tool in your dating life if you use it wisely and diligently. For other dating sites that encourage serious relationships, you can check our Matchmaker category.

Coffee Meets Bagel FAQ

Free Features

How does Coffee Meets Bagel match you?

Through their new #LadiesChoice system, 21 quality matches (known as "Bagels") are sent to men every noon. The men either like or pass on the Bagels. Among the men who expressed interest, CMB curates the best potential matches for women. They have full control over who gets to talk to them, which means no more frustrating guessing games.

What is a "third-degree connection" in Coffee Meets Bagel?

First-degree connections are people you are directly connected to because you're friends on Facebook. Second-degree connections are people who are connected to your first-degree connections. Basically, these are mutual friends with matches. Third-degree connection are people who are connected to your second-degree connections. These people may be able to introduce you to someone who knows your match.

How does the Coffee Meets Bagel chat work?

Once you and your match/"Bagel" Like each other's profiles, you are connected. You can start chatting, and it doesn't matter who sends the first message. However, the chat immediately closes after 7 days without an option for extension, so you have to make the most of it. You can reopen expired chats if you upgrade to the premium membership.

Facts

How did Coffee Meets Bagel start?

CMB was launched in New York City on April 17, 2012.

Who owns Coffee Meets Bagel?

CMB was created by three sisters: Arum Kang, Dawoon Kang, and Soo Kang.

How does the Coffee Meets Bagel algorithm work?

CMB uses your Facebook information (such as likes, mutual friends, political view, etc.) to provide your established preferences. A social graph is then built based on your second- and third-degree connections. Your profile is presented to others and matches will be curated for you. Through your responses and others' responses to you, their system learns more about you.

Where is Coffee Meets Bagel available?

CMB is available worldwide. Just download the dating app on the App Store or Google Play.

Is Coffee Meets Bagel on Android?

Yes, CMB is available on Google Play.

Is Coffee Meets Bagel a hookup site?

  • Is Coffee Meets Bagel a hookup site?

Although it could be used as such, the format of the CMB app inspires the development of more serious relationships. The dating app was, after all, developed to counter the "quick-swiping" system of popular dating apps. CMB enables singles to focus their time and energy on matches who are serious about taking the next step.

Usability

How does the Coffee Meets Bagel algorithm work?

CMB uses your Facebook information (such as likes, mutual friends, political view, etc.) to provide your established preferences. A social graph is then built based on your second- and third-degree connections. Your profile is presented to others and matches will be curated for you. Through your responses and others' responses to you, their system learns more about you.

Is Coffee Meets Bagel on Android?

Yes, CMB is available on Google Play.

How does Coffee Meets Bagel match you?

Through their new #LadiesChoice system, 21 quality matches (known as "Bagels") are sent to men every noon. The men either like or pass on the Bagels. Among the men who expressed interest, CMB curates the best potential matches for women. They have full control over who gets to talk to them, which means no more frustrating guessing games.

What is a "third-degree connection" in Coffee Meets Bagel?

First-degree connections are people you are directly connected to because you're friends on Facebook. Second-degree connections are people who are connected to your first-degree connections. Basically, these are mutual friends with matches. Third-degree connection are people who are connected to your second-degree connections. These people may be able to introduce you to someone who knows your match.

How does the Coffee Meets Bagel chat work?

Once you and your match/"Bagel" Like each other's profiles, you are connected. You can start chatting, and it doesn't matter who sends the first message. However, the chat immediately closes after 7 days without an option for extension, so you have to make the most of it. You can reopen expired chats if you upgrade to the premium membership.

Does Coffee Meets Bagel actually work?

CMB has made over 120 marriages/engagements in the United States, so we would hazard that it does work. Take into account too that CMB is geared more towards developing serious relationships than casual hook-ups.

Does Coffee Meets Bagel show up on Facebook?

Although they require your Facebook information, CMB will never post on Facebook for you.

How do I delete my Coffee Meets Bagel account?

You will need to put your account on hold before you can delete it.

To put your account on hold, click your "Profile" on the bottom right of the interface -> Click "Settings" -> Under Membership, click the blue icon beside "Active" -> When the pop-up shows, click "Deactivate" -> Select "Indefinite" -> Select your reason for leaving -> Done.

To permanently delete your account, go back to the Settings page, scroll to the bottom, and click "Delete Account".

Cancel

How do I delete my Coffee Meets Bagel account?

You will need to put your account on hold before you can delete it.

To put your account on hold, click your "Profile" on the bottom right of the interface -> Click "Settings" -> Under Membership, click the blue icon beside "Active" -> When the pop-up shows, click "Deactivate" -> Select "Indefinite" -> Select your reason for leaving -> Done.

To permanently delete your account, go back to the Settings page, scroll to the bottom, and click "Delete Account".

Costs

Does Coffee Meets Bagel cost money?

Most of the dating app's functions are available for free. But there is a premium membership where you get valuable upgrades (i.e. you will receive 6,000 beans per month, learn more about your match's chat activity, and know when your match reads your messages).

Security

Does Coffee Meets Bagel show up on Facebook?

Although they require your Facebook information, CMB will never post on Facebook for you.

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Contact details

Company:Coffee Meets Bagel
E-Mail:contact@coffeemeetsbagel.com