Jswipe

The only way to sign up for JSwipe is via a Facebook account.

It’s true that most people have Facebook these days, but it’s also true that an increasing number of younger users are rejecting the site and that a growing number are deleting their accounts.

If you’re in that category and you want to join JSwipe, you’ll have to create a new account, as there is no other sign up option. And if you ever close your FB account, you won’t be able to log into JSwipe.

On the plus side, if you’re happy to link through Facebook, the sign-up process is relatively quick and easy. You’ll be connected in just a few taps.

The first screen asks you for some basic information, including your gender and religious denomination (Orthodox/Reform, etc.). It also asks whether you are kosher or not, as these options are searchable by all users.

On the next screen, you’re be greeted with text boxes relating to your Occupation, Likes, and a few other things. You can do most of these later or leave them blank, but you will need to add a picture and a short bio to advance to the next screen.

Your name and your location are gathered automatically using your Facebook account and the location settings on your phone.

Once your profile is created, the first thing you’ll see on the JSwipe app is an image of a potential match, displayed in a circle in the center of the screen. Below the image are options to send them a message, “Heart” them, or “Like” them. If you’re not interested, just swipe the image away and another will appear.

At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see your city and state. If you click this, you’ll be able to change your location to anywhere in the world, before defining how near or far you want your matches to be.

You can change your location a few times, but before long, the feature will lock behind a paywall.

All of this can be done with a free account and the app doesn’t pester you with subscription pop-ups and offers, which is always good to see.

After changing location multiple times, going from New York to North Carolina and even Newcastle, England, I discovered that there are members everywhere, but the concentration differs substantially.

You’ll find a lot of users in New York but venture further south and you’ll need to increase your travel time if you want suitable matches.

There isn’t much to JSwipe. It’s simple and straightforward, and that’s a good thing. However, there are a couple of noteworthy features:

Swipe

The “Swipe” feature is integral to the app and is probably the first and last thing you’ll do every time you use it. It’s fun—there’s something so innately satisfying about moving those images around and seeing what pops up—but it’s also useful. It encourages you to browse through matches before highlighting the ones that you like the most.

Of course, as with all image-swiping features, it focuses 100% on looks, and you won’t know their location, likes, or even their age until you click. When you match with someone, you’ll be greeted with a “Mazel tov!” message along with the image of a dreidel.

Notes

Notes are just little messages that are sent back and forward. They help to break the ice and limit those awkward initial interactions. You can only send these if you have a premium membership.

Explore and Most Eligible

These two sections showcase a tiled view of potential matches, with the former seemingly showing the same matches as the home screen and the latter directing you toward more suitable options that aren’t based completely on your preferences.

The Explore option showcases users who are near you but is not based on your distance filters. Most Eligible features the most popular profiles on JSwipe. You can contact these users via a Swipe Note or Super Swipe.

In any case, both features make it easy to find matches. Just tap the one that stands out and you’ll see a close-up image. From there, you can choose to “View Profile” and read more.

It’s worth noting, however, that while the Explore feature is fully accessible to all members, including non-premium subscribers, trying to “View Profile” on the Most Eligible section will just send you to a subscription page.

Although JSwipe connects to your Facebook account, it does not share or use any of the information contained within. It also promises not to post anything to your timeline. What’s more, the fact that it connects to Facebook in the first place helps to dissuade spammers and scammers, although it won’t stop them entirely.