Feels
Paris, FR · 11 known investors
Feels is a social and dating app that lets users create story-like profiles, add prompts, and send personalized direct messages to meet people who share their interests. It is aimed at consumers looking to connect over shared experiences.
Also known as Feels – Meet Friends & Dates · Feels Dating App · PENGYOU & CO.
Founders & leadership
Investors · 11
Also in the syndicate · 8
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Feels is a mobile dating and social networking application operated by the French company PENGYOU & CO. and positioned as being "strictly under 30": access is reserved for users aged 18 or over, and the product is framed around the idea that there are 628 weeks between the ages of 18 and 30. Instead of a photo catalogue with left/right swiping, profiles are story-like and full-screen, combining photos, videos, captions, stickers and answers to prompts; users advance through profiles with a swipe-up gesture and start conversations by reacting to specific pieces of content rather than using a like/dislike binary. Onboarding is deliberately long — roughly 15 minutes to build a profile, with a minimum of four photos or videos required and at least one clearly identifiable photo of the user's face.
The app's interaction model is defined in its terms of use: "Reactions" (Like, Message, or the premium DM), a "Good Vibe" when two users react to each other, which opens a Conversation, plus "Intentions" describing the type of relationship sought, Boosts for profile visibility, and Standouts, a daily personalized selection of recommended profiles. Marketing describes the product as broader than dating, covering friendships and interest-based communities and aiming to convert online connections into in-person meetings and real-life events.
Feels is distributed on the Apple App Store, Google Play and the Huawei App Gallery for iOS and Android. Registration is by mobile phone number with SMS confirmation, and users may hold only one active account. The app is free with optional paid tiers, marketed as Feels Fastpass and Feels Infinity subscriptions plus consumable DM and Boost packs.
Founding story
Co-founder and CEO Daniel Cheaib told TechCrunch that the founding team spent two years iterating on the app before a wider launch, motivated by the view that dating app profiles had seen little innovation over the previous decade and felt like browsing a catalogue [6].
Business model
Freemium mobile application: free download and free core features, monetized through optional premium subscriptions (Feels Fastpass and Feels Infinity) and one-off consumable packs of DMs and Boosts purchased through the app stores [2][4][5].
In-app purchases billed through the app store account. Listed premium subscription prices are $19.49 per month, $47.99 for six months and $61.99 for twelve months; Boost packs are priced at $6.99 for 2 Boosts, $11.99 for 5 and $26.99 for 15, with prices varying by country. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Premium features include seeing who liked you, priority likes, greater profile visibility, DMs, visibility and filtering of other users' Intentions, and an expanded Standouts selection [2][4][5].
Traction
TechCrunch reported 100,000 users in April 2021, with the company targeting one million users by the end of that year, and onboarding completion improving from 30% to about 75% of new users. Google Play lists more than 1 million downloads; the App Store listing shows a 4.3 average rating across roughly 2,000 ratings [2][5][6].
Latest developments
The Google Play listing, updated 2026-08-26, describes an expansion of the Feels Fastpass and Infinity plans, adding the ability to see who liked you, send priority likes, maximize profile visibility and use a new DM feature. Recent store copy also emphasizes in-person events and interest-based communities alongside dating [5].
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
A small entrant in a crowded dating app market dominated by swipe-based incumbents such as Tinder, Bumble and Happn, differentiating on profile format and an age-restricted under-30 audience. Google Play lists the app in the Dating category with more than 1 million downloads, and the App Store listing shows a 4.3 rating from about 2,000 ratings [2][5][6].
No swipe-left/right or like/dislike binary; full-screen, story-style profiles with video, text and stickers that the company compares to TikTok or Stories; conversations begin by reacting to specific profile content; an age ceiling limiting the community to users under 30; and matching around shared interests, values and in-person experiences [2][5][6].
Technology
Native mobile applications for iOS and Android (also distributed via Huawei App Gallery), with phone-number registration and SMS verification, in-app content creation for photo and video profiles, interest filters, geolocation-based discovery, and recommendation-driven daily profile selections (Standouts). The Google Play data disclosure states personal information may be collected, no data is shared with third parties, and data is encrypted in transit [2][4][5].
Go-to-market
Consumer app-store distribution (Apple App Store, Google Play, Huawei App Gallery) with acquisition driven by organic TikTok content and television advertising, following a strategy of investing in product before paid user acquisition; the company said it was focusing on France first [4][5][6].
Consumers aged 18 to 30 seeking dates, friendships or interest-based communities; the company describes its audience as a digital-native generation and initially focused on France [2][5][6].
Geography
French company headquartered per its app-store developer record at 9 PL Marechal Leclerc, 89000 Auxerre, France, registered with the Auxerre Trade and Companies Register; app available in eight languages with an initial market focus on France and distribution in the US app stores [2][4][5][6].
History
The app's operating entity, PENGYOU & CO., is a French simplified joint-stock company (société par actions simplifiée) with capital of 3,029 euros, registered in Auxerre under number 843 671 819, and sole operator of the Feels application and brand. After roughly two years of product iteration, Feels raised a $1.3 million (1.1 million euro) angel round and prepared a broader launch in April 2021, at which point it had 100,000 users. The website carries a 2021 copyright notice; the Google Play listing records an app update on 2026-08-26 [1][4][5][6].
Risks & controversies
Feels operates in a market it describes as crowded and competitive against larger incumbents. Public App Store reviews from 2021 and 2022 cite bugs in profile editing, features gated behind premium (such as changing location or seeing profile "animals"), limited gender and pronoun options, and unwanted messages; the developer publicly responded committing to fixes and a filtering feature [2][6].
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 3
launches, deals, and filingsA Google Play release note describes expanded Feels Fastpass and Infinity subscription plans, including seeing who liked you, priority likes, increased profile visibility and a new DM feature.
TechCrunch reported that Feels raised a $1.3 million (1.1 million euro) round from a group of business angels including a participant in Atomico's business angel program, Blaise Matuidi, Eric Besson, René Ricol, Ricardo Pereira, Yohan Benalouane, Nampalys Mendy, Julien Radic and Jean Michel Chami.
$1.3M source ↗
After two years of product iteration and improved retention metrics, the company said it was ready for a broader launch, planning user acquisition via organic TikTok posts and TV advertising with a target of one million users by year end.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Feelsfeels-app.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Feels do?
- Feels is a French dating and social app restricted to users under 30, built around story-style profiles and interest-based connections.
- Who founded Feels?
- Feels was founded by Laurent de Tapol.
- Who are Feels's investors?
- Feels's investors include Creator Ventures, Diaspora Ventures, Kima Ventures.
- Where is Feels headquartered?
- Feels is headquartered in Paris, FR.