# Match Group tests cheaper Hinge tier, plans Q4 rollout > By Kim Harris | Edited by Bill Alena | Published: 2026-11-03T01:11:37.318743+00:00 | Section: Daily News | Source: https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/match-group-tests-cheaper-hinge-tier-plans-q4-rollout | Publisher: Dating Industry Insights (High Intent Media Inc) Match Group says Hinge is testing a lower-priced tier with extra filters and custom location boundaries, with a Q4 rollout expected. Hinge payers rose 23%. ## Key points - Match Group said in its 2 November 2026 prepared remarks that Hinge is testing a lower-priced subscription tier with additional filters and custom location boundaries. - Match Group expects to roll out the Hinge tier in Q4 2026 and said early testing has been encouraging, but it did not disclose a price. - Hinge Q3 2026 direct revenue was $221M, up 19%, with payers up 23% to 2.3 million and revenue per payer down 3% to $31.81. - TechCrunch reported CFO Steve Bailey said the Hinge tier is designed for women in particular and for price-sensitive users. ## Article - Match Group says Hinge is testing a lower-priced subscription tier with additional filters and custom location boundaries, and expects a Q4 2026 rollout. - The price was not disclosed in the 2 November 2026 prepared remarks. - Hinge Q3 direct revenue was $221M, up 19%, with revenue per payer down 3% to $31.81. - Hinge revenue growth has slowed from 28% in Q1 to 22% in Q2 and 19% in Q3. [Match Group](https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/companies/match-group) (MTCH) said in its Q3 2026 prepared remarks, filed with the SEC on 2 November, that Hinge is testing a lower-priced subscription tier. The company said early testing has been encouraging and that it expects to roll the tier out in Q4. It did not give a price. The wording in the filing was: "Hinge is testing a lower-priced subscription tier designed to give users more choice and control through features like additional filters and custom location boundaries." Match Group said the features resonate particularly well with women. ### The DII Take Hinge is the growth engine in Match Group's portfolio, and it is now trading some price for reach. That is a sensible move while payers are still growing at 23%, and a riskier one if the cheaper tier mostly attracts people who would have paid full price. Without a price or any figure on take-up, nobody outside Match Group can judge which it is. ### Growth is slowing while payers climb Hinge Q3 direct revenue was $221 million, up 19% year on year, while payers rose 23% to 2.3 million. Revenue per payer fell 3% to $31.81. Match Group put that decline down to discount optimisations and the test of the new tier, and said both were benefiting payers and direct revenue. Context matters here. Match Group's earlier results show Hinge direct revenue growth of 28% in Q1 and 22% in Q2, against 19% in Q3. Hinge Adjusted EBITDA was $88 million, up 40%. TechCrunch reported that CFO Steve Bailey said on the call: "It’s designed for women in particular, but also for price-sensitive users." That framing comes from TechCrunch's account of the call, not the prepared remarks. ### What to watch in Q4 Rival Bumble (BMBL) reported Q2 paying users down 16.4% to 3.2 million. Hinge's problem is a very different one. Match Group also said it is turning to Tinder monetisation in 2027, where Q3 payers fell 4% to 8.9 million; DII covered the [Tinder DAU turn](https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/match-group-reports-tinder-dau-growth-declares-dividend) earlier. Q4 revenue guidance is $865 million to $875 million. Watch for the price, and for whether revenue per payer falls further. - Match Group is accepting lower revenue per payer at Hinge, down 3% to $31.81, in return for wider paid reach, with payers up 23% to 2.3 million. - The undisclosed price of the Hinge tier is the missing variable; Q4 results will show whether cheaper plans lift or dilute Hinge direct revenue. - Match Group's stated Tinder monetisation push for 2027 suggests tiering experiments may extend beyond Hinge. **Sources:** [Match Group Q3 2026 Prepared Remarks, Exhibit 99.2 (Match Group / SEC EDGAR)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000891103/000089110326000161/mtch8-k20261102ex992.htm); [Match Group Announces Third Quarter Results, Exhibit 99.1 (Match Group / SEC EDGAR)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000891103/000089110326000161/mtch8-k20261102ex991.htm); [Match Group Announces Second Quarter Results (Match Group / SEC EDGAR)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000891103/000089110326000128/mtch8-k20260804ex991.htm); [Bumble Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2026 Results (Bumble Inc.)](https://ir.bumble.com/news/news-details/2026/Bumble-Inc--Announces-Second-Quarter-2026-Results/default.aspx); [Hinge tests a cheaper plan as users become more fed up paying for dating apps (TechCrunch)](https://techcrunch.com/2026/11/02/hinge-tests-a-cheaper-plan-as-users-become-more-fed-up-paying-for-dating-apps/) ## Key takeaways - Match Group is accepting lower Hinge revenue per payer, down 3% to $31.81, while payers grow 23%, so Q4 results will show whether a cheaper tier adds paying members or dilutes revenue. - Hinge direct revenue growth slowed from 28% in Q1 to 22% in Q2 and 19% in Q3 2026, which gives context for why a lower-priced option matters to Match Group. - Match Group's stated plan to focus on Tinder monetisation in 2027 suggests operators should expect further pricing and tier experiments across its portfolio. ## FAQ ### What is Hinge's new lower-priced subscription tier? Match Group said in its Q3 2026 prepared remarks that Hinge is testing a lower-priced tier with additional filters and custom location boundaries. It did not disclose the price. ### When will Hinge roll out the cheaper tier? Match Group said it expects to roll out the lower-priced Hinge tier in Q4 2026, after what it called encouraging early testing. ### How did Hinge perform in Q3 2026? Match Group reported Hinge direct revenue of $221M, up 19%, with payers up 23% to 2.3 million and revenue per payer down 3% to $31.81. --- Canonical: https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/match-group-tests-cheaper-hinge-tier-plans-q4-rollout Citation: "Dating Industry Insights" (https://www.datingindustryinsights.com)