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Published by Zawjni · Last updated

Looking for a Hawaya Alternative? Here's Where to Go Now

Hawaya (formerly Harmonica) — the Match Group-owned Muslim matrimony app popular across Egypt and the Arab world — shut down on 15 February 2023. If you used it or are searching for it, it's no longer available. Zawjni (زوجني) is a modern, Arabic-first alternative built around the same values Hawaya's users cared about: serious marriage, family involvement, and privacy. We're upfront: Zawjni is our product, and this page is written for people Hawaya left behind.

What happened to Hawaya

Hawaya started as Harmonica, an Egyptian marriage app, and was acquired by Match Group (the owner of Tinder and Hinge) in 2019 and rebranded. In January 2023 Match Group announced it would close Hawaya on 15 February 2023 to focus on its other brands. The app is gone, and its mostly-Egyptian community of serious, marriage-minded users was left without a like-for-like home.

What Hawaya offered, and Zawjni's equivalent today

FeatureHawaya (closed 2023)Zawjni (today)
Status
Shut down 15 Feb 2023
Active, independently run
Focus
Serious Muslim marriage, Egypt-strong
Serious Arab Muslim marriage, Arab-wide
Language
Arabic + English
Arabic-first, English secondary
Family / guardian involvement
Guardian feature (Harmonica heritage)
Optional wali can be kept informed
Privacy
Photo controls
Photo privacy controls (blur / selective reveal)
Verification
Photo / selfie verification
Free optional selfie verification (verified badge)
Cost
Freemium (discontinued)
Free to join, message on the free tier
Availability
No longer available
Available now — modern web app, installable (PWA)

What to look for in a Hawaya replacement

Hawaya's users tended to value three things: a serious, marriage-only tone (not casual dating), respect for family involvement (a guardian who can be part of the process), and privacy and safety, especially for women. A good replacement should carry those forward rather than feel like a generic swipe app.

It also helps if the platform is Arabic-first rather than an English app with Arabic bolted on, and if it reaches beyond one country so the pool doesn't feel empty.

Why Zawjni fits ex-Hawaya users

  • Serious-marriage focus — Zawjni is built for people looking for a spouse, not casual dating.
  • Family-friendly — an optional wali (guardian) can be kept informed, the way Hawaya's guardian users expected.
  • Privacy and safety — photo privacy controls (blur and selective reveal) and free optional selfie verification with a verified badge.
  • Arabic-first and Arab-wide — designed RTL for Arabic speakers across Egypt, the Gulf, the Levant, and North Africa, with a full English option for the diaspora.
  • Free to join — browse, like, and message on the free tier.

Other options worth knowing

Since Hawaya closed, the main Muslim matrimony apps still running are Muzz (the largest, global), Salams (English-primary, now also Match Group-owned), and Arabic sites like Zawjni. Muzz has the biggest global pool; Zawjni is the Arabic-first, Arab-focused choice with a usable free tier. It's free to try more than one.

Frequently asked

Is Hawaya still working?
No. Hawaya shut down on 15 February 2023. Its owner, Match Group, closed it to focus on other brands, so the app is no longer available.

What is the best alternative to Hawaya?
For an Arabic-first, serious-marriage experience with guardian and privacy features similar to what Hawaya offered, Zawjni is a strong fit. Muzz is the largest global Muslim app if you want the widest pool.

Was Hawaya the same as Harmonica?
Yes. Hawaya started as Harmonica, an Egyptian marriage app, which Match Group acquired in 2019 and rebranded as Hawaya before shutting it down in 2023.

Is Zawjni free like Hawaya was?
Zawjni is free to join, and you can browse, like, and message on the free tier. Premium unlocks extra features but is not required to get started.

Does Zawjni have a guardian (wali) feature?
Yes. Zawjni has an optional wali feature so a guardian can be kept informed, similar to the family-involvement approach many Hawaya users valued.

Is Zawjni available in Egypt and the Gulf?
Yes. Zawjni is Arabic-first and built for the whole Arab world, including Egypt, the Gulf, the Levant, and North Africa, plus the Arabic-speaking diaspora.

Move on from Hawaya

Serious marriage, optional guardian, privacy controls, free to join. Built for the whole Arab world, RTL-first.

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