The latest addition to the dating app scene is Cheers, a newly launched matchmaking app available to users in New York City. Founded by former Instagram engineer, Sahil Ahuja, Cheers sets itself apart by offering friend-matchmaking and social posting features to facilitate new connections.

Cheers (where almost everybody knows your name) puts a twist on the familiar mechanics of dating apps. Users can swipe through profiles and engage in direct messaging, all while leveraging their existing friend network to play matchmaker, letting users swipe on behalf of their friends, share profiles, and ask for introductions, removing the awkwardness of meeting potential matches online.  

Additionally, Cheers incorporates social media features such as photo sharing, letting users post as many images as they want, rather than being limited to the six or so photos that most dating apps allow. Ahuja believes that adding unlimited images, featured on a Instagram-style profile, will enhance the user experience, making the dating app more like a social platform. It also helps with the vetting process, since a potential match may be tagged in one of their friend’s photos.

Ahuja told TechCrunch, “I’ve talked to a lot of women who have felt that that’s actually something that is really beneficial for them because if they see people on there with a friend, it validates this is a legit person. They’re not sketchy. It’d be okay to go out with them in real life.”

Ahuja worked at Instagram for four years before venturing into the startup world to begin his web3 company, Soho, which was sold to Sound last year. It has always been his dream to build Cheers, but he wanted to work at Instagram first to enhance his skills. In a way, Instagram is its own dating app. More and more users have turned to the app to “slide into the DMs” of their latest crush.

The idea of a friend matchmaking app is not a new . Tinder attempted this in 2023 with “Tinder Matchmaker,” and Bumble has its “Recommend to a Friend” feature. Startups like Loop and Wingman also operate on the same principle.

Although friend matchmaking isn’t new, Cheers reflects the changing behavior of online daters, who are gravitating toward making more authentic connections. What better way to guarantee they’ll find a decent match than by relying on close friends who know them best?

Unlike the distant connections users may follow on Instagram or Facebook, Cheers takes a more personal approach. It requires users to exclusively invite individuals from their contact list, emphasizing a more intentional way of connecting. By restricting users to viewing only three matches per day, the app promotes deliberate and purposeful dating interactions, putting the user’s experience at the forefront.

As many dating apps experiment with AI, Cheers is utilizing ChatGPT to suggest which photos to post and generate captions. It also uses AI to help users set up profiles. However, the app prohibits AI-generated profile images. 

Currently, Ahuja is working alone on Cheers and is focused on improving the app before promoting it in new markets or hiring anyone. He plans to add paid features in the future but wants to wait until Cheers has reached 5,000 users.

The app has garnered 150 signups so far, and new users need an invitation from friends to join. It’s currently only available on iOS.