Summer
In short: Summer is a free dating app from 9 Count, Inc., a Los Angeles area consumer app company based in Marina del Rey. It launched in 2022 with a grid of nearby profiles and a 25 message cap per match, and later added an events based Social Club in Los Angeles. It is a small example of friction led, in-person focused dating products.
Key facts
| Type | Dating app |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Marina del Rey, United States |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Status | Unclear. The iOS listing was still on the App Store, and the website still promotes a Los Angeles Social Club. A third-party tracker says the Android app left Google Play on 18 March 2025. |
| Website | summerdating.com |
| Developer / owner | 9 Count, Inc. [Summer - More First Dates on the App Store] |
| Headquarters of parent company | Marina del Rey, California (9count described as a Marina del Rey-based tech company) [Younger daters are tired of swiping. A host of new LA startu, 12 October 2024] |
| Launch | Launched in 2022 by 9count; first released as Spark in May 2022, then renamed Summer [9count, maker of Wink and new dating app Summer, scores addi, 23 August 2022] |
| Core feature | 25 messages per match, after which the chat locks; explore page shows many profiles at once [Summer Social Club] |
| Pricing | Free to download with in-app purchases such as chat extensions (USD 0.99) and Super Likes [Summer - More First Dates on the App Store] |
| Social Club | Application-based Summer Social Club holds in-person events for the community in Los Angeles; website says it currently operates in Los Angeles [Summer Social Club] |
| Parent company funding | 9count had raised $27.5M to date, including a $6M extension to a $21.5M Series A [9count, maker of Wink and new dating app Summer, scores addi, 23 August 2022] |
| Company-reported usage (2022) | 9count claimed over 300,000 monthly active users and over a million registered users in August 2022; Sensor Tower confirmed its ranking claim based on July 2022 downloads [9count, maker of Wink and new dating app Summer, scores addi, 23 August 2022] |
| Android availability | Third-party tracker AppBrain says the Android app was unpublished from Google Play on 18 March 2025 [Summer Dating for Android - App Stats & Insights, 18 March 2025] |
About Summer
Summer is a dating app built by 9 Count, Inc., a consumer app company that LA Times reporting places in Marina del Rey, California. TechCrunch reported in August 2022 that the app launched as Spark in May 2022 and was later renamed Summer. 9 Count was founded in January 2019 by Alex Hofmann and Joe Viola and also makes the friend-finding app Wink. Summer began as a way to serve Wink users who wanted dating features. The App Store lists Summer as free with in-app purchases, including paid chat extensions and Super Likes.
The product differs from swipe apps in two ways. Instead of a one-by-one stack, it shows many nearby profiles at once on an explore page. Each match also gets 25 messages in total, after which the chat locks, which the company says is meant to push people towards a first date. The official site also promotes the Summer Social Club, an application-based group for singles that holds events in Los Angeles.
In August 2022 9 Count said Summer had more than 300,000 monthly active users, a company claim that Sensor Tower download data partly supported. Those figures are now old and no recent numbers have been published. A third-party tracker says the Android app was unpublished from Google Play on 18 March 2025, while an App Store listing remains. Dating Industry Insights has noted that none of the LA curated dating startups it covered has disclosed revenue.
Stories about Summer
- LA's Curated Dating Startups Bet on Scarcity. Will It Scale?
FROME, Lox Club and Summer, three LA dating startups, limit choice through conversation caps, events and applications, but none has disclosed revenue.
Questions about Summer
Who owns Summer?
Summer is made by 9 Count, Inc., which the App Store lists as the seller. LA Times reporting describes 9count as a Marina del Rey-based tech company.
How does Summer limit chats?
Each match gets 25 messages in total. When they run out, the chat locks, which the company says is meant to move people towards meeting in person.
Is Summer only a group-event service?
No. It is a dating app with an explore page of nearby profiles. Events are run through the separate Summer Social Club, which the website says operates in Los Angeles.
Is Summer still available?
An App Store listing was found, and the website still promotes the Social Club. A third-party tracker says the Android app was unpublished from Google Play in March 2025, so current availability should be checked with the company.
What is Summer?
Summer is a free dating app from 9 Count, Inc., a Los Angeles area consumer app company based in Marina del Rey. It launched in 2022 with a grid of nearby profiles and a 25 message cap per match, and later added an events based Social Club in Los Angeles.
Where is Summer based?
Summer is based in Marina del Rey, United States.
When was Summer founded?
Summer was founded in 2022.
Also known as: Spark (original name), Summer - More First Dates, Summer Dating, Summer Social Club.