The service emphasizes uploading user-generated material in a variety of formats, such as photos, videos, voice recordings, and "prompts" as a way to express personality and appearance.

In 2011, founder and CEO Justin McLeod (alongside a team including Frances Haugen) founded a desktop service called Secret Agent Cupid, which allowed users to connect to Facebook and list which of their friends they had crushes on.

When making the app, McLeod spent much of the remaining money on a launch party in Washington, D.C., which enabled the company to obtain the next round of funding, saving it from insolvency.

[16][17] The application's popularity was boosted in 2019 when U.S. presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg revealed that he had met his husband on Hinge.

[18] Also in 2019, the company started Hinge Labs to research successful matches and fine-tune the app's compatibility algorithm and other features.

[25] Hinge allows users to filter potential matches based on traits such as height, ethnicity, and religion.

[20][34] In 2020, the app launched Hingie Shop, selling products that can be "destroyed," such as bath bombs and s'mores, in addition to apparel and jewelry.