How to get more matches on Coffee Meets Bagel (2024 Guide)

Coffee Meets Bagel's promise is that its algorithm delivers quality matches — or at least potential matches — each and every day. But because you only have a few potential matches to work with each day, it's especially important to transform them into a mutual match.

Coffee Meets Bagel has some unique features, but it's still a dating app. That means that many of the strategies that work on Tinder, Bumble, and other popular dating sites are going to work here, too. For example, you don't want to be lazy when creating your dating profile or choosing your pictures. And you want to put your best foot forward once you get a match and start a conversation! But how do you get those matches in the first place?

Here are 10 hacks to try.

#1: Create the best dating profile possible

Coffee Meets Bagel knows how stressful it can be to start with a blank page — so they offer prompts to get the ball rolling. Some are really general, like "I am..." and some get more specific. Be sure to look through all of the options and use the prompts that are best suited to who you are and what kind of matches you're looking for.

#2: Put thought into your photo choices, especially the first one

Your primary profile photo needs to do some serious heavy lifting — and getting that one element right will help everything fall into place. Dating experts suggest using a good portrait as your main pic - that means it includes a clear image of your face, plus some of your outfit and background. Think headshot, but with more style and personality.

#3: Send a message with your like

On Coffee Meets Bagel, you can send a message along with your like — and that's a great advantage! Even though you'll have already created an awesome profile, it doesn't need to speak for itself. Instead, you can send an eye-grabbing message to increase your chances of a mutual like that will become a match.

#4: Optimize your first message

Okay, so you're going to send a message, not just a like. But just sending any old message isn't enough! Now is not the time for a one-word opener like "Hey." This is your final chance to get her attention so you can have a real conversation. Take advantage of our ice-breaker and conversation-starter suggestions in order to get a match.

#5: Take advantage of icebreakers

In addition to your profile prompts, Coffee Meets Bagel will also ask you to enter a few icebreakers. These are essentially fun facts about yourself that may be used later on to spark a conversation with a match or keep a conversation going. Don't skimp out on these! Even though they won't initially show on your profile, they can make or break a conversation later.

#6: Know your niche

It's true in business and it's true in dating, too. If you're trying to appeal to everyone you won't appeal to anyone — you'll just seem bland. Don't be afraid to share your strange hobbies or interests. Sure, they might turn a few people off, but you wouldn't get along with those people anyway. Instead, your niche interests will excite the people who like the same things you do, and that's a match waiting to happen.

#7: Take advantage of your free beans

You get beans when you sign up for your account, and there are a handful of other ways to acquire free beans. Even if you aren't going to pay for extras, don't let your freebies go to waste. Keep in mind this extra purchasing power when a bonus feature would really count.

#8: Purchase beans

The CMB app is perfectly functional in its free form, but paying for extras can give you a leg up. "Beans" are CMB's in-app currency that you can use for a variety of extra features that may make using the app — and getting matches — a lot easier.

#9: Use beans to make an old match new again

Don't work twice as hard to get more matches if you haven't taken full advantage of the matches you've already gotten. Like Bumble, Coffee Meets Bagel puts certain timing limitations on conversations. CMB's theory is that if you haven't made a date in a week, it's not going to happen, and you lose access to your conversations.

But sometimes life gets in the way! If you had a conversation that was going well but didn't seal the deal in time, spend beans to reactivate the match and extend your chat.

#10: Use beans for bonus bagels

The Coffee Meets Bagel dating app is designed to make your work with fewer potential matches a day than the popular dating app you might be used to. And that's one of its benefits. But if you find that the potential bagels it gives you one day just aren't cutting it, you can use beans to pay for bonus bagels in your queue.

The balance of power on CMB can be a little hard to figure out. Men get more bagels per day than women do, but women are usually only shown people who have already liked their profile — which can be a big time saver. Here are our 7 best tips for girls.

#1: Understand who you're trying to attract

You'll primarily see the profiles of people who already like you — which makes it difficult to go window shopping. That means your profile, photos, and all, need to attract the kind of person you're interested in right up front. Make sure to tweak how you're presenting yourself until you start getting the kind of potential matches you're looking for.

#2: Keep being selective

The algorithm is doing a lot of the work for you, and that means you need to keep it on your side. Don't compromise by "liking" profiles you're not really interested in, or the app will get confused about what you like or what you're looking for.

#3: Fine-tune your Coffee Meets Bagel profile

The CMB dating platform gives you a handful of ways to express yourself to other users, and your profile is one of the most important tools you have. If you're not getting the kind of matches you're hoping for, the easiest (and most effective) thing to change is your profile. Maybe you're coming across as bland, not showing your personality. Or maybe you're not including enough details that would give the other person conversation starters to work with. Whatever the case, a little change to your profile can have big results.

#4: Choose the right photos

A few sexy selfies might have gotten the job done in the early days of Tinder, but dating apps have come a long way. Users are more discerning now, especially when looking for meaningful connections. There's nothing wrong with showing yourself at your best, but make sure your pictures are more than just hot. They should show what you're like, too. What can someone expect when hanging out with you? Show off your hobbies and personality whenever you can.

#5: Fill your profile with conversation starters

Ideally, people will not only like your profile, but they'll also send a message with their like. This is the best way for you to know who you want to match with, and also makes it easier to get the conversation started once the like is mutual.

Make it easy to message you, by planting as many conversation starter seeds as possible. That means making sure your photos illustrate your interests, and your profile mentions things you might have in common — like movies, music, sports, and other hobbies.

#6: Highlight your self-esteem

You don't want guys who are easily intimidated, so don't be afraid to show off your accomplishments. Talk about your passions and your ambitions, and you'll end up with matches who respect you and want to support you in life. Not just people looking for a hookup or some easy arm candy.

#7: Spring for a premium subscription

You can get pretty far on the free version of CMB, especially as a woman. But their no denying that when you gain access to premium features, dating apps get easier. So if you're frustrated by the results you're getting and have a little extra money to throw at the problem, try a Bagel subscription for a month or two and see if you think the difference is worth it.