You know the loop. Swipe for an hour, match with a few people, send a “hey”, wait. Talk to someone for a week, and then they’re gone. Nobody means any harm. It’s just what happens when everyone is talking to thirty people at once and a like costs nothing.
So we asked a different question. Not “how do we keep people swiping?”, but “what would make one good conversation more likely?”
Fewer people. Better conversations.
The answer turned out to be a handful of simple rules:
- Three people a day, so you actually read them.
- One hello a day, a real first message about something they wrote or shared.
- Never more than three conversations, so if someone is talking to you, they’re paying attention.
- A private decision on day 3, so nobody is left wondering where things stand.
And because chemistry shows up in person, not in a profile, Lately gently nudges you to meet once a conversation is going well. The best thing we can do for you is get you off the app.
Why “Lately”?
Because “what have you been up to lately?” is how good conversations start. It’s curious, casual and warm, and it’s about who you are right now, not who you were in a photo from three years ago. That’s also why you can share moments from your week.
We started out as Vonk. The idea hasn’t changed, only the name: Lately says what the app is about. The little spark in our logo is a nod to Vonk.
What we promise
- We’ll never sell your data.
- We’ll never sell more hellos, more chats or a better spot in someone’s three. Lately Plus helps keep us going; the rules are the same for everyone.
- We’ll keep it kind. Read how in Safety.
What have you been up to lately?
Tell someone who actually wants to know.