Comparison

Merlin Dating vs Hookd | Dating Elevated

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Merlin Dating

This AI-powered dating assistant analyzes photos to predict compatibility and relationship potential. It offers personalized dating tips to help users navigate conversations and dates, aiming to reduce anxiety and build confidence for successful relationships.

Highlights
  • AI-powered compatibility analysis
  • Predicts relationship potential (flirting, short-term, long-term, family)
  • Personalized dating tips
  • Analyzes personality from photos
  • Reduces dating anxiety and boosts confidence
  • Works across other apps
Features
Read full description

Merlin Dating is a truly unique dating service! It is an artificial intelligence that will help you find your perfect partner and tell you how to successfully meet people in real life and what to do on a date to start a relationship! You no longer have to search for the right person yourself, make mistakes and be disappointed again because our smart algorithm will do everything for you! Now you can immediately understand who you can build a serious relationship with, and who will not be something more than just a friend or a casual date! You will learn who will be a good company to spend some time with or who will be the perfect match for starting a family in just a few easy steps! Merlin has done everything for you by analyzing thousands of images. Now there is no need to read the pickup lines handbook and think about what to write and how to answer, how to act and what to say. You'll come on a date and feel like you've known each other for ages! Less fear and anxiety and +100 points to your self-esteem! All you have to do is take a screenshot from any website or app, or just upload a picture of someone, then send it to the app and.... get your results! You will learn about: - your compatibility rate %; - the potential for your relationship: flirting, short-term or long-term relationship, family; - working dating tips: how to start a conversation, how to attract someone, what to do on a date and how to start a serious relationship. Whaaat? What dating tips? The very real ones! Artificial intelligence will give you personalized dating tips based on our image algorithm! You can tell from the photo the personality of your future partner, friend or acquaintance, as if you had known them since you were a child. Merlin will explain what to say and how to act so that he or she is happy while you feel confident! - Soo... another knight in shining armor? - No, but it was a valuable experience… - Wanna hang out with him again? - Nope, it turns out we are just friends… Merlin Dating will help you build the perfect relationship! You used to waste your time? Tried to find someone special and then failed? Now it would be great to enjoy a nice conversation between two people who know each other very well! Do you doubt your choice of partners? Are you afraid that they are not right for you? Merlin knows who will be the perfect match for a long-term relationship! AI will tell you all about their character traits and help you build the relationship you want! Stop wasting your time on people who are not right for you! Our app will tell you with certainty who is the right person for YOU! Merlin Dating displays on top of other apps and runs in the background. There's no need to put dating off: date, chat and fall in love when it's convenient for you! Analyze someone’s photo just by uploading it to the app! Dating has never been this effective! Merlin AI knows how important it is to have a relationship as part of your life! How does this work? 1. Open the app 2. Sign up with your phone number 3. Choose someone you are interested in 4. Take a screenshot or ask for their photo 5. Send the photo by clicking SHARE or just upload it to the app 6. Wait for the image analysis report 7. Check your love compatibility % and get your dating tips. Now you know if you're going to have a good time with them or if you can expect something more serious! Rate photos, get AI personalized dating tips and choose the people that suit you best. We hope that the relationship formed with Merlin's help brings you what you most need at this point in life!

About

Hookd | Dating Elevated

This app offers a mindful dating experience for singles seeking specific connections. Choose your dating mode, avoid ghosting with time-bound communication, and connect with others who share your intentions. It prioritizes respectful interactions with built-in safeguards.

Highlights
  • Mindful dating experience
  • Choose dating modes (Short-Term, Casual, Serious)
  • Scroll and double tap to like
  • Explicitly stated intentions
  • Time-bound communication to avoid ghosting
  • Message limits before image sharing
Features
Read full description

Hookd: Dating, Elevated Tired of endless swiping? Forget about confusing bios and ghosting grrr . Hookd brings you a mindful dating experience designed for singles who know what they want. Choose your dating mode (Short-Term, Casual, Serious) and connect with people on the same page. What makes Hookd different? No more left/right swiping: Just scroll and double tap to like someone you're interested in. Explicitly stated intentions: Find people who share your dating goals – from casual encounters to lasting connections. Time-bound communication: In casual (optional) & serious modes, set a reply deadline to avoid ghosting ⏰. Simple safeguards: We use message limits before sharing images to keep things respectful. Completely free: Enjoy ad-supported experience without hidden costs. Ready to date your way? Download Hookd and elevate your dating experience today!

Screenshots

Merlin Dating4 screens
Hookd | Dating Elevated4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Merlin Dating at none against Hookd | Dating Elevated's shown. Merlin Dating also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 weeks) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Hookd | Dating Elevated's advantage is review sentiment (60% vs 31%) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Merlin Dating sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Hookd | Dating Elevated sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Merlin Dating ships an update every 2 weeks, Hookd | Dating Elevated every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Merlin Dating versus Hookd | Dating Elevated: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMerlin DatingHookd | Dating Elevated
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews30.8% of reviews60.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size174 MB96 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperIvan LimarevHookd Networks

Customer experience

Merlin Dating

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews78 reviews
Positive30.8%
Neutral21.8%
Negative47.4%

Hookd | Dating Elevated

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

Bugs and requests

Merlin Dating

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • App hangs on loading screen indefinitely
  • Bio questions cause app to freeze completely
  • SMS verification codes not arriving
  • Code length mismatch (6-digit request vs 4-digit SMS)
  • Photos rejected despite meeting requirements
Show 11 more
  • Face recognition analysis stuck in infinite loop
  • Black screen when opening camera
  • App crashes during face detection after photo upload
  • Settings reset after closing app
  • Photos not loading on second attempt in same session
  • Gallery permission errors despite enabled permissions
  • Validation errors with gray screen
  • Inconsistent compatibility percentages for same person
  • App logout requiring re-authentication
  • Menu and personal account access broken
  • Update notification loop even with latest version

Requested features

7 requests
  • Swipe-based photo navigation instead of scrolling
  • Descriptions for personality trait characteristics
  • Profile deletion option
  • Ability to view previous analysis without re-uploading
  • Improved language and account persistence across sessions
Show 2 more
  • Better photo upload permissions handling
  • More personality traits in analysis (previously 4, now 3)

Hookd | Dating Elevated

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Merlin Dating

Subscriptions11
  • PLUS for a month$1.991 Month
  • GOLD subscription for a month$6.991 Month
  • PLUS for a year$7.991 Year
Show 8 more
  • PLATINUM -50% for a month$7.991 Month
  • GOLD subscription for a year$14.991 Year
  • PLATINUM for a month$14.991 Month
  • PLATINUM -50% for a half year$24.996 Months
  • Half-year subscription GOLD$24.996 Months
  • PLATINUM for a year$29.991 Year
  • PLATINUM -50% for a year$29.991 Year
  • Half-year PLATINUM subs.$49.996 Months
One-time1
  • Celebrity compatibility$0.99
1 purchases

Hookd | Dating Elevated

One-time1
  • Ai Profile Assessment$0.49

Questions

Is Merlin Dating free?
Merlin Dating is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hookd | Dating Elevated free?
Hookd | Dating Elevated is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Merlin Dating or Hookd | Dating Elevated have ads?
Hookd | Dating Elevated shows ads; Merlin Dating does not.
Which is updated more often, Merlin Dating or Hookd | Dating Elevated?
Merlin Dating ships an update every 2 weeks, and Hookd | Dating Elevated every 4 weeks. Most recently, Merlin Dating was updated on October 7, 2026 and Hookd | Dating Elevated on October 10, 2026.

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