Upward is a dating app for Christian singles in the U.S., structured around faith-based profile fields and local discovery on iOS and Android.
Product velocity
Maintenance
Daily rank 🇺🇸
#12
Social Networking · free
Sentiment
4.2
202k reviews
Nemesis
Christian Mingle: Dating App
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
The app removes the cognitive cost of vetting religious compatibility, allowing users to connect based on shared values rather than general interest.
For Christian singles seeking long-term relationships and community connections based on shared faith and family values.
Key features
Profile field for religious beliefs; reinforces brand authority and increases switching costs.
Elite-tier gate; paid-conversion lever for users seeking to bypass discovery friction.
How much does it cost?
Freemium model anchored at $9.99/month, gating discovery tools and ad removal behind recurring subscription tiers.
Velocity
Maintenance developmentmonetizationUX improvementsperformanceShow more...
The app currently operates at a maintenance cadence, with only three distinct versions released in the observed window and no updates in the last 111 days. Development activity is limited to minor stability patches, with the last notable feature expansion occurring in March 2026. The current release pattern suggests a focus on basic upkeep rather than active feature development or live operations.
Who built it?
Affinity Apps
7 apps tracked · Social Networking
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Upward Dating: Meet SinglesUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Fresh user feedback skews frustrated. Users appreciate the profile section for expressing thoughts on god provides a meaningful way for users to connect, but report distance filters fail to restrict matches, consistently showing users hundreds of miles away from this app.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- The profile section for expressing thoughts on God provides a meaningful way for users to connect
- Distance filters fail to restrict matches, consistently showing users hundreds of miles away from this app
50 of 50 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Frustrated overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Upward: Dating for Christians
How's the Social Networking market?
Upward sits #16 Grossing in the U.S. Dating category, though its #95 Free rank suggests discovery velocity is slowing. The gap between Grossing and Free rank indicates that monetization is currently driven by a small, high-intent cohort rather than broad user adoption.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By Spark Networks
The most established legacy brand in the Christian dating space, serving as the primary alternative for users seeking serious, faith-based relationships.
- Long-form profiles focusing on detailed theological and lifestyle compatibility
- Robust web-based platform complementing the mobile experience
- Proprietary matching algorithm based on 'Color Code' personality testing
SALT - Christian Dating AppContender
Holy — Christian Dating AppContenderHHoly: Christian DatingContenderUnlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Upward: Dating for Christians
Where is it heading?
Users report: The dating market is consolidating around platforms that offer high-trust verification, leaving niche apps like Upward exposed if they cannot solve their bot and location-accuracy issues. Without a pivot to technical stability, the app will continue to lose its discovery advantage to rivals that provide a more credible environment for long-term relationships.
- Broken distance filters and high bot activity erode user trust, which compounds the churn pressure already visible in the declining free-chart rank.
- Maintenance-only update cadence leaves the app vulnerable to mainstream rivals that offer superior verification and location accuracy.
The SWOT
- Faith-based profile fields increase switching costs
- Mandatory verification layer could reduce bot activity
Next best moves
Rebuild distance-filtering logic because it is the top-cited technical failure → stabilize local-match reliability
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The app's reliance on a niche faith-based differentiator…
Read the full takeFeature gaps
Robust identity verification (available in Hinge but missing here)
Since the last report: Development activity has ceased, moving the app into a maintenance-only state while core technical failures in distance filtering and bot moderation continue to drive user churn.
Bottom line
Fixing the broken distance-filtering logic would address the primary churn driver, while mandatory verification is required to restore the trust necessary for a faith-based community to scale.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 1 market threat, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is Upward worth paying for if I only play casually?
What is the difference between Upward and Hinge?
Is Upward safe from fake profiles and bots?
What is a free alternative to Upward?
Sources
- [1] App Store, source
Report last updated