A Dating App for Single Parents

Navigating the dating world can be challenging for anyone, but it can be even more complicated for single parents. Balancing the responsibilities of parenthood while trying to find a compatible partner can seem daunting and often impossible.

Enter Stir—an online dating app designed specifically for single parents. With features tailored to the unique needs of single parents, Stir aims to make dating easier and more accessible for this often-overlooked demographic. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll take a closer look at what sets Stir apart from other dating apps and how you can get started using it today.

What Is Stir?

Stir is an online dating app created by Match.com, specifically tailored for single parents looking for casual dating or long-term relationships. The app aims to help them connect with each other and find love despite their busy schedules and responsibilities as parents.

Stir is just like any other dating app with a matching algorithm. The only difference is that you’d only find single parents here who are also seeking a romantic relationship with other individuals accepting of their status as a parent.

Beyond digital connections, Stir goes the extra mile by organizing events and activities where users can interact and forge meaningful connections in real life. These events provide a platform for singles to meet face-to-face in a relaxed and inclusive setting, fostering a sense of community among its users.

How Does Stir Work?

Stir is designed to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. It allows you to create a profile that highlights your interests, priorities, and relationship and parental status.

Stir’s Algorithm-Based Approach

Through its advanced matching algorithm, Stir shows you the profiles of individuals who have similar interests, values, and parenting goals as you. This targeted approach significantly increases the chances of finding a compatible partner who aligns with your personal and family aspirations.

Finding a Match on Stir

You’ll find all the recommended matches on the homepage, where you can swipe through their pictures, see their interests, and read answers to the questions that the app asked them. You can scroll through these recommendations and either decline a match, super like a profile or send a match request to the person who you think will be a good match for you. If the person accepts your match request, you can message and chat with them.

Additional Features

Like the online dating app Tinder, also owned by Match.com, Stir has a Boost feature which helps increase your chances of making a connection by showing your profile to nearby users first.

Additionally, Stir offers the Rewind feature, allowing users to revisit profiles they have previously passed on. This feature enables you to reconsider potential matches you may have overlooked or regretted swiping past. It’s important to note that both the Boost and Rewind features are premium options within Stir and thus require an in-app purchase.

Safety and Privacy

Stir says that it takes user safety and privacy seriously. The app incorporates measures to ensure a secure environment, such as profile verification processes, reporting and blocking features, and privacy settings. You are encouraged to review Stir’s privacy policy and familiarize yourself with the safety guidelines provided by the app.

Premium Subscription Plans

While Stir is free to download and use, there are in-app purchases and subscription plans that you can subscribe to for a monthly fee. Stir offers four subscription plans with varying durations to access premium features.

The one-month and three-month standard plans let you control who sees your profile and message a person even before they accept your match request. The three-month and six-month premium plans give you access to all the features in the standard plan, plus unlimited rewinds, monthly boosts, read receipts, and allowing you to view who liked your profile.

How to Get Started With Stir

To get started with Stir, download the app from App Store or Play Store. Stir is free to download but is currently only available in the US.

1. Create an Account

Once the download is complete, open the Stir app and tap Join. The app will ask you a series of questions such as your gender, sexual preferences, date of birth, zip code, name, and email. You’ll then be asked to set up a password. Use a combination of letters and numbers to create a strong password.

2. Set Up Your Profile

Once you’ve set up a password, the app will ask you to set up your profile by answering questions about your interests, preferences, priorities, likes and dislikes, and future goals. The app does not post the answer to these questions on your profile and only uses this information to find potential matches for you.

You’re then asked to upload a photo of yourself that will go on your profile. You can upload up to 10 photos and add a caption to them. The app then asks you to join their premium subscriptions, but you can skip that for now by tapping Maybe Later.

3. Verify Your Account

The last step is verifying your account, for which you’ll require a valid US phone number, and without which, you cannot proceed with setting up a Stir account.

Enter your phone number in the space provided and tap Continue. You’ll receive a text notification on the number you provided with a four-digit code for verification. Enter this code in the app and tap Continue.

With this, you’ve successfully joined Stir! Browse through the homepage to see potential matches and decline, like, or match with a profile you think would be a great match for you!

Is Stir Worthwhile?

Stir is a relatively new dating app, but it has immense potential to blow up, especially considering that the US alone has over 20 million single parents who may be looking for a partner. However, to ensure the success of Stir, the developers need to address a few key areas.

Firstly, the app’s availability for download is limited to the United States, excluding many potential users from other countries.

Secondly, even for US citizens, the app often falls short of its promise, as users have expressed dissatisfaction with its matching algorithm, citing its ineffectiveness. This is probably because the user base is smaller than other apps, which narrows down the options for finding suitable matches.

Lastly, users have also complained about not being able to register their accounts. We faced a similar problem while signing up with Stir and had to make multiple attempts to register. In order to grow its consumer base, it’s crucial that Stir addresses and resolves these issues.

Stir Could Be the Place Where You Find Your Soulmate

Stir offers single parents a dedicated platform to connect with like-minded individuals. With its user-friendly interface, compatibility matching, and profile quality, Stir aims to facilitate meaningful relationships within its targeted user base.

While the app is free to download and use, several of its best features require subscriptions that are pricier than other dating apps. Additionally, Stir’s interface and features are similar to that of existing dating apps, and it offers nothing new aside from its target audience of single parents. Regardless, we believe it’s a good app for single parents who haven’t had any luck yet with other dating apps.