What’s the word, people? Frankie here from TheNutJob.com and I am here to share some solid news with you today. The topic? Sex Apps! We all know that sex apps are a breed all their own, and there are few causing as much of a buzz as Down (maybe one or two others, but that’s it). Mimicking some of the same features seen in Tinder, Down lets you connect with nearby individuals for one-night stands via either new matches or with current Facebook friends.
The Down App For Those DTF
Originally, this app was called “Bang With Friends,” but due to a sticky legal situation in 2017, the app was eventually forced to change its name. That being said, they certainly don’t seem to be hurting after this, with over 5 million users worldwide.
As I’ve always been a fan of casual connections, and the user reviews are absolutely stellar, I decided it was time to download Down and see what it has to offer.
Profile Beginnings
Like many other popular dating applications, Down requires you to have a functional Facebook profile before you can use their services. Once you click through the security prompts, down will use your Facebook profile information to look for any potential matches based off of your friend list. This is a little different from apps like Tinder, which don’t tend to be as invasive regarding your “real life” friendships and connections, but it seems to do the trick. I can only assume that individuals would be a little less reticent to hook up with someone they already know in one form or another.
Down doesn’t offer the ability to choose what photos to upload. Instead, it will just pull from your top profile photos in on your Facebook profile. It also gives you the option to link your Instagram account, and pull from those photos as well.
Bio creation is also notably absent here. Down makes it very clear from the start of this process that their main goals are centered around getting you casual sexual connections, nothing more, nothing less.
Learning The Ropes
The baser level features are pretty much exactly like Tinder, with tiny tweaks throughout. Swiping is done vertically, as opposed to horizontally like Bumble or Tinder. Swiping up will show the other individual that you’d like to take them on a date while swiping down indicates that you’re looking for sex, and nothing else. I actually think that this is a little more straightforward than Tinder, which is perfect for the hookup crowd. With these modified options, your intentions are always on full display.
You’ll also have the capability to swipe left, but this is intended to skip whatever profile you’re currently looking at.
Once you’ve matched, the messaging features are pretty much identical to the more popular apps in the scene. You or your match can reach out first, and there aren’t any rules on when or how.
There’s another feature here that makes things a little more interesting on Down, and that’s the “Secret Admirer” option. This can be used when viewing a potential match’s profile that you may be a little hesitant about exposing yourself to. if you select this option, Down will send the user an anonymous message asking if they’re interested in a person with your age, gender, & location.
Keeping Things Secret
Anonymity is the name of the game on Down, with users never seeing names or info until a match has been made. If you don’t match, your Facebook friend will never know you were interested at all. This was something I was curious about from the start, and finding out that your info is locked up until you decide otherwise is a function I can really get behind.
Costs
So, profile views are limited to 75 per day, which, if you’ve ever sat and swiped before out of boredom, you know that 75 profiles can be blown through in 10 minutes, tops.
That’s why Down offers a monthly paid membership, which gives users access to unlimited profile views. In addition to the unlimited views, you’ll also get ten recommended profiles every day. If there are users who fit your requirements and have been looking at your profile often enough, they’ll be some of the first suggestions that the app makes.
This is honestly incredibly clever and shows a lot of foresight on the part of Down, and it’s parent company. I’m sure they’ve seen an increase in connections since installing this feature. And at only $7.99 per month, it isn’t much of a sacrifice for the potential benefits.
Downsides to Down
There aren’t many, but a few.
Firstly, the paid version of the app has way more functionality than its free version, which can be a little frustrating. You won’t be able to view nearly as many images on profiles when using the free app, nor will you be capable of viewing any matches past your three most recent connections.
Another problem with the free version of Down is that when you’ve hit your cap for the day, the app shuts most of its features down, not just the ability to view profiles. This means that if you’ve sent a Secret Admirer notification, it won’t reach your potential match, and you’ll be stuck having to send the same notification the next day. If you’re unlucky enough to swipe past them, the chance is most likely gone.
Lastly, I wish that Down was more upfront with their charges. During the signup process, I didn’t know I was opting into their paid membership until my only option was to delete & redownload, or pay them…not cool, Down.
What I Think (Wrapping It Up)
At the end of the day, the digital dating age is upon us whether we like it or not. Hookup culture is a huge part of this landscape, which is why dependable, fully-featured apps are so important.
You could frankly do a lot worse than Down, especially if you pony up and get the paid version. It’s not optimal that the app is really only “fully functional” when you’re paying for its services, but sometimes, you really do get what you pay for.
I made a few really solid hookups while using this app, and although I’m not excited about paying a monthly fee, the proof is in the experience.
