A Free Badoo Alternative for Dating and Friends Around Shared Values
TL;DR
Souldaters suits people who want a fully free app with no credits or paid boosts, chat only after a mutual match, and matching around shared tribes like vegan, sober or spiritual. Badoo remains a practical choice if you want a very large international community and are comfortable with its free-plus-paid-features model.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Souldaters | Badoo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 100% free, no paid tier | Free basic version; paid subscription and credits add features |
| Paid visibility | None: no boosts or credits | Paid options to increase visibility (varies) |
| See who liked you | Free for everyone | Generally part of paid features |
| Messaging | Only after a mutual match | Rules have varied over time; check current settings |
| Values & lifestyle matching | Tribes plus compatibility % with reasons | Interests and profile details |
| Hard dealbreaker filters | Free (only vegans, sober, non-smokers, want kids…) | Basic filters; some advanced options paid |
| Friends mode | Built in: dating, friends or both | Can be used to chat and make friends (varies) |
| Community size | New (launched 2026), growing | Very large, especially in Europe and Latin America |
Competitor features and pricing change often; check Badoo's own site for current details.
Why look for a Badoo alternative?
Badoo is one of the largest dating apps in the world, with a particularly strong presence in Europe and Latin America. It is quick to join and there are usually many people to see, which is a big advantage in a lot of places. People start looking for alternatives when they want something different: every feature free without credits or paid boosts, conversations only with people they have chosen, or matching that puts shared values, like a plant-based diet, sobriety or spirituality, at the center.
What does Badoo do well?
- Scale. Its international reach means people to meet in many countries and cities.
- Easy to start. Sign-up is quick and the basics are free.
- Verification. Badoo has offered photo verification to help people confirm matches are real.
- Casual and social. It suits people who want a relaxed way to chat and meet.
If you want the widest possible pool, especially while traveling or living abroad, Badoo is a reasonable choice.
How is Souldaters different?
Completely free, no credits
Souldaters has no premium tier, no credits, no boosts and no paid visibility. Seeing who liked you is free. Every filter is free. Nobody can pay to appear above you or in front of you, so the people you see are there because of compatibility and your filters.
Mutual match before any message
Nobody can message anyone on Souldaters until both people have liked each other. A like is private. Once it is mutual, chat opens. Unmatch or block closes the chat permanently. A daily like limit, a scam keyword filter, email verification and human review of reports add further protection. Learn more on our safety page.
Tribes and readable compatibility
Members join tribes, interest tags that double as groups with public pages and discussion boards. Around sixty are curated, from vegan, sober and health-oriented to expats, travelers, digital nomads, LGBTQ+, Latino singles, Black singles and Asian singles, and any member can create a new one. Shared tribes, interests, diet, goals, lifestyle and distance produce a soul-match percentage with reasons shown alongside.
Dealbreakers you control
Free hard filters include only vegans, vegans and vegetarians, non-smokers, sober or non-drinkers, no-makeup or minimal-makeup, people who exercise often, only with photos, only verified, only people sharing a tribe, and want or don't want kids.
Friends and dating, clearly separated
Choose dating, friends only, or both. Friends-only members appear only to people looking for friends, which keeps intentions clear. Friend matches also need a mutual wave first.
What difference does "no paid visibility" make?
On apps where people can pay to be seen more often, the profiles at the top of your feed are partly there because someone bought a boost. On Souldaters that cannot happen. The order you see people in comes from your filters and the compatibility score, which is built from shared tribes, interests, diet, goals, lifestyle and distance. It also means your own profile gets a fair chance without spending anything: a complete profile with good photos, honest lifestyle fields and a few well-chosen tribes is what helps the right people find you. That keeps the experience the same for everyone, whatever their budget.
Is Souldaters good for expats and travelers?
Yes, with a caveat. Souldaters is international and has tribes for expats, travelers, digital nomads and vanlife, plus city pages such as singles in Barcelona. Being new, though, it does not yet have Badoo's density in every city. Joining the relevant tribes and using friends mode are good ways to build a network when you arrive somewhere new. Our guide on making friends in a new city has practical steps.
What are the trade-offs?
Badoo's biggest advantage is size, and Souldaters cannot match that yet. Souldaters launched in 2026, is still growing, and in some areas you will see fewer people, especially with several dealbreakers turned on. It is an installable web app today, with native iOS and Android apps coming. If you prefer to message people without waiting for a match, Souldaters' model will feel slower, though many people find it calmer.
Features and pricing of other apps change often; check their site for current details.
Who is each best for?
| Souldaters | Badoo |
|---|---|
| You want everything free, with no credits | You want the largest international pool |
| You only want messages from mutual matches | You like a quick, casual, social app |
| Diet, sobriety, faith or lifestyle alignment matters | You are fine with optional paid features |
| You want clear friends and dating modes | You want a native store app today |
How to switch from Badoo to Souldaters
- Sign up free and verify your email.
- Choose dating, friends or both.
- Add up to six clear, recent photos and a short bio; answer three prompts with real specifics.
- Join tribes that describe your lifestyle, identity, faith or hobbies.
- Fill in diet, drinking, smoking, exercise and kids; set only the dealbreakers you truly mean.
- Like people you are genuinely curious about and wait for the match. Quality over volume.
Many people keep a large app for reach and use Souldaters for values-aligned connections. That is a perfectly good way to use both.
Frequently asked questions
What is a free alternative to Badoo?
Souldaters is completely free with no credits or boosts, only opens chat after a mutual match, and lets you match on shared values through tribes and free dealbreaker filters. Tinder and Bumble also have free versions with paid tiers.
Does Souldaters use credits or coins?
No. There are no credits, coins, boosts or subscriptions. Every feature is free for every member.
Can strangers message me on Souldaters?
No. Chat only opens after both people have liked each other. Likes are private, and you can unmatch or block at any time.
Is Souldaters available internationally?
Yes. Souldaters is an installable web app that works worldwide, with tribes for expats, travelers and digital nomads. Native apps are coming.