New Dating App ‘After’ Tackles Ghosting with Accountability Features

A new dating app, After, launched in Austin, Texas, with a mission to reduce ghosting and create more transparent dating experiences. Founded in October 2023 by Katie Dissanayake, After introduces a unique feature: users must explain why they unmatched someone before continuing to swipe, promoting accountability and offering closure.

Katie Dissanayake, who spent years in the dating app industry, developed After after noticing issues with ghosting and dating fatigue in existing apps. Unlike other platforms, After encourages communication and provides prompts when conversations stall, ensuring that users stay engaged. If a match expires without communication, the user must select a reason for the lack of response from a predefined list. The app then generates a polite message to the other person, aiming to eliminate abrupt disconnections.

After’s standout feature is its anti-ghosting mechanism. If a conversation halts, users are nudged to reply. Additionally, the app ensures inboxes aren’t cluttered with inactive matches by prompting immediate conversations or expiring matches without interaction.

The app also includes dating guides to help users improve their profiles and overall experience. Features like “visitor” and “local” badges enhance transparency by indicating whether someone lives in Austin or is just visiting. In the future, After will offer opt-in mental health check-ins, encouraging users to reflect on their mood and take breaks if necessary.

After operates on a freemium model, offering basic features for free with options to buy extra features using an in-app currency called “petals”. For $19.99/month, users can access unlimited chats and likes.