Badoo alternative: nearby discovery or video chat in your language

Badoo has been around long enough that many people tried it years ago and are now looking for a Badoo alternative with a different feel. If you want to talk on video, in your own language, without location being the centre of everything, Titli may suit you. If you want to find people near you, Badoo may still be the better tool. Here is the detail.

We make Titli, so we are not neutral. Titli is not affiliated with or endorsed by Badoo.

What Badoo is

Badoo was founded in 2006 by Andrey Andreev and launched in London. In 2019 Blackstone bought a majority of its parent company, then called MagicLab, and Badoo is now a brand of Bumble Inc., which also owns Bumble.

Badoo has two main ways to find people. The Encounters tab shows profiles one at a time to swipe on, and Discover shows people nearby. Badoo also offers in-app video and voice calls, and says your phone number stays private when you use them.

Paid options include the Badoo Premium and Badoo Extra subscriptions, plus Credits, which are a top-up rather than a subscription.

What Titli is

Titli is a live video chat app made in India by GenZ Philam Entertainment. It is listed under Social on Google Play, not Dating. People use it to meet new people, make friends and video date, which simply means getting to know someone face to face on a call.

Titli is only for adults aged 18 and over (see our Terms).

The main parts of the app:

• Match: one tap. Match connects you with a member of the opposite gender at random for a 1-on-1 video call. Interest filters are optional; there are no age or location filters, and Match calls are billed per minute to the man.
• Explore: Popular and New lists of people, a country filter and search. Call or message from a profile.
• Live streams: hosts go live, viewers chat and send gifts, and hosts can bring up to three guests on screen.
• Audio rooms: talk on mic seats without a camera.
• Private messages: text, photos, voice notes and gifts, with auto-translation of incoming messages into your language.

Badoo and Titli side by side

Where the two feel different

Badoo and Titli overlap more than most dating comparisons: both let you video call people you have not met. The difference is the path to that call.

On Badoo, you usually swipe or browse nearby profiles, and a call comes later if you both want it. On Titli, a call is the first step. You tap to connect, say hello, and find out within a minute whether there is a spark. If you prefer to choose first, you can browse Explore and call someone whose profile you like.

Language is the other big difference. Titli was built in India, so the whole app works in nine languages, and a message written in Tamil can be auto-translated for someone reading in Hindi. If you want to date in Hindi or another Indian language, that matters.

Who should pick which

Pick Badoo if:

• You want to meet people near you and plan to date in person.
• You like swiping through lots of profiles.
• You use an iPhone; Titli has no iOS app.
• You want an app built specifically for dating.

Pick Titli if:

• You prefer to talk face to face on video before anything else.
• You want an app in an Indian language, or chats that translate between languages.
• You enjoy group spaces like live streams and audio rooms as well as 1-on-1 calls.
• You want light, respectful flirt chat that stays inside one app.

Safety on Titli

Accounts are tied to a phone number or Google sign-in, and your number is not shown to others. You can block or report anyone from their profile or chat, and still snapshots may be captured during video calls for moderation, with an on-screen indicator. Our Community Guidelines ban explicit content, harassment, scams, and asking for money or meetings outside the app. Read more on the safety page.

Frequently asked questions