One of these chat apps is just the right fit

Dating and chat apps are always on-trend.

Recently we’ve noticed makers are expanding our virtual options to meet the needs of different personalities, interests, and goals.

Hyper Online hits the spot for gamers and anime fans — or anyone who enjoys a ComiCon dress-up. Choose your animoji and then record, join rooms, and meet people. You earn coins when you do, which you can spend to upgrade your emoji persona. Other features include a draw tool and games so you can have fun and relax.

Hyper Online is a recent Y Combinator alumn. Its makers noted: “Animojis allow people to feel "present" through facial expression as they meet online– while still maintaining an element of identity, fantasy, and privacy.”

Graze, on the other hand, feels virtually the opposite.

It’s a new video-based social networking app (it has dating and friends-mode) that’s designed to make sure there’s an instant connection. After matching with someone, you’ll have a 5-minute live video chat (no avatars here) as your first encounter. The app gives you quick, personalized talking topics right before you connect, so you’re not left completely hanging.

Maker Heather Hopkins on Graze: “I very much take the no BS approach to dating… it’s nearly impossible to determine relationship chemistry through messaging... Our solution? We take the video-first approach.”

To leave you feeling like Goldilocks, we’ve got a third option in the middle. Blindlee users have a 3-minute blurred video chat with a random user, matched based on your criteria. You’ll get ice-breakers for this one, too.

Maker Sacha Naason noted: “We grew tired of the sometimes fake and superficial aspect of the online dating world, so [we] decided to found Blindlee to make the process more transparent and safer but also fun 🎉.”

So which one is just right? We can’t choose for you but maybe start by browsing...

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