Amanina vs Salams: a Salams alternative for Arab singles in Canada
Salams is a Muslim app that began in the United States as Minder and is, by its own account, home to millions of members, many of them in the US and Canada. Amanina is a Canadian matchmaking app for the whole Arab table — Muslim, Christian, Druze, Jewish and secular — where a few introductions arrive with a written reason instead of a feed to swipe. Here is how they differ, plainly.
What Salams is
Salams launched in 2015 as Minder and took its current name in 2020. It is a Muslim app with a swipe-style feed: you see profiles with details such as sect, education and prayer level, indicate interest, and chat when it is mutual. It offers audio and video calls, a selfie verification step, a feature meant to discourage ghosting, and a networking mode alongside marriage. Its strength is a large, active North American Muslim membership built over a decade.
What Amanina is
Amanina is built in Ottawa for the Arab diaspora and everyone woven into it: Arab Muslims, Christians, Druze, Jews and secular members together, because Arab families are mixed and an app for them should be too. There is no feed. A small number of introductions arrive, each with a plain-language read of why this person and you might fit and the one honest question worth asking first. You answer "interested" or "not for me"; a conversation opens only when both say yes.
Family is a participant: a parent or trusted elder can be invited to take part in a structured way, and a mother can open the door for her adult child. Every member verifies they are a real person before being introduced to anyone, and heritage is part of your story, never a filter.
Where each one is honestly stronger
If you want a large North American Muslim pool with calls built in and a feed you can move through quickly, Salams has that. If you are Christian, Druze or from a mixed-faith Arab family, Salams was not built for you, and Amanina was.
If you would rather receive a few introductions that come with their reasons, keep your family in the room, and use an app in Arabic, English or Canadian French from a company based in Canada that holds data here, Amanina is built for exactly that. Using both is fine.
Price, install and privacy
Amanina is free to join, and introductions and conversations are free. It installs from your browser with no App Store or Google Play account. Photos are blurred until both people choose to share them, introductions show a proximity band rather than an address, and data is held in Canada under Quebec's Law 25 standard.
| Amanina | Salams | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Arab diaspora, multi-faith: Muslim, Christian, Druze, Jewish, secular | Muslims, any background |
| How you meet | A few introductions with a written reason; no feed | Swipe-style feed; chat when mutual |
| Family | A participant: invited in, sees what you share; a mother can begin for her child | Not a built-in role |
| Verification | Every member verifies they are a real person before any introduction | Selfie verification step |
| Languages | English, Canadian French, Arabic (full right-to-left) | English-first |
| Where to get it | Free from your browser, no app store; based in Ottawa | App Store and Google Play; based in the US |
Common questions
- Is Amanina a good alternative to Salams?
- For Arab singles in Canada who want explained introductions rather than a swipe feed, a home for Muslim, Christian and Druze families alike, and family able to take part, Amanina is built for that. If you want a large North American Muslim pool with calls built in, Salams has it.
- Is Amanina only for Muslims like Salams?
- No. Amanina serves Arab Muslims, Christians, Druze, Jews and secular members together. Your faith and observance shape who you are introduced to.
- Does Amanina have a swipe feed?
- No. A few introductions arrive with a written reason, and you answer "interested" or "not for me". A conversation opens only when both people say yes.
- Is Amanina free?
- Yes. Joining, introductions and conversations are free, and it installs from your browser with no app store account.