Comparison

Ivy Dating vs Datepals

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

Head to head
About

Ivy Dating

Discover genuine connections in real-world locations with this app. It facilitates spontaneous interactions by showing you who nearby is open to meeting. Move beyond endless swiping for authentic encounters.

Highlights
  • Discover nearby users
  • Facilitates spontaneous meetings
  • Focuses on real-world interactions
  • Reduces digital barriers
  • Encourages genuine connections
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Ivy, the dating app that revives the magic of spontaneous, real-world connections. Whether you’re at your favorite café, enjoying a night out, or exploring a new spot, Ivy helps you discover who's open to saying hello. No endless swiping, no digital barriers—just genuine interactions waiting to happen.

About

Datepals

This app facilitates group dates by allowing couples to invite their single friends. It uses mutual connections and shared interests to plan low-pressure, fun outings for six people, taking the awkwardness out of introductions.

Highlights
  • Group date planning for six people
  • Connect single friends through mutuals
  • Merge groups based on shared interests
  • Singles choose who to meet
  • AI-free matchmaking
  • Safety features with reporting and blocking
Read full description

On Datepals, couples pool their single friends, and we fully plan a 6 person group date. Your single friends deserve better than an algorithm and it shouldn't be awkward connecting single mutuals across friend groups. AI isn't the solution, mutual friends are! HOW IT WORKS - Couples pool their single friends through a shared link - We merge groups with mutual connections and shared interests - Singles pick who sounds fun (and avoid ex's through our puke emoji!!!) - We plan the rest — time, place, and table. You just show up. WHY GROUP DATES A first date should be low stakes, with some familiar faces for safety. 6 people at one table takes the pressure off — no interview across a two-top, no anonymous chatting beforehand, just read a vibe in person, with friends, before deciding on date two for two! WHY FRIENDS Your friends, their mutual networks, and shared interests make better introductions than a computer can. Trait based matchmaking reduces singles to a picture or stat sheet and makes people feel bad. It isn't how people used to date and it shouldn't be how your single friends should date. SAFETY You can report or block any user at any time, and you can contact our team directly from the app. Take Care of Your Single Friends!!!

Screenshots

Ivy Dating4 screens
Datepals4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Datepals at 5.0 against Ivy Dating's 4.1. Datepals also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 65%) and ads (none vs shown). Ivy Dating's advantage is ratings volume (61 vs 3). On price, update cadence, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Datepals holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ivy Dating has 61 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Ivy Dating's written reviews are positive against 100% of Datepals's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Ivy Dating versus Datepals: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIvy DatingDatepals
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (61 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings61 — better3
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size98 MB44 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperIvy DatingDatepal, Inc.

Customer experience

Ivy Dating

All ratings62 ratings
Positive75.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative24.2%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive64.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative35.3%

Datepals

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Ivy Dating

No in-app purchases

None

Datepals

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ivy Dating free?
Ivy Dating is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Datepals free?
Datepals is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ivy Dating or Datepals?
Datepals is rated higher. Ivy Dating averages 4.1 out of 5 from 61 ratings, while Datepals averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Ivy Dating or Datepals have ads?
Ivy Dating shows ads; Datepals does not.
Which is updated more often, Ivy Dating or Datepals?
Ivy Dating ships an update weekly, and Datepals weekly. Most recently, Ivy Dating was updated on November 4, 2026 and Datepals on November 5, 2026.

Other comparisons