A dating app reviewer with over a decade of experience testing platforms like Bumble, Hinge, and OkCupid spent two weeks testing Hily, an app whose name stands for “Hey I Like You.” The reviewer, a 32-year-old based in New York City, found the app delivered on its promise of building connections through compatibility rather than just physical attraction, though with some honest drawbacks.
What is Hily
Hily is a dating app designed for both casual and serious relationships. Its main user age group is 18 to 30, and it holds a 4.4 out of 5.0 rating on the App Store. Available on iOS and Android, the app sets itself apart by focusing on compatibility, shared interests, and conversation tools as the foundation of its matching experience.
Instead of asking users to judge a person on a handful of photos, Hily builds in layers of context. These include interest badges, dating goal signals, compatibility scores, and built-in icebreakers. The reviewer noted this makes decisions about matching based on more than a first physical impression.
How to use Hily
Setting up a profile involves adding photos, a bio, and interest badges that signal hobbies, values, and relationship goals. Dating goal indicators are displayed directly on profiles, so users can see at a glance whether someone wants something serious or casual. The app’s algorithm uses these badges to curate the Discover page.
Swiping on Hily uses an up and down motion instead of the traditional left and right. Swiping up means like, and swiping down means pass. The reviewer found this vertical motion slows users down enough to read a bio before making a decision, encouraging more thoughtful engagement than the reflexive flick most apps rely on.
The Discover page refreshes every 24 hours and is divided into three curated sections: Top Picks, profiles with shared interests, and profiles with similar dating goals. Unlike the main feed, which can feel like an infinite scroll, the Discover page creates natural stopping points. The reviewer described this as browsing a curated selection rather than an endless stream, making the experience feel less overwhelming and more purposeful.
The Likes page organizes all incoming likes in one place, with a separate tracker for likes the user has sent. This dual-tracking system eliminates the guessing game common on most apps. About 20 likes are available at once, and users must use an “Unblur” to access more. These can be won in a daily Roulette spin or purchased with a paid membership.
Once a match is made, Hily surfaces shared interests within the chat and offers pre-generated conversation starters, questions, and icebreakers. Users can send generic openers like “heeeey,” but the app also curates more interesting options, such as compliments, pick-up lines, or questions to start the conversation.
The compatibility check is a full quiz of 50 questions. Scores shift meaningfully as more questions are answered. The reviewer strongly recommended completing all 50 before drawing any conclusions. Once finished, users can see where they click with a match and what might be an issue.
Verification requires a selfie that matches profile photos, ensuring the person chatting actually looks like their pictures. Users can choose to interact only with verified profiles, a feature the reviewer noted as meaningful for women navigating online dating.
Experience dating on Hily
The reviewer downloaded Hily for two weeks of testing. While the top priority was match quality, the overall user experience quickly impressed. It was easy to pick up the flow of moving through profiles, even after spending most time on apps that encourage quick left or right swipes.
The app felt organized, with multiple ways to find a potential match. Users can opt for the general pool of matches, which requires more involvement, or the curated Discover page and pared-down Likes page. The reviewer was drawn to the latter two. Dating in New York City often feels like being tossed into an endless pool of suitors. By reducing who was visible to scroll, the reviewer found time to look at profiles instead of following a gut instinct to skip.
The Discover page became a daily ritual. The three-section structure made browsing feel purposeful rather than passive. The reviewer noted a psychological difference between being presented with 500 profiles and being presented with 15 people the app thinks the user will genuinely connect with. When needing the confidence of knowing a match would happen, the Likes page was helpful, as every potential match had already expressed interest.
The compatibility quiz was a favorite feature. When finding a profile, users can run a quiz to see how well profiles align. If the percentage is high, users can share it with another profile as a starting point for connection. However, the reviewer advised finishing the entire compatibility quiz before using this feature. After answering only about 15 questions, the reviewer found a profile with a 100% match, but after completing all 50 questions, that same profile dropped to 69%. The lesson was to finish the full quiz first.
The reviewer noted the U.S. user base is still growing. Even in New York City, a 20-mile radius was needed to find matches. Mega Crush, a feature similar to a super like that signals serious interest, is part of the paid subscription, but users can win them through a daily roulette wheel.
