Many online dating companies match people together based on a shared interest or a shared physical attraction. Yet some research suggests that people feel like they know each other better…when they share similar dislikes.
Enter Hater, an app created by former Goldman Sachs banker Brendan Alper that launched in February 2017. Originally, his concept started out as just a joke.
“I started in finance, and I quit to become a comedy writer, and Hater was actually a comedy sketch idea I had originally,” Alper told CNBC’s “On the Money” in a recent interview. “But when I told people about it, everyone just loved the idea so much that I figured this has to be a real app.”
Currently the Hater app has 4,000 topics such as cargo shorts, crocs, and vegan food. Like the Tinder dating app, people swipe through the topics, either right or left, to say if they like it or hate it. And if you don’t feel strong either way, you can skip it.
Hater’s algorithm then finds your best matches, and lets you see what that person loves and hates. The company even breaks down the top ‘hates’ per state.
Even if it started out for laughs, Hater’s success hasn’t been a joke. Alper raised $1 million in venture capital funding, and was even offered a deal from Mark Cuban when he appeared on “Shark Tank.” (Disclosure: Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to “Shark Tank.”)
While that deal didn’t pan out, the founder says Hater drew more than a million downloads from the Apple Store and Google Play.
Meanwhile, more people are embracing technology as a way to connect. According to Pew Research, 60 percent say online dating is a good way to meet people, up from just half that in 2005.
With more and more companies entering the space, the revenue continues to grow. In 2017, the electronic dating industry saw an estimated $1.3 billion in revenue.
So how much success has Hater had bringing people together?
“We don’t have any marriages yet, but it’s only been a year,” the founder told CNBC. “We do have people who have been dating pretty much a whole year.”
Alper added that one of their favorite success stories comes from a couple who had a mutual aversion of the Super Bowl. So instead of watching the game, they watched a movie, and made queso dip.
What are some of the top hates this past year? “Bullies, tangled earphones, and slow walkers,” said Alper.
Right now Hater is not making money, but the founder says they are working on monetizing through advertising, and is planning to roll out a premium subscription later this year.
For those people who are just not buying the concept of finding love through hate, Alper had this to say: “There are optimists and there are pessimists out there, and we really emphasize the fact that this is about hating stubbing your toe or a crowded subway. It’s not about hating groups of people or anything like that.”
On the Money airs on CNBC Saturdays at 5:30 am ET, or check listings for air times in local markets.
