Tribal
In short: Tribal is an Australian dating and friendship app founded by clinical psychologist Rachel Harker. It matches people on values and personality instead of swiping and hides profile photos for the first 72 hours. The company said in July 2026 that it had passed 12,000 downloads in Australia, and it also runs a separate platform for universities and workplaces.
Key facts
| Type | Dating app |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Website | tribalapp.com.au |
| Founder | Tribal was created by clinical psychologist Rachel Harker [Global Dating Insights, 31 March 2025] |
| Launch | Tribal was described as newly launched on 31 March 2025; it soft-launched in March and is on the App Store and Google Play [Global Dating Insights, March 2025] |
| Fact | Matching uses a 44-question questionnaire for dating and 33 for friendship, and photos are hidden for the first 72 hours after connecting [Global Dating Insights, 31 March 2025] |
| Users | Tribal said it had surpassed 12,000 downloads across Australia [Global Dating Insights, 21 July 2026] |
| Fact | A July 2026 update added AI Chat Assist, compatibility insights, advanced search filters, instant messaging tools and ID and selfie verification [Global Dating Insights, 21 July 2026] |
| Funding | A pre-seed raise is under way and Rachel Harker joined the Startmate Collective for support [Startmate] |
| Fact | Tribal is described as an Australian app, designed in Australia, with a press release datelined Sydney and website tribalapp.com.au [AAP/Cision, 18 August 2025] |
About Tribal
Tribal is an Australian app for dating and for making friends, founded by Rachel Harker, a clinical psychologist who previously worked one-on-one with young people on mental health. She created it in response to concerns about the effect of swipe culture. Tribal soft-launched in March 2025 on the App Store and Google Play.
The app matches users on values, interests and communication style rather than swiping. Users answer a questionnaire of 44 questions for dating or 33 for friendship, and the app shows compatibility on a visual "tribal map". Profile photos are hidden or blurred for the first 72 hours after a connection, and users can hear a match's voice through a voice memo feature. Tribal says AI filters check voice notes, text bios and photos before they are posted.
In July 2026 Tribal said it had passed 12,000 downloads across Australia. Its latest update added AI Chat Assist, "Why You Connect" compatibility insights, advanced search filters and ID and selfie verification. The company also runs Connect by Tribal, a separate platform for universities, workplaces and organisations that aims to reduce loneliness. Harker has said a pre-seed raise is under way, and she has taken part in the Startmate Collective.
Features and products
- Connect by Tribal: Tribal's B2B friendship-matching platform for workplaces and universities [Dating Industry Insights, 21 July 2026]
Stories about Tribal
- Tribal's AI Update: A Hedge Against Dating App Fatigue
Tribal, an Australian dating app, has added AI chat and ID verification and launched Connect by Tribal, a B2B friendship platform. - Tribal's 72-Hour Blur: Delaying Superficiality, Not Eliminating It
Tribal, a dating app launching this month, blurs profile photos for 72 hours after matching, with users messaging based on a 44-question assessment.
Questions about Tribal
Who founded Tribal?
Tribal was founded by Rachel Harker, a clinical psychologist.
Where is Tribal from?
Tribal is an Australian app, designed in Australia.
How does Tribal match people?
It matches on values and personality using a questionnaire, and hides profile photos for the first 72 hours after a connection.
What is Tribal?
Tribal is an Australian dating and friendship app founded by clinical psychologist Rachel Harker. It matches people on values and personality instead of swiping and hides profile photos for the first 72 hours.
Where is Tribal based?
Tribal is based in Australia.
Sources
- Global Dating Insights: Tribal launches with connections first, photos later dating approach
- Global Dating Insights: Australian dating app Tribal releases major feature update
- Startmate: A match made by values: how Rachel Harker is redesigning connection with Tribal
- AAP/Cision: Tribal dating and friendship app press release
- Dating Industry Insights