I’m Kayla, and yes, I used Hitch on my phone for three weeks. I wanted less swipe, more chat. Hitch said, “Bring your friends,” which sounded messy but fun. Turns out, it kind of is—like a group text that might turn into a date. I kept detailed notes for a full Hitch dating app review if you want every awkward screenshot. Want a second opinion? The folks at an in-depth Hitch review on DatingScout break down costs, member numbers, and success rates in even more detail.
Let me explain how it went, the good, the clunky, and the “Wait, did he just ghost me?”
Why I Tried Hitch
I was tired of the same swipe loop. Pic. Bio. Next. It felt like shopping for avocados. I wanted people who can talk. My friend Ivy said Hitch has topic rooms and friend “vouches.” You chat first. Photos open up as you go. I liked that. It’s like meeting at a party, not a lineup.
Also, it was raining a lot here in Portland. Cozy chats and cocoa? Yes, please. If soggy skies are your norm too, you might enjoy my roundup of Irish dating apps and how they fared in perpetual drizzle.
Setup: Fast, Then a Curveball
Onboarding was quick. I picked three prompts. I added five photos. Then Hitch nudged me into rooms, like “Dog Parents,” “Sunday Hikes,” and “Taco Night.” You can send a voice note, which made me nervous. I did it anyway. My voice shook a little, but it worked.
Here’s the curveball: you don’t always see full profiles right away. You chat first. As you talk, more shows up. I kind of loved it. But sometimes I just wanted to check height and run. Shrug.
Three Real Chats That Stood Out
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The dog park date
I met Miguel in the “Dog Parents” room. He asked about my mutt, Bean. We swapped pics of our dogs in raincoats. We met at Sellwood Riverfront Park on a gray Saturday. Bean stole his dog’s tennis ball and wouldn’t give it back. We laughed, a lot. No big fireworks, but it felt warm and easy. We still trade dog memes. -
The friend-made match that stuck
Ivy used Hitch’s “vouch” thing. She dropped me into a small group chat with James, a guy she knew from a trivia night. We joked about bad movie sequels, then saw one at Alamo Drafthouse. He was 10 minutes late, but he brought popcorn with extra butter and said, “I come bearing peace.” Nice save. We’re on date three. Slow, not sticky-sweet. I like that. -
The brunch guy who vanished
In “Brunch Buds,” Sam asked for my coffee spot. We planned Blue Star at 10. He grabbed my Instagram, then went poof. Classic. I reported the chat, lightly. Not drama, just a note. Hitch made that part simple. I made pancakes at home. Cheaper. Less weird.
The Good Stuff
- Topic rooms help shy folks start. You can talk about tacos, not your soul, right away. (Shy types, you might also love the quieter options I rounded up in my week of testing dating apps for introverts.)
- Voice notes show vibe fast. Is he funny? Is she kind? You can hear it.
- Friends can vouch you. It feels like a warm intro, not a cold pitch.
- The slow reveal cuts the swipe rush. I focused on words, not just cheekbones.
- Safety tools are easy: block, report, mute. I used mute on one noisy room.
You know what? I found less “hey” and more full sentences here. A small win.
The Clunky Bits
- Notifications got loud. I had to shut some off. My phone buzzed like a beehive. (It was almost as ping-happy as my short stint on Back Page—another app I survived for exactly one week.)
- Room chats move fast. I’d answer, and the thread had jumped to pizza crusts vs. sauce.
- Photo blur is cute… until it isn’t. Sometimes I wanted a full view before I caught feelings for a pun. (At least Hitch keeps clothes on up front; after spending a month on a naked dating app, I appreciate any mystery.)
- I saw lag in chat—like a 2–3 second delay. Not huge, but annoying when timing a joke.
- It crashed once when I tried to send a GIF. Came back quick, but still.
- In Portland, late nights felt quiet. Around 9 p.m., rooms slowed down. Your city may be better.
Real Dates, Real Idiosyncrasies
One guy only sent voice notes. No text. Just “heyyyy” with long pauses. I felt like his podcast audience. I bowed out.
Another person asked me for a “hot take” on socks with sandals. I said yes, if they’re thick socks and you’re taking the trash out. He said it was a test. We both passed. For daters who'd rather debate loot drops than footwear, check out the dating apps for gamers experiment I ran last fall.
Free vs. Paid: What I Picked
I used the free tier first. Then I paid for one month to test extra stuff. I got to see who waved at me, join more rooms per day, and jump to the top of a chat for an hour. Worth it? Kind of. It helped me get rolling, but only because I had a handful of active rooms. I canceled after the month and went back to free. If your area is busy, paid might be a better call. If your goals lean more, ahem, accelerated, you could skip the extras altogether and head straight to Instabang, the notorious hookup app I tried for a week. For folks who prefer a no-strings online playground where casual meets candid, you might take a peek at Fuckbook – it’s basically a streamlined bulletin board for adults who want to cut straight to flirting, photos, and meetup plans without the slow-burn small talk.
Small Tips That Helped
- Fill out prompts with one fun detail. Mine said, “I collect tiny spoons from thrift shops.” People asked about it.
- Join three rooms max at once. More gets noisy.
- Send one short voice note. Keep it under 10 seconds. Smiles can be heard.
- Suggest a simple first meet. Coffee. Dog walk. Mini putt if you’re feeling bold.
- If someone grabs your social and disappears, let it go. Not your people.
Who It’s For
- You like group banter and inside jokes.
- You want your friends involved, at least a bit.
- You care more about chat flow than a perfect grid of photos.
Who might not love it?
- You want fast swipes and instant matches.
- You live rural and need a larger pool right now.
- You hate group threads—with a passion.
My Bottom Line
Hitch felt human. Messy, chatty, sometimes loud, but human. I went on two real dates. One stuck. I met a few good folks and a couple of odd ducks. That’s dating.
If you found this breakdown helpful, tap the like so I know to test-drive the next quirky dating app. For another rundown from a different angle, Online for Love also has a comprehensive Hitch review that digs into features I didn’t test.
If you’re tired of the swipe grind and like talking your way in, give Hitch a spin. Keep your settings sane, pick rooms you actually enjoy, and bring a joke. A clean one. Most of the time. Honestly, that goes further than a six-pack—abs or donuts.