Safety isn't a promise. It's mechanics.

We're not promising nothing will ever happen. We're showing what holds at which moment — from the minute you create an account to the morning after the meeting. And we show it for each side separately, because a woman and a man are each afraid of something different.

1. 1

   Before you even meet

   Elsewhere: Anyone can set up a profile in two minutes and nobody checks it.

   For her

   Every account goes through photo and selfie verification, between 18 and 21 with an ID as well. The person who sits down at your table is exactly the one from the profile.

   For him

   It works both ways. You're not sitting down with a photo pulled off the internet — the other side went through exactly the same verification as you.

   Only the verification provider and the Aperko team see your selfie, during the check. It never goes into your profile. We delete it with your account. You can delete your account and your data at any time in the app.

2. 2

   While you're choosing

   Elsewhere: Your photo is public to anyone who opens the app. And it's almost the only thing people choose by.

   For her

   You can keep your photo blurred; it's revealed only to the man you pick yourself. And before you meet, you see and hear him in a video he recorded for you.

   For him

   Browsing and sending interest cost nothing; the credit is only taken for a set meeting. And if you change your mind after her video, you simply don't suggest a time. Nothing follows.

   Profiles and photos are visible only to verified people inside the app. They aren't on the public internet and search engines won't find them. Location is shown only at neighbourhood level. A video is seen only by the person it's meant for, and we delete it within 24 hours after the meeting.

3. 3

   Before you set off

   Elsewhere: “Let's just do it at my place, it's close by.” And nobody knows where you're going.

   For her

   The man suggests up to three times, only from places we've walked through ourselves. You pick, or suggest your own. One tap sends a friend the venue, the time and your date's name.

   For him

   You make the booking, under your name, and you know the place in advance. We know you can talk there in peace and that nobody will short-change you at the till.

   The first meeting is always in a public place. No exceptions, and no pressure to move somewhere else.

4. 4

   At the table

   Elsewhere: Nobody knows where you are or who with. And if the other person doesn't turn up, tough luck.

   For her

   After the start you get a message asking “everything OK?”. If you don't reply within fifteen minutes, we let your friend know you haven't checked in — you set that contact up in your profile. SOS is at hand the whole time.

   For him

   If she doesn't come or cancels at the last minute, your credit comes back. Support gets in touch within 24 hours of your rating.

   You never exchange numbers. 60 minutes before the meeting a coordination panel opens: who's on the way, who has arrived, which table they're at and how you'll recognise each other. All of it runs in the app.

5. 5

   After the meeting

   Elsewhere: They have your number, they don't stop writing, and there's no taking it back.

   For her

   You both rate each other. Anyone who doesn't respect a no is finished on Aperko. You can report or block at any time, without explaining yourself.

   For him

   You rate her too, it isn't only her rating you. And your number stays hidden afterwards as well — whether you exchange numbers is entirely up to the two of you.

   Every report is read by a person, not by an algorithm.