I’ve known about hi5 since I was in high school. At 2005, it was the biggest thing together with MySpace and Friendster. When you have all 3 accounts and all are glammed up and customised, that means you are one of the cool kids that have a computer and a lot of credits for a dial-up DSL connection at home. hi5 was fun—it was the Facebook of our generation.
hi5 Review New Zealand October 2026
hi5 used to be the 2nd largest social network after Myspace back in the year 2007. All about hi5 in New Zealand.
1.5poor
hi5 is a social networking app for meeting people that includes a Pets game
- Pets game for meeting people
- Over 100 million users worldwide
Flirts
Casual dating
Relationships
Is hi5 right for me?
last updated
Members in New Zealand200,000
Women / Men
39% 61%
From$7.89/mo
Age
hi5 New Zealand in 10 seconds
- A social networking app with a unique feature called Pets game as its way to meet people
- Used to be a social gaming network which featured over 200 games in different categories
- Over 100 million users worldwide
- Website loads slowly and has outdated web design
- Highly popular in the US and countries of South America
- Important features such as messaging are free to use
- You can buy credits called Gold to buy gifts or pets on hi5
Is hi5 right for you?
Find out if hi5 is the right service for you or if there are better options.
Better than hi5
Who is hi5 for, and not for?
hi5 is for…
- Online daters looking for a fun way to meet strangers
- People who are looking for friendships and profound connections
- Those looking for casual dating with no strings attached
…and not for
- Those searching for erotic adventures and casual encounters
- Singles looking for premium matchmaking services
- Those who want quality matches
hi5 pros & cons
- Mobile app available to download
- Has a diverse user base
- Roulette-type matchmaking available for free
- Website has outdated design and loads slowly
- Difficult to navigate throughout the website
- Profiles are poorly detailed
What hi5 really costs in New Zealand
Compared with other dating services, hi5 is average-priced.
VIP Membership
VIP Membership is a subscription that renews automatically and pays for features such as seeing likes and profile viewers.Total
1 month
15.79 NZD / month
15.79 NZD
3 months
10.99 NZD / month
32.97 NZD
Our pick: 3 months cost 32.97 NZD, or 10.99 NZD per Month, saving 30% versus the first row. It pays for features such as seeing likes and profile viewers.
6 months
7.89 NZD / month
47.34 NZD
Gold
Gold is bought as a credit pack, not a subscription, and spent on gifts or Pets. You can also earn it through tasks and offers.Total
2,500 credits
0.00 NZD / credit
8.00 NZD
10,000 credits
0.00 NZD / credit
16.00 NZD
25,000 credits
0.00 NZD / credit
32.00 NZD
75,000 credits
0.00 NZD / credit
80.00 NZD
200,000 credits
0.00 NZD / credit
160.00 NZD
400,000 credits
0.00 NZD / credit
320.00 NZD
hi5 costs last updated on Oct 18, 2026
Payment options in New Zealand
Credit CardPayPal
Anonymous payment possible.The name hi5 does not appear on your credit card statement, the charge shows up under a neutral name.
On your bank statement
hi5 does not publish what the statement shows and that the checkout page or first invoice tells
hi5 costs screenshot
Gold is the currency on hi5. You can use it to buy gifts or Pets. In hi5, Pets is what the profiles of members are called, and the value of each Pet differ based on popularity. You can purchase gold or earn it for free by completing tasks and offers that are made available by hi5. A premium membership does not let you buy Pets, instead, it unlocks several paid features found on the website, which honestly, you could do without.
Free vs. paid services in New Zealand
FeatureFreeVIP Membership
Account registration
includedincluded
Member search
includedincluded
Messaging available users
includedincluded
Adding available friends to your friends list
includedincluded
Buying Pets you can affordPets is the main feature of hi5. It is a game that has the objective to increase your profile value.
includedincluded
Meet MeMeet Me is a roulette type matching game. You like or not like profile photos, and mutual likes create a match.
includedincluded
Read a single message
includedincluded
See who likes you
not includedincluded
Find out who views your profile
not includedincluded
Access popular people
not includedincluded
Check if messages you sent have been read
not includedincluded
Contact new users
not includedincluded
Prioritised email support
not includedincluded
You can search members, message available users, add available friends, and try Pets for free. You can also test Meet Me and read a single message for free.
Is hi5 right for me? →
How to cancel your hi5 subscription →
Is hi5 right for me?Who is signed up on hi5 in New Zealand?
Exclusively on DatingScout: online member numbers for dating services are usually far off, so we estimate how many people are really on hi5 from traffic data and interest, updated monthly, with history.
Majority of users of hi5 are in the age range of 18-35 years old. Most users come from the countries of the United States, the United Kingdom, and countries found in South America. Though what’s good in hi5 is that it has a very diverse user base. All continents have a fair share of the percentage of the overall member base of hi5.
In New Zealand, most active users are searching to make friend connections and are looking for a good time online and offline. This can be noticed by the user’s uploaded photos—there are some users who highlight their breasts or butt in their profile pictures—and the things and statuses they share on their feed. Some users are direct—posting status updates asking for sex or an online live chat with emojis that suggest sexual innuendos.
27,000+362%
Estimated active members in New Zealand
1,400
Weekly active members in New Zealand
200,000
Members in New Zealand
4.2
App Store rating in New Zealand
6k
41k
7k
7k
27k
27k
MayJunJulAugSepOct
Estimated active members, last 6 months
Gender
40%
18-24
50%
25-34
10%
35-44
0%
45-54
0%
55+
Age of members
Where hi5 is most popular in New Zealand
Strongest regions
- Canterbury100%
- Bay of Plenty90%
- Auckland68%
Last data update: October 2026
How does hi5 work?
hi5 features a game called Pets where users can interact by buying and selling each other's profiles
Over 100 million users worldwide and popular among a younger demographic aged 18-35
Essential features like messaging are free; additional perks are available through a premium membership or by purchasing Gold
Offers live video streaming
Originally a social network, hi5 allows for both dating and forming friendships
Signing up at hi5
★★★★★ 3.0/5
Sign up with
Email & password
Where
Website, iOS and Android app
Minimum age
18
Browse without an account
No
Required information
- Name
- Date of birth
- Location
- Your gender
Optional information
- Profile picture upload
Verification
- Email verification required
Making contact on hi5
★★★★★ 3.0/5
- Roulette-type matching available
- Messaging users is free
- Member search available
- Basic search filters
- hi5 has a chat function
Profile quality
★★★★★ 2.0/5
- Users can see other members’ profiles even without a premium subscription
- Free members can view all photos on other members’ profiles
- Profile pictures are visible to everyone for free
- Member profiles feature gifts and comments from other users
- Users can set their profiles to private
- Profiles contain only little information
- You can edit your profile information later
The hi5 app
★★★★★ 3.5/5
- Live Camera available
- Clean design
- Easy navigation
- Phone notifications
- Available to download in iOS and Android
Compared to its website counterpart, hi5’s mobile app is much more aesthetically pleasing and gives a more pleasant user experience. The design of the mobile app is minimalistic and clean—the features are easily accessible. The tabs are also organised well, enabling for easy and productive navigation throughout the app. hi5’s mobile app also has an additional feature called ‘Live’ which allows users to host and watch video live streams. The ‘Live’ tab features a collection of trending, nearby, new, and favourite users’ live videos.
Our field test
★★★★★ 1.0/5
Out of curiosity, I decided to see if my hi5 account 13 years ago was still working. Sadly, it wasn’t. So I just went ahead and created a new account. As soon as my registration was complete, I couldn’t believe my eyes! The design of the website was similar—I guess the developers no longer bothered to keep up with the new design trends—but the features were different. Before, hi5 used to have so many games features it was hard to keep up! Now they only have one called “Pets” and the mechanics are similar to the Tagged dating app. This must be due to the acquisition of the hi5 network by the company who developed Tagged.
Navigating through the website was an excruciating experience. At first, I didn’t see the point of the Pets game and I didn’t know if I needed to buy Pets or what. Turns out I didn’t and the only point was to increase your value which translates to popularity. I got to message some users and was surprised that chatting was free for everyone. Although I saw that the users were online, I received no reply. Probably because I had no profile photo uploaded (I didn’t bother). I also saw that there was a feature called Meet Me which was similar to Tinder’s matching scheme. I gave out a few likes but received none in return. Maybe again, this was because I had no profile photo. Oh well. With today’s wide selection of social networking and dating apps, hi5 has lost its edge and appeal. There are a lot of other apps that would provide a better experience.
Design & usability
hi5’s website features a design that is immensely outdated. It seems like the developers and acquisitors did not bother to keep up with the changing times when it comes to web design. Navigation and usability of the website were not easy. The interface can be quite confusing as well, and there are not onscreen guidelines that can help you. Too many steps and buttons are needed to be clicked to successfully find what you are looking for. But once you get used to the dating site, you are able to experience the website’s features with minimal hardship.
Special features
hi5’s features are similar to the features offered by other dating apps under the umbrella of The Meet Group, Inc. There are two features that make the dating site.
Finding people 1
Meet MeFree
Meet Me is a roulette-type matching game wherein you are presented with different profile photos in which you click like or not. When you like a user and the user liked you as well, you will be in each other’s list of matches.
Other extras 1
PetsPaid
Pets is the main feature of hi5. It is a game that has the objective to increase your profile value. The game allows users to increase their value by buying and selling “Pets” or profiles of other users. The higher your value is, the more popular you are.
Final results
1.5poor
“Overall, we can say that the hi5 has fizzled out compared to its glory days back in the early 2000s. Although there are still a number of active members in the social dating website, we can definitely say that there are a lot better dating apps available in the market. We just don’t think that there hi5 offers unique features—since the Pets game are similar to Tagged and the Meet Me feature can be found almost in all other dating apps. Whether you are looking for friends, a casual night out, or a possible lifelong romance, we believe there are better options for you. Just check out our Dating Apps category to find out the best ones.”
Is hi5 right for me?
tested October 2026
Signup3.0
Making contact3.0
Profile quality2.0
App3.5
Field test1.0
Overall1.5/ 5
Alternatives: Better than hi5
Compare hi5 with other dating sites
hi5 experience reports
Cancelling your hi5 subscription
How you can cancel
- Via your profile settings on hi5
Contact details
| Address | 55 Second Street Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States |
|---|---|
| Phone | 1-415-979-0300 |
Do subscriptions auto-renew?
Subscriptions renew automatically.
Money-back guarantee
- hi5 offers a money-back guarantee with a full refund
- You have 7 days to cancel and get your money back
Do your credits expire?
Credits you buy on hi5 do not expire.
Is hi5 right for me?hi5 FAQ
Who owns hi5?
hi5 is owned by if(we) which is a social and mobile development company of The Meet Group, Inc.
Are hi5 and Tagged the same?
No, but they are owned by the same company.
How are hi5 and MeetMe connected?
MeetMe is one of the more popular apps operated by The Meet Group, Inc. Both hi5 and MeetMe are connected by having the same owners.
MEMBERSHIP
How do I sign-up with hi5?
Just head on to hi5’s homepage and signup via email, Google, or Facebook.
How do I delete my hi5 account?
You can cancel your hi5 account through your account settings.
Can I temporarily deactivate my hi5 account?
If you want to temporarily deactivate your hi5 account, you must delete your account on your account settings. When you want to reactivate it, you can submit your email on this link: https://www.hi5.com/reactivate_account.html.
I lost my password. How do I recover my hi5 account?
You can simply click the ‘Forgot Password’ button on the homepage and follow the steps on the screen to retrieve your account.
USABILITY
How does hi5 work?
hi5 is similar to any social media app that lets its users post status updates and upload media to their profile feed. Similar to Tagged, hi5 works by making people connected through what they call a “Pets” game.
Somebody bought me as a pet. What does that mean?
When somebody buys you as a pet, that means that your profile is owned by the person who bought you. You too can buy pets that you can afford. Buying Pets allows you to increase your assets.
How do I play Pets in hi5?
Pets lets you own, buy, and sell other members like a fantasy team. The higher your value is, the more popular you become.
How do I increase my hi5 value in Pets?
Whenever you are bought by another user, your value increases by 10%.
Do I need to buy pets in hi5?
It is not required for you to buy pets in hi5, however, Pets is the flagship feature of hi5, which means that it is where you can get most interaction from.
How do I see another member’s hi5 profile?
You can click on their photos in the ‘Browse’ tab or their Pets profiles in the ‘Pets’ tab. There is a small button in each profile preview that says ‘View Profile’.
How do I block a user in hi5?
hi5 enables you to block a user from messaging you and viewing your profile. You can do this by selecting “Block User” button below the member’s user photo.
Why do I need Gold in hi5?
Gold is the currency in hi5. It lets you buy gifts and Pets.
Can I earn Gold without buying?
Yes you can. By completing tasks and offers provided by hi5 and its partner ad network, you can earn free Gold.
SECURITY
Is hi5 a legitimate dating website?
hi5 is owned by a legitimate company, which makes it a legitimate website.
What security features does hi5 have?
hi5 has published terms of use and privacy policy which if not met would block the abusive user permanently from accessing the social dating site.
You did not find your question? Ask us!
Thank you for your question. We will answer it as soon as possible.
Security
- Does hi5 sell your data?
- No, hi5 does not sell your data.
- Was hi5 hacked in the past?
- No, hi5 was never hacked.
- How accurately does hi5 track your location?
- hi5 tracks your approximate location.
- Do your hi5 profile pictures or profile information appear in Google Search Results?
- No, your hi5 photos and personal information will not appear in Google Search Results.
- Who can view your pictures on hi5?
- All hi5 users can view your pictures.
- Is your phone number required for signing up at hi5?
- No, you can sign up at hi5 without a phone number.
- Can you erase your personal data on hi5?
- Yes, hi5 provides an option for users to erase their data.
Why can you trust us?
- We have been testing and publishing online dating reviews for over 17 years
- We have carefully reviewed over 3,579 dating services
- Our dating site reviews and results are objective and independent in contrast to many other comparison sites
- We update our reviews every month based on new site/app offerings and feedback from our readers
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- Our Dating Experts are constantly cited by press and TV outlets, find out more here
Founder of DatingScout and Author of the book "Online Dating for Dummies"
Chris founded DatingScout 17 years ago, and today he is one of the leading Online Dating Experts. He is the author of the book "Online Dating for Dummies" and the author of the Internet's largest online dating study analyzing 20 Million Profile Pictures with artificial intelligence. Chris Pleines holds a master degree in media science and appeared in numerous television interviews and publications to give expert advice as well as tips about online dating.