OkCupid alternative: match percentages or a real conversation?

OkCupid is the dating app for people who like answering questions. If you have filled in dozens of them and still feel that a percentage tells you little about whether you will actually enjoy talking to someone, you might want an OkCupid alternative that starts with a conversation instead. This page explains both, using public sources, and says honestly when OkCupid is the better pick.

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

What OkCupid is

OkCupid launched on 19 January 2004. In February 2011 it was bought by IAC, then the parent of Match.com, for US$50 million, and it is now owned by Match Group. It is based in New York.

Its signature feature is a long set of multiple-choice questions. Your answers, and how important you say each one is, produce a match percentage with other members. That approach suits people who want shared values and views to come first.

OkCupid's Google Play listing says the app is free to use with optional premium memberships; its help centre lists the plans as Premium, Premium Plus and Incognito. We could not confirm from OkCupid's own pages whether it currently offers in-app video calls, so we have left that out of the table.

What Titli is

Titli is a live video chat app made in India. On Google Play it sits in the Social category, not Dating. It is a place to meet new people, and some adults use it for video dating, getting to know someone face to face on a call.

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

Titli does not calculate compatibility. Instead:

• Match connects you with a member of the opposite gender at random for a 1-on-1 video call. You can pick interests to match on, like music, films or cricket; there are no age or location filters, and Match calls are billed per minute to the man.
• Explore lets you browse profiles, filter by country and start a call from someone's profile.
• Private messages keep things going after a good call, with text, photos, voice notes and gifts.
• Audio rooms and live streams let you get to know people in a group, at your own pace.

OkCupid and Titli compared

Questions are useful, conversations are better at some things

A match percentage can tell you that two people both care about religion, politics or wanting children. That is genuinely useful information, and OkCupid is good at surfacing it.

What a number cannot show is how someone listens, whether they laugh at your jokes, or how it feels to talk to them for ten minutes. On a video call you learn that almost immediately. If the conversation is easy, you can follow the person and ask the deeper questions in your own words over time. If you need help getting started, our list of dating conversation starters is a good place to begin.

Who should pick which

Pick OkCupid if:

• You want values and opinions matched before you talk to anyone.
• You enjoy detailed profiles and long questionnaires.
• You want to date people near you in person.
• You use an iPhone; Titli is Android only.

Pick Titli if:

• You would rather judge chemistry on a video call than from a percentage.
• You find long profiles tiring, or you are an introvert who prefers one-to-one conversation.
• You want to talk in an Indian language: Titli works in English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati, Urdu and Arabic.
• You want your conversations to stay inside one app, with clear 18+ rules.

What Titli expects from you

Be kind, keep it respectful, and end any call that is not working. Do not ask for personal details too early. Our Community Guidelines ban explicit content, harassment and scams, and do not allow asking for money, payment or meetings outside the app. You can block or report anyone from their profile or chat; see the safety page.

Frequently asked questions