# Feeld and Translr's Growth: A Case for Trans-Inclusive Design > By DII Data Team | Published: 2025-08-26T00:00:00+00:00 | Section: Data & Analytics | Source: https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/trans-inclusive-features-boost-dating-engagement | Publisher: Dating Industry Insights (High Intent Media Inc) Feeld's 70% trans user growth and Translr's 35% rise show trans-inclusive design isn't just ethical—it's commercially viable. ## Key points - Feeld recorded a 70 per cent growth in its trans user base over 18 months, with 179,885 users changing sexuality settings within a single year. - Translr reported 35 per cent user growth after introducing dedicated anti-fetishisation controls that allow trans users to filter out specific prospective matches. - Match Group lost $2 billion in market capitalisation last year as its paying subscriber count declined alongside broader online dating market stagnation. - Mainstream dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble offer expanded gender selections but lack features specifically addressing identity disclosure anxiety or fetishisation. ## Article - Feeld recorded 179,885 users changing sexuality settings within a single year, representing roughly a quarter of all adjustments - Feeld's trans user base has grown 70% over the past 18 months whilst the broader dating market stagnated - Translr reported 35% user growth after introducing anti-fetishisation features - Match Group shed $2B in market capitalisation last year as niche platforms demonstrate commercial traction The dating app industry faces a growth crisis. Match Group has haemorrhaged billions in market value, [Bumble](https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/bumble-lawsuit-over-preventable-data-breach) searches desperately for a turnaround story, and product differentiation has collapsed into minor variations on swiping mechanics. Yet platforms serving trans and nonbinary users are posting the kind of growth numbers that would make any product leader envious—and they're doing it by solving problems the majors have largely ignored. The numbers tell a striking story that goes beyond representation. Feeld, the kink-positive dating platform, saw nearly 180,000 users [adjust](https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/companies/adjust) their sexuality settings in twelve months. Translr, focused on trans users and admirers, grew 35% after rolling out features specifically designed to combat fetishisation. These aren't vanity metrics—they're evidence of genuine commercial traction in a saturated market. Person using dating app on smartphone ### Beyond the Dropdown Menu The features driving this growth aren't cosmetic—they're architectural. Translr's "I'm not interested in trans people" filter sounds counterintuitive, but it addresses a specific pain point: allowing trans users to pre-emptively exclude people likely to fetishise or harass them. Feeld has implemented similar controls around visibility and matching preferences that let users present different aspects of their identity to different audiences. That distinction matters. Adding "nonbinary" to a gender dropdown is trivial work. Building a system where users can manage disclosure on their own terms—deciding who sees what, when, and under what circumstances—requires rethinking core product architecture. > The difference between inclusive branding and inclusive design isn't semantic—it's the difference between a dropdown menu and a competitive moat in a market where differentiation has largely disappeared. According to data from the platforms themselves, these features correlate directly with retention and growth metrics. Feeld attributes its 70% trans user growth partly to "safety-first identity features" rolled out progressively since late 2022. Translr claims its 35% growth followed the introduction of exclusion filters, though the company hasn't disclosed whether this represents monthly active users, total registrations, or paying subscribers. Dating app profile interface on mobile device The scale of identity fluidity on Feeld raises a larger question about whether any dating app should treat identity categories as static at all. If roughly 1.8% of users felt the need to change how they present themselves within a year, that suggests either widespread experimentation or a recognition that rigid categories don't map cleanly to lived experience. Static identity categories may serve the matching algorithm, but they increasingly seem at odds with how people actually experience attraction and self-presentation. ### The Mainstream Response (or Lack Thereof) The major platforms have moved slowly. [Tinder](https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/tinder-names-vccp-uk-social-agency) introduced more granular gender and sexuality options in 2016, early by industry standards. According to reports published in 2025 referencing 2023 data, the platform saw increased engagement with these categories, though the company hasn't disclosed specific growth figures for trans users or conversion rates. [Hinge](https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/former-hinge-execs-raise-rodeo) and Bumble both offer expanded gender options, but neither has publicly highlighted features designed specifically to address fetishisation or disclosure anxiety. The features exist in dropdown menus; they don't reshape the core matching experience. That restraint likely reflects commercial calculation rather than oversight. The major platforms operate at scale across diverse markets, including regions where trans identity remains legally or culturally fraught. Building features that prioritise trans user safety could invite regulatory attention in jurisdictions where governments are actively hostile to LGBTQ+ rights. That's a trade-off smaller platforms don't face in the same way. > Feeld's 70% trans user growth happened whilst the broader dating market stagnated—platforms that once looked like advocacy projects with modest commercial prospects are now posting growth numbers the majors can't ignore. But there's a cost to that caution. Niche platforms are demonstrating that inclusive design can drive growth, user loyalty, and product differentiation. Translr's 35% increase came during a period when Match Group's paying subscriber count declined year-on-year. The competitive dynamics are shifting, and platforms [posting growth numbers that would make any product leader take notice](https://www.datingnews.com/apps-and-sites/dating-platforms-report-growth-as-trans-inclusive-features-roll-out/) are no longer fringe players. Diverse couple meeting through dating app ### What Operators Should Watch The question for the rest of the industry isn't whether to add more identity options—that's table stakes. It's whether to rebuild core product experiences around user control over disclosure, visibility, and matching. That's expensive work requiring rethinking of onboarding flows, matching algorithms, and content moderation systems. It also creates surface area for abuse. Any feature that gives users more control over who sees them can be misused for harassment or exclusion. Feeld and Translr have evidently decided that trade-off is manageable. Whether the majors will follow depends on how much growth they're willing to leave to smaller competitors. The identity fluidity data from Feeld also suggests a broader opportunity. If nearly 180,000 users changed their sexuality settings in a year, how many more would experiment with their presentation if platforms made it easier, more private, or less administratively awkward? [The next wave of differentiation in dating may come from identity infrastructure](https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/lgbtq-dating-app-market), not matching algorithms. Regulatory considerations will shape how far this goes. The UK Online Safety Act and the EU Digital Services Act both impose transparency requirements around content moderation and user safety that could complicate features designed to let users selectively disclose identity. Platforms will need to demonstrate that giving users control over visibility doesn't compromise safety or enable bad actors to evade accountability. For investors tracking MTCH, BMBL, and GRND, the implication is clear. The platforms [solving for the margins are finding growth the majors aren't](https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2025/12/03/trans-users-demand-safer-digital-love-new-apps-step-in-where-mainstream-platforms-fail/), and what looked like niche product development is becoming a blueprint for competitive differentiation in a stagnant market. - The business case for trans-inclusive design is now empirical, not aspirational—sophisticated identity UX creates competitive moats in a market where product differentiation has largely collapsed - The next wave of dating app differentiation will come from identity infrastructure that gives users control over disclosure and visibility, not incremental improvements to matching algorithms - Operators who treat inclusive features as nice-to-have rather than growth levers are ceding market share to smaller platforms that are solving for user control, safety, and identity fluidity ## Key takeaways - Dating app operators can drive user retention and competitive differentiation by building architectural identity infrastructure with granular visibility controls rather than superficial drop-down menus. - Investors tracking Match Group and Bumble should assess whether mainstream platforms can implement trans-inclusive safety controls without triggering regulatory scrutiny in hostile jurisdictions. - Compliance teams navigating the UK Online Safety Act and EU Digital Services Act must evaluate how selective user visibility features impact content moderation and safety mandates. ## FAQ ### How much did Feeld's trans user base grow? Feeld recorded a 70 per cent growth in its trans user base over an 18-month period, while 179,885 users adjusted their sexuality settings in a single year. ### Why did Translr see a 35% growth in users? Translr achieved 35 per cent user growth after introducing anti-fetishisation features, including exclusion filters that let trans users pre-emptively manage profile visibility. ### How much market value did Match Group lose? Match Group lost $2 billion in market capitalisation over the past year as paying subscriber counts declined during broader dating industry stagnation. --- Canonical: https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/trans-inclusive-features-boost-dating-engagement Citation: "Dating Industry Insights" (https://www.datingindustryinsights.com)