Gen Z daters are rejecting compatibility vetting for 'vibe dating', which threatens the algorithmic matching model of Match Group and Bumble.
Tawkify has launched Arrows.com, a matchmaker-led dating platform with no swiping and 30-minute video dates. Pricing has not been disclosed.
Feeld has published the second issue of its AFM print magazine, featuring Nan Goldin, as it bets on cultural positioning over growth.
QuackQuack says it has crossed 40 million registered users, but has not disclosed churn, DAU/MAU or active user figures for its India dating app.
Research claims nearly 942,000 UK singles downplay achievements in dating profiles, but self-reported data and onboarding design raise questions.
Apple removed gay dating apps Blued and Finka from China's App Store after a regulator order, and BlueCity Holdings shares fell 8.3%.
82% of Gen Z and 87% of millennials use AI to write dating messages or build profiles, according to a survey of 1,559 US respondents.
QuackQuack has launched Rebounce, a dating app for divorced, separated and widowed users in India, with plans from free to ₹2,499/month ($30).
Match Group's Q3 revenue rose 2% to $914M and adjusted EBITDA fell 12%, as it spent $550M on buybacks year-to-date and settled a Tinder lawsuit.
Tinder is testing camera roll AI in Australia and New Zealand, a pilot Match Group says costs about $14 million in foregone revenue.
Hinge beat Bumble in monthly app store revenue for four consecutive months to September 2024, a first on record, per Appfigures data.
A ResumeBuilder.com poll says 34% of dating app users used the apps for networking in the past year, a trust problem for Match Group.
The FBI warns that fake verification sites are being used to scam dating app users out of ID and payment details, often with recurring charges.
Facebook Dating's US user base among 18-29 year olds grew 24% year-on-year, according to data shared with TechCrunch. The product is free.
Tinder now requires video selfie verification for new users in eight markets. Match Group claims it cut 'bad actor' exposure by 60% in test markets.
Bumble's US daily active users fell 6.4% year-on-year, more than Tinder's 5% drop, according to Apptopia. Q3 earnings are due on 5 November.
Nicky Wake has turned an acquired white-label platform into an incubator for niche dating apps, offering founders shared tech and equity deals.
70% of UK singles say a partner's environmental values matter, but only 10% consider sustainability on first dates, a survey of 2,000 finds.
Spanish singles are leaving dating apps: 61% report feeling drained, and Madrid agency SamSara says 80% of its clients are former app users.
Life360 claims 95% of American couples use location-sharing, but Australia's eSafety Commissioner found only 13% say partner tracking is justified.
66% of Indian dating app users never meet matches in person, according to a 2024 YouGov survey, raising questions for Tinder and Bumble's India growth.
Brazilian non-monogamy dating app Ysos is expanding into six Latin American markets after 1.2 million registrations in Brazil.
Match Group is making facial verification mandatory for all US Tinder users, using FaceTec scanning technology through its Face Check feature.
A Gleeden and IPSOS survey found 59% of India's long-distance respondents say festivals make distance harder. Only 21% say technology helps.
MediaForEurope's €1.8bn ProSiebenSat.1 takeover has triggered the sale of ParshipMeet Group, which operates dating brands in 25 countries.
Loqbox research finds 98% of UK adults say money belongs in relationships, but 80% say admitting debt is harder than saying 'I love you'.
Tinder now requires facial verification for all new California users, and Match Group stores encrypted face maps permanently.
Nexuus launches in mid-November as India's first AI voice-based dating app. It claims vocal analysis predicts compatibility but has published no validation.
Tinder's 2024 revenue was $2.06B, up 1%, while paying subscribers fell 7%, per Match Group. YPulse says 79% of Gen Z singles feel burnt out on apps.
A Lovehoney survey of 2,000 UK adults found 41% of Gen Z would be put off by a partner's 'body count', versus 16% of Gen X and older adults.
54% of US singles call AI chatbot romance cheating, against 55% for emotional bonds with a person, a Plenty of Fish survey of 2,000 people found.
Spark launched in-chat venue booking in Singapore and Thailand, targeting $1.5M in annual revenue from subscriptions and 10-15% venue commissions.
Global Dating Insights has confirmed four events through 2027, in New York and London, a 24-month window, but has not announced speakers, venues or pricing.
Match Group is testing daily match limits on Tinder, according to TechCrunch, as Cerca's four-a-day model draws 85,000 downloads in six months.
Knot.dating claims operational profitability within six months of launch, with women 60% of paying subscribers, according to its founders.
Ourtime research reportedly shows 68% of users rate travel compatibility essential, but its methodology is undisclosed and it launched with new travel features.
Bharat Matrimony has invested $500,000 in AI startup Ask My Guru to add Vedic astrology compatibility to its matchmaking engine, regulatory filings show.
Grindr is in talks to go private at a roughly $3 billion valuation after lender Fullerton Financial Holdings seized shares from its majority owners.
Men go on 48% more dates than women, according to DatingNews.com and the Kinsey Institute, pointing to women withdrawing from dating apps.
A Credit One Bank survey says one in five Gen Z and Millennial singles want credit scores on dating profiles. Its methodology was not disclosed.
London dating app Sonder has replaced text prompts with visual mood boards and has no subscription tiers, but has not disclosed how it will earn money.
Grindr CEO George Arison says rivals' paywalls of £20-40 a month are pushing Gen Z off dating apps, in comments to Bloomberg.
Users now treat dog photos as a possible deception, and the story says Match Group and Bumble lack tools to verify lifestyle claims beyond identity and photos.
Plenty of Fish says 42% of UK singles now combine first dates with errands like grocery shopping, a trend it calls "choremancing", in its annual trends report.
Grindr has named John North, formerly CFO at Copart, as its new CFO, replacing Vanna Krantz, in a move that points to a focus on profitability.
Breeze has added sign language matching, letting users specify BSL, ASL, Auslan and others, which Match Group and Bumble do not offer as a filter.
Plenty of Fish says 71% of 2,000 US singles surveyed in December prioritise immediate chemistry over checklists, and 63% want clear relationship labels.
Hinge now removes individual photos, prompts or videos that break guidelines instead of suspending accounts, but has given no data on safety impact.
Gaydar has migrated to HubPeople's white-label infrastructure, and says it ended six-figure annual tech costs and gained 4× return on ad spend.
A meta-synthesis of 21 studies found eight motivations for using dating apps, with finding a partner alongside entertainment and passing time.