Despite all the hubbub about dating app fatigue, new apps still pop up to compete with the household names. In order to duke it out with the likes of Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, these startups must try something new — even if it's technically not. 

One example is the dating app Cerca, which is about to turn a year old. Taking its name from the Spanish word for "near," Cerca aims to connect mutual friends. At a time when the major apps are trying to increase shareholder value and shove in AI features, focusing on human connection is a novel idea. (Almost.)

What is Cerca?

Cerca is a dating app you might not have heard of yet, but it's already gotten the media treatment, from college newspapers to the New York Times. Launched in March 2025, according to an article in Business Insider, Cerca seeks to combine mutual friends with privacy.

The tagline? "Date Mutuals, Not Strangers." 

But what's old is new again on Cerca. The "friends of friends" tactic was originally what Hinge was built on. Back in 2014, founder Justin McLeod (who recently left Hinge to start an AI dating service, Overtone), told Bloomberg, "We're introducing you to people through your friends like you would in real life when you go to house parties and dinners and weddings and the kind of places that you forge great relationships."

While Hinge eventually moved away from this model, this ethos makes sense for a new app. People are increasingly frustrated with major apps. If you scroll the dating side of TikTok, you'll see users quick to bemoan "The Apps" to their selfie camera. Last year, several daters expressed this sentiment, telling Mashable they wanted to meet potential partners in person. 

Meanwhile, major apps are rapidly implementing AI-based features. In the last year alone, Hinge has introduced Convo Starters, Tinder's AI personas, and Bumble announced AI-driven Profile Guidance and AI Photo Feedback features last week. 

It's not all AI, though, and it seems at least Tinder has picked up on the "mutual friends" angle. Tinder's latest CEO, Spencer Rascoff, said last year he wanted to move away from its hookup reputation to attract Gen Z users. Soon after, Tinder introduced Double Date, a feature to swipe with your friend.

How Cerca works

Cerca works differently from Tinder and other apps, however. According to its website, you first create your profile and sync your contacts. (Your contacts aren't notified that you're joining yet another dating app, thankfully.) Then, Circa only surfaces matches with a first or second-degree connection — aka, friends of friends. 

You're then free to "like" profiles, but the likes remain anonymous until both people have liked each other. As is written on Cerca's website, "We prioritize trust and safety — that's why we only pair you with mutuals. No unsolicited messages or catfishing. Because when it comes to dating, you deserve privacy, context, and confidence in who you're talking to."

As of this publication, Cerca has an average of 4.4 out of 5 rating on Apple's App Store, based on 1,300 ratings. It touts 170,000 singles — a far cry from Tinder's 50 million monthly users, but if you're sick of the biggest dating apps in the game yet don't want to totally throw your luck to bars and clubs, there are newer apps like Cerca.