I Tried Stir for 30 Days: My Brutally Honest Review for Single Parents (2026)

Stir is a dating app a friend tried, and I’m sharing this experience so you know it’s safe and easy to use.

After 30 days of testing Stir, this single-parent dating app offers great features like “Stir Time” scheduling and parent-focused matching. However, at $17.99-$39.99/month, it’s expensive with limited local matches. Best for serious daters in major cities who prioritize safety over budget.

When my friend mentioned Stir over coffee, I was skeptical. Another dating app? But as a single mom juggling work and school pickups, the idea of dating people who understand that “free time” means “after the kids are asleep” intrigued me enough to try it for 30 days.

This is what actually happened—the good, the bad, and whether it’s worth your money.

Before we dive in, check out these related articles:

• The Complete Guide to Dating as a Single Parent
• Navigating a New Relationship as a Single Parent
• How to Talk to Your Kids About Dating

What Is Stir?

Stir is a dating app created by Match Group (the same company as Tinder and Hinge) exclusively for single parents or people interested in dating them. Launched in 2022, it targets 20 million single parents in the U.S. who feel underserved by mainstream dating platforms.

The promise: Everyone understands your Tuesday night availability between 7:30-9:00 PM isn’t “too restrictive”—it’s reality.

Quick Takeaways

• Stir Time scheduling genuinely helps coordinate busy parent schedules.
• Premium costs $17.99 to $39.99/month—expensive for single parents.
• Match quality is high, but quantity is limited in smaller cities.
• The free version is barely usable—you need a premium to message effectively.
• Safety includes phone verification and manual photo review.
• Location issues—expect profiles 700+ miles away regularly.

My 30-Day Stats

Setting Up: First Impressions

The signup took about 15 minutes. Stir asks:

Basic Info:

• Age, location, gender identity
• Who are you looking to meet?

Parent-Specific Questions:

• Number of kids (but not their ages—weird)
• Custody arrangement frequency
• Whether you want more children

Personality Prompts:

• “My perfect night without kids looks like…”
• “Sunday mornings I’m usually…”
• “My favorite guilty pleasure is…”

My Take: The setup felt parent-centric, which was refreshing. However, questions about “wanting more kids” were confusing—do they mean dating someone with kids or having biological children? This ambiguity caused issues later.

All photos undergo manual human review, and phone verification is mandatory. As a parent concerned about safety, I appreciated this.

The Stir Time Feature: Does It Work?

This is Stir’s headline feature—you mark your availability for each day in three blocks: morning, afternoon, evening. Matches can see when you’re typically free.

My Experience:

I marked Thursday evenings (when my ex has our daughter) and Sunday afternoons (when she’s at grandparents’). When I matched with David, we both had Thursday evenings free. We scheduled coffee within three messages—no back-and-forth calendar checking.

The Problem: Not everyone fills it out. About 40% of my matches had incomplete schedules, making the feature useless. Also, broadcasting your schedule to everyone feels uncomfortable from a safety perspective.

Verdict: Helpful when both people use it, but it puts pressure on women to be available.

Match Quality vs. Quantity

The Good:

Profiles felt authentic and intentional. Men included photos with their kids (faces blurred), talked openly about co-parenting, and seemed genuinely interested. One match, Marcus, answered the “guilty pleasure” prompt with “Staying up past 9 PM just because I can.” That honesty made me smile.

The Frustrating Reality:

Location problems killed my enthusiasm. I set my radius to 15 miles, yet 75% of profiles shown were 50-700+ miles away. For single parents who can’t relocate, this is a fundamental flaw.

By week three, I started recognizing repeat profiles. The specific focus means higher quality but fewer options.

Conversations: Better Than Average

The Good: Men initiated thoughtfully—“I see you’re into hiking—have you tried Canyon Trail with kids?” instead of just “Hey.”

Concerning: Some conversations revealed heavy loneliness. One match told me within five messages he was “tired of being lonely” and “just wanted to build a family.” Red flag.

Safety Note: Stir doesn’t offer background checks through Garbo (which Match Group owns). This feels like a massive oversight for a parent-focused app. I asked matches about being open to background checks—three understood, two seemed offended, and two ghosted.

The Cost: Breaking Down Pricing

This is where Stir becomes problematic.

Stir Pricing (2026)

Add-Ons:

• Profile Boosts: $2.99-$14.99
• Super Likes: 5-pack available.

My Assessment:

I paid $89.99 for a 3-month Premium. As a single mom on a budget, that hurt. That money could’ve gone to my daughter’s activities or groceries.

Reality check: You basically need a paid membership to use Stir effectively. The free version is so limited that you’ll miss most matches. But asking single parents to pay $17.99-$39.99 monthly feels tone-deaf.

Price Comparison

Would I pay again? Probably not for Premium. The Standard 12-month plan at $16.99/month feels more reasonable.

Safety Features: The Good and Missing

What Stir Does Well

• Phone number verification required
• Manual photo review by humans
• Partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Dedicated care team monitoring reports
• Zero-tolerance policy for harassment
• Easy block and report features
• Privacy settings for Premium members

What’s Missing

• No background check integration (major oversight)
• Can’t specify children’s ages
• Limited profile filtering options
• No way to hide Stir Time from non-matches

Stir vs. Other Apps

Save

Technical Issues I Encountered

• Lost messages if I navigated away while typing
• Can’t review profiles after liking them
• The location algorithm constantly showed out-of-radius profiles.
• Notification delays (sometimes hours late)
• Profile updates didn’t save properly.
• App crashed occasionally while loading photos.

For a Match Group app, these felt unpolished.

Who Should Use Stir?

Best For

• Single parents in major cities
• People seeking serious relationships
• Those comfortable spending $17-40/month
• Parents who value schedule understanding
• Willing to travel 30+ miles for dates

Not For

• Budget-conscious single parents
• Small-town or rural residents
• People want extensive filters.
• Those prioritizing verified backgrounds
• Anyone wanting casual dating.

Tips for Success on Stir

Profile:

1. Use all six photo slots.
2. Complete every prompt fully.
3. Fill out Stir Time completely.
4. Mention deal-breakers upfront
5. Update regularly for algorithm boosts.

Use Dating Profile Analyzer

Messaging:

1. Reference their profile specifically.
2. Ask open-ended questions
3. Balance honesty with boundaries.
4. Suggest meeting within 2 weeks.
5. Video chat before meeting

Safety:

1. Google their name yourself.
2. Keep kids separate initially.
3. Always meet in public.
4. Tell a friend your plans.
5. Trust your instincts completely.
6. Consider running a Garbo check ($2.50)

My Final Verdict

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

What Works

• Stir Time genuinely helps with scheduling.
• Everyone understands the parent lifestyle.
• Match quality is notably higher.
• Safety features above average
• Authentic profile prompts

What Needs Work

• Pricing too high for single parents
• The location algorithm is broken.
• No background check option
• Technical glitches are frustrating.
• Limited filtering options
• Small user base outside cities

My Recommendation

Try Stir if:

• You live in/near a major city.
• You can afford $17-40/month comfortably.
• You want to date other single parents.
• You’re patient with smaller pools.
• You want serious relationships.

Skip Stir if:

• You’re on a tight budget.
• You live in small towns.
• You need extensive filtering.
• Technical issues frustrate you.
• You’re okay dating kid-friendly non-parents

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Stir better than other dating apps for single parents?

Stir focuses exclusively on single parents, creating higher-quality matches but fewer options. If you value specificity over quantity, it’s better. If you need more matches, try Bumble or Hinge.

Q: How much does Stir cost?

Standard subscriptions: $16.99-$39.99/month depending on plan length. Premium adds boosts and Super Likes for similar pricing. A free version exists, but it is too limited for effective use.

Q: Is Stir safe?

Stir has phone verification, manual photo review, and a partnership with NCMEC. However, it lacks background check integration. Supplement with personal vetting and Google searches.

Q: Why does Stir show people far away?

This is the most common complaint. Despite setting a specific radius (like 15 miles), about 75% of profiles fall outside the preferred distance. The location algorithm needs major improvement.

Q: Can I use Stir for free?

Technically, yes, but practically no. Free users can browse and message mutual matches only. You’ll need a paid subscription ($16.99-$39.99/month) for effective use.

Final Thoughts

Using Stir reminded me that dating as a single parent carries a different weight. You’re not just choosing for yourself—you’re considering how someone might fit into your child’s life.

Stir understands this. That’s its greatest strength. But understanding alone doesn’t justify the cost, technical issues, or limited matches.

It’s one tool in the single parent dating toolkit—not magic, but worth considering if you’ve got the budget and live where there are enough users.

The best thing Stir did? It reminded me I’m not alone. Thousands of single parents are balancing their own happiness with their children’s needs, hoping to find someone who sees both sides—the devoted parent and the person with dreams and room for love.

Whether you find that on Stir or elsewhere, what matters is that you’re trying.

Your Turn

Have you tried Stir or other single-parent dating apps? What worked? What didn’t? Drop a comment and let’s help each other navigate dating while raising tiny humans.

What’s your biggest challenge with dating as a single parent?

Related Reading:

• Best Dating Apps for Single Parents: 2026 Reviews
• Single Parent Date Ideas: 30+ Ways to Connect
• Dating Profile Analyzer