Dating site market share

The online dating industry has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 1959. At this time, two Stanford students matched 49 pairs of men and women using a punch card questionnaire processed by an IBM 650 mainframe computer. This became the first-ever recorded computer-aided matchmaking.

Today, top online dating sites and matchmaking services are using complex algorithms to match millions of users together from a sea of prospective candidates. The technology behind the industry has gone to new heights, as has the revenue it has made. This is far from the first matchmaking project that was never commercialized.

In this article, we present all the crucial online dating statistics related to the industry in the United States and abroad. In this way, you will have a grasp of how this constantly growing market is poised to become bigger.

Global Online Dating Industry Statistics

Everything changed when the COVID-19 pandemic came. Virtually every industry underwent massive changes, with some of them likely to be long-lasting. This includes the online dating industry, which has been growing since 2017 at a really high pace. While every other industry seems to have mostly been negatively affected by the outbreak, the online industry has gotten stronger.

The Industry is Stable, Confident, and Growing Strong

• In 2017, the worldwide online dating revenue reached $779 million. Experts expected the industry to reach a revenue of $973 in 2020 with a growth rate of 24.9%. Using 2017 as the baseline, the industry’s revenue is poised to reach $1.02 billion in 2021. (Statista, 2019)
• Come early 2020, another report showed that the online dating industry generated a revenue of $2.23 billion the previous year, which positively broke many expectations. Now, experts project that the industry will reach $3.592 billion in revenue by the end of 2025. This is at a CAGR of 8.26%. (Valuates Reports, 2020)
• In 2019, there were about 219.7 million online dating sites or app users around the world. The number is expected to reach 234.1 million in 2021 and reach 276.9 million in 2024. (Statista, 2020)
• In the US, there were more or less 30.4 million online dating service users. This number is expected to reach 35 million come 2024 (Statista, 2020)

Online dating services are basically interest-based social networks. And, as social media trends show, social networks will remain popular for the foreseeable future. This is especially when the COVID-19 virus still rears its ugly head.

Top 5 Countries by User Penetration (Statista, 2021)

1. United States – 18.4%
2. United Kingdom – 16.9%
3. Belgium – 15.9%
4. Netherlands – 15.8%
5. Luxembourg – 15.1%

Top 5 Countries by Revenue (Statista, 2021)

1. United States – $1.43 billion
2. India – $1.28 billion
3. China – $1.07 billion
4. Japan – $273 million
5. United Kingdom – $232 million

The Top Players in the Online Dating Game

There are around 1,500 online dating sites and applications worldwide. Many of them are highly specialized. Some focus on interracial dating while others serve niches like highly-religious daters. However, from this sea of applications and websites, there are those that dominate the market. More specifically, they dominate in different ways.

Leaders by Percentage of Paying Customers (Statista, 2020)

1. 51% – Tinder
2. 32% – Bumble
3. 31% – Match
4. 28% – eharmony
5. 24% – OkCupid
6. 21% – Plenty of Fish (POF)
7. 20% – Hinge
8. 17% – Grindr
9. 15% – Badoo
10. 15% – Coffee Meets Bagel

Leaders by Monthly Downloads as of January 2021 (AppMagic, 2021)

1. 6.44 million – Tinder
2. 3.29 million – Badoo
3. 1.8 million – Bumble
4. 867.5 thousand – happn
5. 554.65 thousand – Hinge
6. 448.08 thousand – OkCupid
7. 279.8 – Match
8. 118.9 – Inner Circle
9. 84.51 – Coffee Meets Bagel
10. 81.69 – eharmony

Leading Online Dating Sites by Monthly Visits (SEMrush, 2020)

1. 192.5 million – Badoo
2. 103.8 million – Plenty of Fish
3. 59.1 million – Tinder
4. 53.8 million – Match.com
5. 34.9 million – OkCupid
6. 30.7 million – Zoosk
7. 16.1 million – Ashley Madison
8. 15 million – OurTime
9. 13.2 million – MeetMe
10. 10.1 million – Shaadi

Of the two top ten lists, Tinder sits on the top as the most popular application. However, the Match Group, the company that owns Tinder, also owns three others that can be found on the lists above. These include OkCupid, Hinge, and Plenty of Fish.

The Match Group Q4 2020 Performance

• The number of paid subscribers on Match Group sites and apps saw a growth of 217.52% from January 2014 to November of 2020, with figures ranging from 3.44 million to 10.93 million. (Match Group, 2020)
• In Q4 of 2020, Match Group revenue increased by 19% over the same quarter of the previous year with a figure of $651 million. (Match Group, 2020)
• The group also posted an operating income of $213 million with an operating margin of 33%. This is a 17% increase from the same quarter of the previous year. (Match Group, 2020)
• The group’s Adjusted EBITDA was $245 million. This is a 13% increase over the previous year’s fourth quarter. It represents an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 38%. (Match Group, 2020)
• An increase in average subscribers was also posted. The number is up 12% to 10.9 million. This is from 9.8 million in the same quarter of the previous year. (Match Group, 2020)

The Match Group’s 2020 Performance

• The total revenue for the whole year of 2020 reached $2.4 billion with a YoY growth rate of 17%. (Match Group, 2020)
• Operating income for the year 2020 was $746 million. Adjusted EBITDA was $897 million. These increased 16% and 15%, respectively over the previous year. (Match Group, 2020)
• Tinder, the group’s most popular platform, posted a Direct Revenue of $1.4 billion. This is an 18% YoY increase. (Match Group, 2020)
• Operating cash flow and free cash flow increased by 22% and 23%, at $789 million and $746 million, respectively. (Match Group, 2020)
• Direct Revenue from North America was $315.83 million, which is up 19% from 2019’s $266.02 million.  (Match Group, 2020)
• International Direct Revenue also grew 19% from $268.93 in 2019 to $319.05 in 2020. (Match Group, 2020)
• The average US subscribers grew by 9% from 4.6 million in 2019 to 5.04 million in 2020. (Match Group, 2020)
• International average subscribers also grew by 14% from 5.17 million in 2019 to 5.89 million in 2020. (Match Group, 2020)
• As of April 2020, the Match Group’s flagship online dating service, Match.com, registered a total subscription rate of 7% in the US alone. (Morning Consult, 2020)

Statistics on the Profiles of Online Daters

As mentioned, online dating services are quite specialized. Some focus on serious relationships while other focus on hookups and the like. In this section, we are going to look at the profiles of online daters on various online platforms.

General Online Dating User Statistics: Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Around 9% of males in the US and 3% of females were using a dating app or website as of April 2020. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• The percentage of US adults belonging to an age range who used online dating sites and apps. (Morning Consult, 2020)
  • 18-29: 8%
  • 30-44: 10%
  • 45-54: 4%
  • 55-64: 4%
  • 65 and up: 2%
• When it comes to ideology, 11% of online daters identify as Liberals while 6% identify as Conservatives. Only 2% identify as Moderates. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• When it comes to education, postgraduate daters (10%) are the biggest segment. Only 8% with bachelor’s degrees were using online dating services. Finally, only 5% of those with no college degrees are on online dating platforms. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• Hispanics are the largest ethnic group on online dating sites, accounting for 11% of all users. This is followed by African Americans at 9% and  Whites at 5%. Other ethnicities make up 8%. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• Only 6% of people with income under $50,000 have used a dating app in 2020. For those who fall in the income brackets of $50,000-$100,000 and 100k+, 5% and 8% of them, respectively, were online daters. (Morning Consult, 2020)

The General Profiles of Match.com Users in 2020

• 7% of US adults have used Match.com during the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 9% are males and 4% are females. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• The percentage of US adults belonging to an age range who have used Match.com in 2020:
  • 18-29: 4%
  • 30-44: 4%
  • 45-54: 2%
  • 55-64: 6%
  • 65 and up: 6%
• 9% of Gen Xers and 8% of Millennials used Match.com in 2020. Only 2% of Boomers and 3% of Gen Zers were using the platform. (Morning Consult, 2020)
•  31% of US postgraduates, 6% of those with bachelor’s degree, and 5% of with no college used the platform in 2020. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• About 7% of conservatives and 7% of Liberals have used Match.com. Only 1% of those who identify as Moderates have been on Match.com in 2020. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• Around 12% of Hispanics have used Match.com in 2020. They are the leading ethnicity when it comes to having used Match.com in 2020. This is followed by African Americans (8%) and Whites (6%). Only 8% of all the other ethnicities were on the platform. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• It was found that 15% of people who have incomes of $100,000 and up have used the platform in 2020. About 5% of people whose income is under $50,000 and 6% of those with incomes ranging from $50,0000-$100,000 have used Match.com in 2020. (Morning Consult, 2020)

The General Profiles of eharmony Users in 2020

• Around 6% of US male adults and 3% of female adults have used eharmony in 2020. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• The percentage of US adults belonging to an age range who have used eharmony in 2020 (Morning Consult, 2020):
  • 18-29: 4%
  • 30-44: 7%
  • 45-54: 3%
  • 55-64: 4%
  • 65 and up: 3%
• About 7% of Millennials have used eharmony. Around 5% of Gen X, 3% of Gen Z, and 1% of Boomers used the platform in 2020. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• Around 9% of US adults with postgraduate degrees were using eharmony in 2020. Also, 5% of people with bachelor’s degrees and 3% of people with no college degree were using the site. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• An estimated 6% of US adults who identify as Conservatives and about 5% who identify as Liberals have used eharmony in 2020. Only 2% of those who identify as Moderates used the platform. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• It was found that about 9% of US adults with a postgraduate education have used the eharmony platform in 2020. Only 5% and 3% of US adults with bachelor’s degrees and no college degrees, respectively, used the platform. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• A good 12% of US adults of Hispanic descent have used eharmony in 2020. About 9% of African Americans and 3% of Whites were on the platform. Also, 7% of other races were eharmony users. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• Around 11% of US adults who fall into the income bracket of $100,000+ used eharmony in 2020. Those that fall in the brackets under $50,000 and $50,000-$100,000 who were eharmony users accounted for 4% to 3% of their respective populations. (Morning Consult, 2020)

The General Profiles of Bumble Users in 2020

• It was found that 8% of adults have used Bumble in 2020. Also, 10% of men and 6% of women in the US were platform users in the same period. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• The percentage of US adults belonging to an age range who have used Bumble (Morning Consult, 2020):
  • 18-29: 13%
  • 30-44: 10%
  • 45-54: 4%
  • 55-65: 4%
  • 65 and up: No Data
• Around 15% of Gen Zers and 10% of Millennials have used Bumble in 2020. An estimated 9% of Gen Xers also used the platform in the same year. No data is available for US adults age 65+. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• Moreover, 10% of people who identify as Conservatives and another 10% who identify as Liberals have used Bumble in 2020. On the other hand, only 3% of those who identify as Moderates have used the platform in the same year. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• It was found that 9% of US adults who have bachelor’s degrees were Bumble users in 2020. Moreover,  7% of those with postgraduate degrees and 8% of those with no college degrees also subscribed. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• An estimated 13% of African Americans and 7% of Whites were bumble users in 2020. In addition, around 10% of Hispanic descent were on the platform. Finally, 13% of other races were Bumble users as well. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• About 13% of US adults with incomes of $100,000 and up were Bumble users in 2020. Only 8% and 7% of those with an income of $50,000 to $100,000 and under $50,000 used the platform. (Morning Consult, 2020)

The General Profiles of OkCupid Users in 2020

• A good 9% of adults were OkCupid users in 2020. Also, 11% of males and 6% of females in the US were using the application in the same year. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• The percentage of US adults belonging to an age range who have used OkCupid in 2020 (Morning Consult):
  • 18-29: 14%
  • 30-44: 10%
  • 45-54: 2%
  • 55-64: 5%
  • 65 and up: 2%
• Around 18% of Gen Zers and 9% of Millennials were using OkCupid in 2020. In addition, around 8% of Gen Xers and 1% of Boomers were on the platform. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• About 10% of Conservatives and 10% of Liberals were on the application. Only 1% of Moderates were OkCupid users. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• An estimated 11% of people with postgraduate degrees used OkCupid in 2020. About 9% of people with no college degrees and 7% of those with bachelor’s degrees were on the platform. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• About 17% of African Americans and another 17% of Hispanics have used the platform in 2020. Also, 7% of Whites in America were OkCupid users. A good 13% of all other races were also subscribed to the online dating service. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• More or less 11% of people with incomes of $100,000 and up were OkCupid users. Around 10% of people with incomes of $50,000-$100,000 and 8% with incomes under $50,000 were also on the platform. (Morning Consult, 2020)

For more info on the site, check these OkCupid statistics out.

The General Profiles of Tinder Users in 2020

• Around 13% of US adults were using Tinder in 2020. An estimated 17% of males and 7% of females in the US were on the platform in the same period. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• The percentage of US adults belonging to an age range who have used Tinder in 2020 (Morning Consult, 2020):
  • 18-24: 15%
  • 30-44: 19%
  • 45-54: 8%
  • 55-65: 6%
  • 65 and up: No Data
• An estimated 16% of Gen Zers and 17% of Millennials were on Tinder. Also, around 13% of Gen Xers and 2% of Boomers were likewise Tinder users. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• Around 16% of people who identify as Liberal and 13% who identify as Conservatives were on Tinder. Only 7% of Moderates were Tinder users. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• Around 11% of people with no college degrees and 16% with bachelor’s degrees were Tinder users in 2020. About 15% of those with postgraduate degrees were also on the platform. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• About 18% of people of Hispanic descent and 11% of Whites were on Tinder. Also, about 11% of African Americans were Tinder users. A whopping 24% of people of ethnicities other than the aforementioned ones were Tinder users. (Morning Consult, 2020)

Upticks and Downticks: Online Dating During COVID-19

Dating apps run on matching algorithms. These algorithms match users by similarities across a wide range of topics, from music to social issues. As COVID-19 became a global talking point, more and more conversations started around the subject.

• Tinder users sent 52% more messages in April 2020 compared to the start of the lockdown in early March. Further on, masks became the talk on the platform, with mask-wearing habits becoming the ultimate criterion for compatibility. (Tinder, 2020)
• The mentions of ‘mask’ were up 10x in 2020 on Tinder. People issue warnings that if people don’t wear masks or are not wearing them properly, they will have nothing to do with them. (Tinder, 2020)
• The lockdown and social distancing measures led to other creative online dating practices. There was a recorded 5x increase in Animal Crossing mentions in bios on Tinder. Gen Z Animal Crossing mentions were 2x more than those of Millennials. (Tinder, 2020
• Browsing on Tinder became a major way to socialize. The swipe volume among Gen Z saw a 67% increase. For Tinder members below 25, swipe volume increased by 39%. (Tinder, 2020)
• The same thing goes for OkCupid users. There was an increase in social profiles mentioning “social distancing” and “coronavirus.” The increase was more than 900%. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Finally, OkCupid saw a 10% increase in matches and a 20% increase in conversations. Moreover, there was a 30% increase in sent messages and a 40% increase in intro messages. The lockdown, as a topic, increased the number of engagements overall. (OkCupid, 2020)

Many factors came into play in the notable increase in dating activity during the pandemic. Of course, the lockdown itself played a big role. People trying to find love or just hookups can only turn online because of social distancing measures. Indeed, the topic of lockdown itself became a staple when it comes to conversation starters and discussions.

53% of online dating app users in the US have used dating apps more during the pandemic

• 22% – used much more (Morning Consult, 2020)
• 31% – somewhat more (Morning Consult, 2020)
• 21% – somewhat less (Morning Consult, 2020)
• 13% – much less (Morning Consult, 2020)
• 13% – don’t know/no opinion (Morning Consult, 2020)
• On Bumble, 85% of users are still interested in meeting up, provided there was social distancing. Only a little less than 15% want to keep the connection virtual. (Strong, 2020)

US and UK Singles are interested in new dating activities

• 24% – dating via online games (GWI, 2020)
• 21% – synchronized movie watching with someone (GWI, 2020)
• 13% – online speed dating event (GWI, 2020)

Nothing beats real-deal in-person dating. However, there are some benefits to dating online as well. On OkCupid, users shared the best parts of virtual dates. These are:

• 38% – less pressure (OkCupid, 2020)
• 37% – get to know the other person better (OkCupid, 2020)
• 25% – get to wear whatever they want (OkCupid, 2020)

Pandemic-induced growth in engagement, A dip when it’s over

Since the lockdown, more and more people signed up for online services in the US. The most popular ones are, of course, streaming services such as Netflix  (19%) and Amazon Prime Video (13%). However, experts also saw an uptick in online dating services subscriptions.

• Since the lockdown, there was a 2% uptick in subscriptions to online dating services for Tinder, Match, and Badoo—and 1% for eharmony. (Statista, 2020)
• The majority of online dating app users (53%) in the US have used dating apps and services more amidst the pandemic as of April 2020. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• A survey found that 6% of US adults claimed to have currently used an online dating app or service during the pandemic. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• However, other experts predict that the number of smartphone dating app users will decrease when the pandemic is over. From 26.6 million users in the US in 2020, the number will likely drop to 24.5 million in 2021 but likely break the 25.5 million mark by 2023. (Kats, 2020)

A Look Into the Present and Future of Online Dating

There is a stigma surrounding online dating. Admittedly, the risk can be quite high especially when meeting up alone with total strangers. However, as recent statistics and data have told us, the stigma has been diminishing.

Can it outrun the stigma?

• 53% of Americans agree that meeting people via dating apps is somewhat safe or very safe. These include people who never tried online dating before. Another 46% think that these platforms are not at all or not too safe. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• However, most women at 53% think that these dating sites are somewhat unsafe or totally unsafe for meeting people. Only 39% of men think the same. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• Moreover, 51% of people aged 50-64 think that dating sites are somewhat unsafe or totally unsafe ways for meeting other people. The figure rises to 59% for people aged 65 and up. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• Among US adults age 18-29, around 38% believe that online dating is somewhat or totally unsafe. The figure is 39% for people aged 30-49. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• Around half of Americans (50%) claim that dating sites have neither a positive nor negative effect on their dating lives. About 26% say they have mostly negative experiences, while 22% claimed to have a positive experience. The rest, at 2%, don’t know. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• An estimated 54% of US adults claim that relationships that started online are just as successful as those that started in-person. Furthermore, 38% claimed that they are less successful and only 5% claimed that they are more successful. Another 2% did not know the answer or have no opinion. (Anderson et al., 2020)

Very common dangers on online dating sites

• 71% – people lying to make themselves more attractive. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 50% – people setting up fake accounts to scam others. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 48% – receiving unsolicited sexually explicit images or messages (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 25% – people getting harassed or bullied. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 18% – privacy violations like identity theft and data breaches. (Anderson et al., 2020)

Furthermore, it was also found that women are more likely to report negative interactions on dating platforms. This is just a part of the overall danger of being online as recent cybercrime statistics tell us.

• 48% of women and 27% of men claimed someone continued to contact them after being told that they are not interested. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 46% of women and 26% of men claimed someone sent them sexually explicit messages or images that they did not ask for. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 33% of women and 22% of men claimed that they have experienced being called offensive names. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 11% of women and 6% of men claimed that someone threatened them with physical harm. (Anderson et al., 2020)

Some found successful relationships

There are people, however, who claim that they found a committed relationship or marriage via online dating applications.

• 77% – went on a date with someone they met through an app. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 63% – came across the online dating profile of someone they already know in person. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 39% – have been in a committed relationship with or has married someone they met through a dating app or site. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• Also, it has been found that almost half (49%) of users tend to be on dating platforms to find an exclusive romantic partner. (Ballard, 2019)
• Only 23% use apps to have casual sex and 20% are there to find non-exclusive partners. (Ballard, 2019)
• About 7% use dating apps and sites to cheat on their partners. (Ballard, 2019)

But, there are mixed results…

• Recent online daters were asked whether online platforms made them feel ‘frustrated’ or ‘hopeful,’ 45% reported that it made them feel frustrated and 28% answered that it made them feel hopeful. More or less 27% said it made them feel neither. (Vogels, 2020)
• When asked whether it made them feel ‘pessimistic’ or ‘optimistic,’ 35% answered they felt pessimistic and 29% felt more optimistic. A good 36% answered neither. (Vogels, 2020)
• Moreover, when asked if using dating platforms made them feel ‘insecure’ or ‘confident’, a good 32% claimed that it made them feel confident while 25% said it made them feel insecure. A considerable 43% answered neither.
• The majority of online dating app users agree that they find it somewhat easy (43%) or very easy (28%) to find people that they were physically attracted to. (Vogels, 2020)
• When asked how difficult or easy it was to find others that share their interests and hobbies, 49% answered somewhat easy and 15% answered very easy. Around 30% claimed that it was somewhat difficult and only 5% claimed that it was very difficult. (Vogels, 2020)
• Also, around 46% agree that it was somewhat easy and 18% agree that it was very easy to find someone that they would like to meet in person. Only 29% claimed that it was somewhat difficult. And, fewer daters, at 6%, say that it was very difficult for them. (Vogels, 2020)
• Furthermore, when asked whether they find it easy or difficult to find other people that were looking for the same kind of relationship with them, 41% answered somewhat easy and 20% claimed that is very easy. About 31% claimed that it was somewhat difficult, while only 8% state that it is very difficult. (Vogels, 2020)

Dating evolves: Get to know trends via statistics

Advodating is becoming more popular online. A portmanteau of advocacy and dating, this describes how people tend to date people who have the same advocacies as them. This, however, is not something new. Many like Vice President Kamala Harris’s parents met each other attending a civil rights protest together (Nanu, 2020). In the same manner, many now identify as activists.

Ideology, Politics, and Activism Matters

• It was found that in 2020, 48% of Gen Z and 41% of Millennial women identify themselves as activists. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 33% of OkCupid users identify themselves as activists. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Support for Black Lives Matter (BLM) became a ‘must’ for many matches on Tinder, with BLM mentions growing 55x in 2020. (Tinder, 2020)
• Since BLM badges were made available on OkCupid, the company has found that those with the badges are 10% more active than others and are 2x more likely to get a match with people with the same badge. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Three million users on OkCupid could not date someone with strong opposing political views from them. In 2019, only 53% of OkCupid survey respondents agreed with this. Come 2020, the figure rose to 60%. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 64% of OkCupid users claimed that cross-party dating will not work in modern relationships. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 50% of OkCupid users claim that it is very important that they date someone who is a registered voter. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Mentions of ‘vote’ doubled in 2020 on Tinder. This is used as a way to check on a prospective date in the way of “If you’re not voting, don’t even try.” (Tinder, 2020)
• Climate change has also increasingly become an issue for activism. Around 2 million OkCupid users believe that climate change is real. Along the same vein, 85% of Millennials and 84% of Gen Zers are concerned. (OkCupid, 2020)

Of course, there are other preferences that changed during the pandemic. Many believe that they are likely going to continue to shape the future.

TikTok, Selfies, and Profiles

• TikTok and Tinder became perfect matches for sharing tastes, showing moves, and some bragging. In 2020, TikTok mentions grew 8x, peaking in May. (Tinder, 2020)
• To better their chances, OkCupid users put up better profile pictures. Around 95% of users believe that the best ones are smiling selfies. (OkCupid, 2020)
• In fact, 68% of men and 74% of women find that it is important for profiles to include photos of themselves. (Vogels, 2020)
• Also, 72% of women and 53% of men find it important for profiles to contain what type of relationships they are looking for. (Vogels, 2020)
• A good 48% of women and 43% of men claimed that it is important for users to bring up whether they have children or not on their profiles. (Vogels, 2020)
• A good percentage of male online daters claim that it is important that users post their hobbies and interests (32%), religious beliefs (18%), racial or ethnic background (15%), occupation (8%), height (8%), and political affiliation (10%) on their profiles.
• On the other hand, a considerable percentage of women online daters state that it is important for people to include their hobbies and interests (40%), religious beliefs (32%), racial or ethnic background (23%), occupation (27%), height (22%), and political affiliation (18%) on their profiles. (Vogels, 2020)

Breaking Down Geographical (and other) Barriers

• Since the pandemic broke out, an increase of 50% in connections and conversations have been witnessed across geographical borders. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Tinder recorded a 7x increase in member’s use of the Passport feature in April, with 16% of members using it. (Tinder, 2020)
• Interracial relationships increased 10% on OkCupid during the pandemic. Moreover, OkCupid daters were now 15% more willing to date others of different religions. (OkCupid, 2020)
• One million users on OkCupid don’t like to live alone. (OkCupid, 2020)

Shacking Up and Going (to the) Wild

• 89% of OkCupid users agree that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the rate at which couples are living together. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 5 million OkCupid users agree that couples should at least live together before thinking about getting married. (OkCupid, 2020)
• When the pandemic is over, dating singles will likely go for outdoor activities like trekking. This is because 59% claimed that they become more motivated for outdoor meetups because they can properly social distance. (OkCupid, 2020)

Bonding Over Music

• 85% of OkCupid users claim that music has a big influence on their lives. In fact, 37% selected music when asked what they would prefer their ideal match to be more into. (OkCupid, 2020)
• About 1/3 of OkCupid users believe that music preference is a good indicator of a person’s intelligence level. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Users with music mentioned on their profiles get 28% more likes. (OkCupid, 2020)

There’s No Stopping Online Dating

Online dating is here to stay, helped by the contemporary increase in social media use and the app revolution. People find it more convenient to start conversations online than doing it in-person. For one, there is an increased sense of distance and safety from being rejected. Secondly, you can be more sure that the person you approach is open to dating because they have an online profile. And considering the latest Gen Z statistics, younger people are more amenable to online dating than older generations.

As these online dating statistics have shown, the industry has seen a rise in activity and revenue during the pandemic. However, experts believe that there will be a dip when the pandemic is over. However, the industry is bound to pick up after that dip, too. Top applications will likely have to do more to secure their positions as other entrants are more than willing to grab chunks off their market shares.

For online daters, the stigma of meeting someone for romantic or casual dating reasons seems to be slowly disappearing. However, there are inherent dangers when meeting with strangers who can easily set up totally fake or misleading accounts. In the future, we expect that developers will strive to make more regulations and features that can improve safety and overall experience. These dangers, though, are inherent in social platforms. Many, if not all, will remain. It is a game of minimization, not elimination.

References

1. Anderson, M., Vogels, E. A., & Turner, E. (2020, May 31). The virtues and downsides of online dating. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech.
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By Louie Andre

B2B & SaaS market analyst and senior writer for FinancesOnline. He is most interested in project management solutions, believing all businesses are a work in progress. From pitch deck to exit strategy, he is no stranger to project business hiccups and essentials. He has been involved in a few internet startups including a digital route planner for a triple A affiliate. His advice to vendors and users alike? "Think of benefits, not features."