Badoo
In short: Badoo is a freemium dating and social networking app, founded in London in 2006 by Andrey Andreev. It is now one of the brands of Bumble Inc., alongside Bumble and BFF, and is run in the UK through Badoo Trading Limited. It is one of the longest-running mobile dating products, and Bumble's shared technology base makes it relevant to the sector.
Key facts
| Type | Dating app |
|---|---|
| Owner | Bumble |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Status | Active. Parent company Bumble Inc. agreed on 13 October 2026 to be acquired by Ithaca Holdings; the deal had not closed at the time of research. |
| Website | badoo.com |
| Founded | 2006 (launched 14 November 2006 in London) [Bumble Inc. Form 8-K, 13 October 2026 / Wikipedia, 2006] |
| Parent company | Bumble Inc., which describes itself as the parent company of Bumble, Badoo and BFF [Bumble Inc. Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1, 13 October 2026] |
| Founder | Andrey Andreev founded Badoo in 2006; it launched as a web product [Wikipedia, 2006] |
| UK operating company | Badoo Trading Limited, company number 07540255, incorporated 23 February 2011, registered office 1 Blossom Yard, Fourth Floor, London E1 6RS, status active [Companies House, 23 February 2011] |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom [Wikipedia] |
| Ownership history | In November 2019 Andreev sold his majority stake in Bumble and Badoo to Blackstone, in a deal valuing the companies at $3 billion [Wikipedia, November 2019] |
| Portfolio focus | In February 2025 Bumble announced it would discontinue the Fruitz and Official apps by mid-2025 to concentrate on Bumble and Badoo [Wikipedia, February 2025] |
| Pending parent acquisition | Bumble Inc. agreed to be acquired by Ithaca Holdings in an all-cash deal valued at $1.3 billion; expected to close in Q4 2026 subject to regulatory approval [Benzinga, 13 October 2026] |
| Business model and platforms | Freemium; available on iOS, Android and the web; 47 languages [Wikipedia] |
About Badoo
Badoo is an online dating and social networking service that began as a web product in London in November 2006. It was founded by Andrey Andreev and later added mobile apps, with a US launch in 2012. Bumble Inc. describes Badoo as one of the pioneers of web and mobile dating products. The service works on a freemium model, so core features are free to use, and it is available on iOS, Android and the web.
Ownership has changed over time. In 2014 Andreev partnered with Whitney Wolfe Herd to build Bumble on Badoo's infrastructure. In November 2019 he sold his majority stake in the group that held both brands to Blackstone. Badoo is now one of the brands of Bumble Inc., which also owns Bumble and BFF. The UK operating company is Badoo Trading Limited, incorporated on 23 February 2011, with a registered office in London E1. In February 2025 Bumble said it would close its Fruitz and Official apps to concentrate on its two core brands, Bumble and Badoo.
On 13 October 2026 Bumble Inc. announced a definitive agreement to be acquired by Ithaca Holdings in an all-cash deal valuing it at $1.3 billion. The deal would take Bumble private, and the companies expected it to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approval. Badoo's ownership therefore looks set to change again. Dating Industry Insights has also reported an unverified claim by a threat actor about the sale of Badoo account data. Badoo had not confirmed or denied it at the time of that report.
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Stories about Badoo
- Badoo's Alleged Data Breach: A Decade of Ignoring Security Lessons
A threat actor claims to be selling data from 51 million Badoo accounts. The claim is unverified, and Badoo has not confirmed or denied a breach.
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Questions about Badoo
Who owns Badoo?
Badoo is a brand of Bumble Inc., which also owns Bumble and BFF. On 13 October 2026 Bumble Inc. agreed to be acquired by Ithaca Holdings. The deal had not closed at the time of writing.
When was Badoo founded and by whom?
Andrey Andreev founded Badoo in London in 2006. Bumble Inc. filings give 2006 as the founding year.
Where is Badoo based?
Badoo is based in London. Its UK company, Badoo Trading Limited, has a registered office in London E1.
What is Badoo?
Badoo is a freemium dating and social networking app, founded in London in 2006 by Andrey Andreev. It is now one of the brands of Bumble Inc., alongside Bumble and BFF, and is run in the UK through Badoo Trading Limited.
When was Badoo founded?
Badoo was founded in 2006.
Also known as: Badoo App and Other, Badoo Trading Limited.