Rachel Hamilton, junior mechanical engineering major, reviews the Algo Dating website on her iPad near the Reflecting Pond on UCF’s campus on Oct. 13. Hamilton is developing a dating app that prioritizes users’ compatibility based on their interests.
Profile after profile, swipe after swipe, Rachel Hamilton said she grew frustrated with mainstream dating applications and decided to develop a new dating platform.
Algo Dating, a dating app designed to connect users through shared interests, is being developed by Hamilton, junior mechanical engineering major, ahead of its planned January 2027 launch in the Orlando area as an alternative to other dating apps.
Hamilton began developing Algo dating in 2025. She said she disliked the way most popular apps approached matchmaking and wanted to eliminate endless swiping features.
“I wanted to create something that was different, so I decided to go ahead with Algo and match by your values instead,” Hamilton said. “It’s not just an endless supply of random people that you don’t get along with.”
Algo, short for algorithm, matches users with a curated selection of potential connections who have similar perspectives and priorities based on their answers to questions about their interests and preferences, Hamilton said. Users will receive up to 12 matches per week, with new matches available on Sundays.
Dr. Grace White, senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology, whose research is focused on romantic relationships and personality, said the design of some dating apps can make it difficult for users to see potential matches as real people.
“The negative side of online dating is the gamification of swiping left and right,” White said. “Not really seeing a profile as a person, but more as a token.”
Hamilton said her app is the ‘antithesis’ to typical dating apps that consist of swiping, liking and paywalls.
The app’s main features will be free, with an optional subscription offering additional profile insights about themselves and others.
“I don’t believe that love itself should be paywalled like it is,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton said she spends about 20 hours a week developing the app while also enrolled in classes full time.
Algo Dating, a dating application designed to connect users through shared interests, is being developed by a UCF student ahead of its planned January 2027 launch in the Orlando area as an alternative to mainstream dating apps. This package aired on the Oct. 23 webcast, anchored by Edgar Rodriguez.
Beyond its matchmaking system, Hamilton said she is considering adding a gift-giving feature that would allow users to send hand-drawn cards, an idea inspired by her Japanese heritage.
Durham Fischbach, freshman mechanical engineering student, described existing dating apps as a superficial way to meet people.
“I think especially that it’s more like personality and interest focused is something I personally value more than just surface level, like whatever nonsense,” Fischbach said.
White said shared interests can help people connect but do not guarantee compatibility.
“Shared interest is absolutely a starting point and a strong foundation for developing a relationship,” White said.
Hamilton said her next steps include consulting an attorney about legal compliance, particularly regarding responsible handling of user data, conduct testing and gathering feedback from the beta. She plans to open the beta version before the end of 2026 with 200 users who have already signed up for it, but an official launch date is still not known.
The app will be available on iOS and Android devices. Algo dating will initially target the Orlando area, including UCF, before later expanding to greater Central Florida.
“I hope to honestly see that it really takes over the Orlando area,” Hamilton said.
