The Willow App Review October 2026
Willow in 10 seconds
“Overall, Willow’s concept is truly unique compared to other dating apps. With Willow’s priority in building connections through conversation, you are sure to meet someone who shares the same thoughts and opinions. Willow’s conversation over appearance allows members to build a foundation for their relationship that is faceless and pure heart. If you are tired of the judgment and the fast-paced, roulette-type matching of other online dating apps, then Willow would fill your need. But if you feel like Willow is not for you, you can check out other apps that we reviewed in our Dating Apps category.”
Find out if Willow is the right service for you or if there are better options.
Better than Willow
Who is Willow for, and not for?
Willow pros & cons
What Willow really costs
Who is signed up on Willow?
Members and users of Willow App are interested in engaging with meaningful conversations, which are not necessary to be sexual and flirtatious. It's more of connecting with each other and sharing ideas with each other.
Regardless of the gender or sexual orientation, anyone can sign-up in Willow. However, there are some countries where the app is not available. You have to check the availability in Apple Store.
The site claims that there is less likely to have fake profiles in Willow.
Willow in detail
Signing up at Willow ★★★★★ 3.0/5
- You can only sign up via a mobile number or Facebook account
- A verification code will be sent to the number you provided if you signed up via mobile number
- Uploading a profile photo is not required nor encouraged
- You can choose and customise your own avatar
- Providing your last name and email is optional
- You can customise your notifications settings
- No email verification required
Registering an account with Willow is a quick and easy process. You can sign up via your mobile number, in which you will be sent a code that you need to input in Willow’s verification page. You can also register through your Facebook account, wherein your Facebook account details such as email and name will be synced to Willow.
After choosing which you want to use for your Willow registration, you will be redirected to a page where you need to input your first name, age, and gender. Then you will be asked for your last name and email address, which you can actually skip. The last step of your registration is for you to set when you want to receive mobile notifications.
Making contact on Willow ★★★★★ 3.0/5
- Post your own questions that other members can answer
- Answer posted questions to start engaging with other members
- Ignore messages that you don't like to answer
- Chatting is available
- Connect with a group of people in different communities
Establishing connections starts with answering questions posted by members which you can find from the app’s home page or by searching through tags in the ‘Discover’ tab. After answering a question, messaging will be unlocked for you and the member who asked the question. You can continue chatting by going to your inbox.
Most questions in Willow have tags so you can choose to answer whatever it is you are currently in the mood to share. If you are not interested in a question, you can simply swipe left and click the ‘X’ button that will appear. This will automatically remove that question from your timeline. When you want to answer a question, just simply click on it and write your answer in the field below. Or when you are just curious about other members’ answers, you can click the chat button found on the bottom right side of the question, and all the answers will be displayed through a list.
Profile quality ★★★★★ 3.0/5
- Profiles in Willow do not feature many information
- There is an ‘About Me’ box for your short autobiography
- You can choose from a list the traits you have which will be displayed on your profile
- You can choose an avatar symbol as your profile photo
- You can answer the questions posted by another member on the 'Questions' tab of that member's profile
- You cannot view another member’s photo gallery unless you have answered his or her questions and that member approved your request to view his or her gallery
The profiles in Willow only have three tabs. The first tab is the profile information which has three parts that are optional to fill out:
- Traits - this displays the traits that you chose from the ‘Traits’ list.
- School - features which school you came from. You have the option to put your school if it does not show up on the drop-down list.
- ‘About Me’ biography - this is a self-written paragraph that describes who you are.
The next profile tab is a list of questions which that particular member had posted on the ‘Questions’ tab.
The last tab is the ‘Photo Gallery’ which is hidden from members who have not yet connected to that particular member. Photo galleries can only be unlocked if you answer the member’s questions, and he or she agrees to reveal his or her photos to you.
In Willow, members do not have profile photos. Instead, they are represented by an avatar that best describes their personality. Members can upload photos to their photo galleries, but these galleries are hidden from other members until a connection has been established and there is consent from both members.
Our field test ★★★★★ 3.0/5
“I was an avid user of Willow a couple of years back. I use it whenever I get bored and just need someone to talk to. I had great conversations with people—no strings attached, just pure conversations. It was interesting that people there talk without the bias and judgment of how a person looks like. Just recently, I remembered the app and decided to create a new account since I’m now using a different number. I was a bit disappointed to find that there were very few people active in the app today. Last questions posted were days ago, unlike before, the questions were overflowing. Also, not many members upload photos on their galleries so there was nothing to unlock. I might delete the app now and just find another one with a similar idea.” - Bret, 25, NYC
Design & usability
Design and Usability
Willow has a clean and intuitive design. Whenever you open the app, you will be taken to the app’s home page. The home page features ‘Popular’, ‘Global’, and ‘Local’ tabs that have questions that are asked by Willow members. On the top left, you will find an icon that represents the ‘Settings’, and on the top right, a chat icon with a plus sign inside it can be found. This icon is the one that you press if you want to ask a question to start a conversation.
At the bottom part of the screen, there are five icons. The first one is for the home page, and the second consists of two arrows that represent your chat exchanges. The third icon is a magnifying class that means ‘Search,’ in which you can find questions based on popular or trending tags. The fourth icon is a chat bubble, where all your questions are listed as well as the answers you’ve received. Lastly, the fifth icon is for your profile.
Overall, the design of Willow is pretty straightforward, and you can find anything easily with just one click.
Compare Willow to alternatives
Looking for sites like Willow, apps like Willow or simply the best Willow alternatives? Here are the services that did better than Willow in our test, and below you can compare Willow side by side with any other dating site we have reviewed.
Better than Willow
Compare Willow with other dating sites
Willow and Hinge side by side. Add up to four services to the comparison, or remove one and type another name. All tested Dating Apps under the radar
Willow FAQ
What is The Willow App?
Willow is a mobile dating app that makes its members’ personalities shine over their appearance by facilitating discussions.
Who is the founder of Willow?
Entrepreneur Michael Bruch founded the Willow app.
How is Willow different from other dating apps?
Willow is different from other dating apps because connections are made solely through conversation and not appearance. Willow does not display profile photos, rather, images are exchanged when a conversation strikes between two members.
Who can join Willow?
Anyone in legal age can join Willow.
Is Willow available in desktop?
Willow is only available as a mobile app.,
How do I join Willow?
You can join Willow by registering using your mobile phone or your Facebook account.
Does Willow offer premium membership?
Willow does not offer a premium membership.
A user is abusing me, how do I block and report that member?
You can block an abusive user on Willow by clicking the ‘Block & Report’ button found on his or her profile.
How do I chat with other members?
You can chat with other members who have become your connections through your messages inbox.
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