Online dating has become a major part of how people meet and form relationships, with more than 350 million people worldwide using online dating apps in 2025. The industry generated over $6 billion in revenue during the same year, highlighting the scale and economic importance of the global dating-app market.
In the United States, Tinder held the largest dating-app market share at 23% in 2025, followed by Hinge at 22% and Bumble at 20%, giving the three leading platforms a combined 65% share. Online dating use also varies significantly across demographic groups.
In this article, we are going to take a look at Online Dating Statistics 2026, including the latest data on dating app users, market share, revenue, demographics, user behavior, regional adoption, and the key trends shaping the online dating industry.
Key Online Dating Statistics 2026
- 350+ million people worldwide used online dating apps in 2025.
- The global online dating industry generated more than $6 billion in revenue in 2025.
- Global online dating user penetration is projected to reach 5.3% in 2026, with 475.1 million users expected by 2030.
- Tinder leads the U.S. dating app market with a 23% share, followed by Hinge at 22% and Bumble at 20%.
- Tinder generated approximately $1.8 billion in revenue in 2025, the highest among the major apps compared.
- The major dating apps in the comparison had a combined 173.3 million reported users, although this does not represent unique individuals.
- 53% of U.S. adults aged 18 to 29 have used a dating site or app, compared with 13% of adults aged 65 and older.
- 51% of LGB U.S. adults have used online dating, compared with 28% of straight adults.
- Users spend an average of 50.9 minutes on dating apps, with women averaging 52.3 minutes and men 49.3 minutes.
- 44% of recent U.S. dating-app users say finding a long-term partner or spouse is a major reason for using online dating.
How Many People Use Dating Apps?
More than 350 million people worldwide used online dating apps in 2025, according to the Business of Apps Dating App Report. This makes online dating a major part of the global digital economy.
The industry generated more than $6 billion in revenue in 2025, although estimates vary depending on how dating apps and broader online dating services are defined. User figures can include monthly active users, registered users, or estimated users of online dating services, so there is no single universally accepted global total.
Other market estimates also show the continued expansion of online dating. Statista’s narrower online dating category projects 5.3% global user penetration in 2026 and expects the number of users to reach 475.1 million by 2030. Its broader dating services category estimates 8.2% user penetration in 2026 and 747.5 million users by 2030.
Online Dating Apps by Users and Revenue
Tinder Leads Online Dating Apps With $1.8 Billion in 2025 Revenue
Tinder generated the highest revenue among the dating apps listed, at approximately $1.8 billion in 2025, placing it well ahead of Hinge at $689 million and Bumble at $782 million. Grindr generated $439.9 million, while Match brought in approximately $200 million.
Badoo recorded $182 million in revenue, making it the lowest-revenue brand in the comparison. Taken together, the six dating apps generated approximately $4.1 billion in revenue in 2025, with Tinder alone accounting for about 44% of the combined total.
| Dating Apps | Revenue (2025) |
| Tinder | $1.8 billion |
| Hinge | $689 million |
| Bumble | $782 million |
| Badoo | $182 million |
| Match | $200 million |
| Grindr | $439.9 million |
| Plenty of Fish | $177 million |
Source: BusinessofApps
Bumble and Hinge followed with roughly 19% and 17%, respectively, while Grindr contributed around 11%. The figures show that Tinder continues to have a significant financial lead over other major dating apps, although Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr also generate substantial revenue from their respective user bases.
Online Dating Apps Reach a Combined 173.3 Million Reported Users
Tinder has the largest reported user base among the dating apps listed, with approximately 60 million monthly active users, followed by Bumble with 35 million active users. Hinge and Badoo each report around 30 million users, while Grindr has approximately 13.5 million monthly active users. Match has a considerably smaller reported active user base of 4.8 million.
Combined, these figures represent approximately 173.3 million reported users or active users, although the totals should not be treated as a unique-user count because each company uses different reporting methods and some people may use multiple dating apps.
| Dating Apps | Users |
| Tinder | 60 million monthly active users |
| Hinge | 30 million users |
| Bumble | 35 million active users |
| Badoo | 30 million users |
| Match | 4.8 million active users |
| Grindr | 13.5 million monthly active users |
Tinder alone accounts for roughly 35% of the combined reported figure, making it the largest platform in this comparison. Bumble represents about 20%, while Hinge and Badoo each account for approximately 17%. These figures highlight Tinder’s leading position by user reach, with Bumble, Hinge, and Badoo forming the next-largest group of major dating platforms.
Online Dating App Market Share in the United States in 2025
Tinder held the largest share of the U.S. online dating app market in 2025 at 23%, narrowly ahead of Hinge at 22%. Bumble ranked third with 20%, meaning the three leading apps together accounted for 65% of the market.
Grindr held 7%, while Plenty of Fish and Hily each captured 6%, giving the two platforms a combined 12% share. Badoo accounted for 2%, while other dating apps collectively represented 4%. The figures show a highly concentrated U.S. dating app market, with Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble controlling nearly two-thirds of the total market share. Tinder’s lead over Hinge was relatively small at just 1 percentage point, while Bumble trailed Tinder by 3 percentage points.
| Online Dating Apps | Market Share in United States |
| Tinder | 23% |
| Hinge | 22% |
| Bumble | 20% |
| Grindr | 7% |
| Plenty of Fish | 6% |
| Hily | 6% |
| Badoo | 2% |
| Other | 4% |
Source: BusinessofApps
Online Dating User Demographics
Younger Adults Are the Most Active Online Dating Users
According to Pew Research Center, 53% of adults aged 18 to 29 have used a dating site or app, the highest rate of any age group. Usage falls to 37% among adults aged 30 to 49, meaning younger adults are 16 percentage points more likely to have tried online dating.
Among adults aged 50 to 64, 20% have used a dating platform, while the share drops to just 13% among those aged 65 and older. Younger adults also show higher usage of individual dating apps. Among U.S. adults aged 18 to 29, 42% have used Tinder, 27% have used Bumble, and 21% have used Hinge. These figures show that online dating is most common among younger adults, with usage generally declining as age increases.
| Age Group | Ever Used A Dating Site or App |
| 18 to 29 | 53% |
| 30 to 49 | 37% |
| 50 to 64 | 20% |
| 65+ | 13% |
Source: PewResearchCentre
Men Are Slightly More Likely to Have Tried Online Dating
Online dating usage is somewhat higher among men than women in the United States. Pew Research Center found that 34% of U.S. men had ever used a dating site or app, compared with 27% of women, a difference of 7 percentage points.
| Gender | Ever Used A Dating Site or App |
| Men | 34% |
| Women | 27% |
The gender gap was wider among single adults who were actively looking for a relationship or dates. In this group, 50% of men had used online dating in the previous year, compared with 37% of women, resulting in a 13-percentage-point difference.
However, these figures represent overall online dating use and do not mean that every dating app has the same gender balance. The proportion of men and women varies by platform, age group, and country.
LGB Adults Use Dating Apps at Higher Rates
Sexual orientation is another major factor associated with online dating use. Approximately 51% of lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) U.S. adults had used a dating site or app, compared with 28% of straight adults.
| Sexual Orientation | Ever Used A Dating Site or App |
| LGB Adults | 51% |
| Straight Adults | 28% |
This represents a 23-percentage-point gap, with LGB adults nearly twice as likely as straight adults to have tried online dating. Platform usage also differs by sexual orientation. Apps such as Grindr and HER have substantially higher usage among LGB users because they are specifically designed for LGBTQ+ communities.
42% of Internet Users in APAC Are Online Daters
Online dating adoption varies considerably across regions, with APAC recording the highest share at 42% of internet users, followed by Latin America at 34%, North America at 29%, and Europe at 27%. The Middle East and Africa (MEA) recorded the lowest share at 14%.
The gap between APAC and MEA is 28 percentage points, meaning the reported share of online daters in APAC is three times that of MEA. The high adoption rate in Asia may be linked to the region’s rapid adoption of digital technologies and mobile platforms, while the lower rate in the Middle East and Africa may reflect differences in cultural attitudes, social norms, and technology use.
| Region | Share of Internet Users Who Are Online Daters |
| APAC | 42% |
| Latin America | 34% |
| North America | 29% |
| Europe | 27% |
| Middle East & Africa | 14% |
Source: GWI
College-Educated Adults Are More Likely to Use Online Dating
Education is also associated with online dating adoption. Pew Research Center found that U.S. adults with some college education or higher were more likely to have used online dating than those with a high school education or less.
However, income comparisons are less consistent because dating-app companies generally do not publish detailed user statistics by income level. As a result, estimates about the share of dating-app users belonging to specific income groups should be interpreted cautiously.
Online Dating User Behaviour
Online Dating App Users Spend an Average of 50.9 Minutes on the Apps
Users spend an average of 50.9 minutes on online dating apps, with a small difference between men and women. Women spend an average of 52.3 minutes, compared with 49.3 minutes for men, meaning women spend approximately 3 minutes more per session or measurement period than men.
Female users therefore spend about 6.1% more time on dating apps than male users based on the reported averages. Overall, the figures indicate that time spent on dating apps is relatively similar across genders, with the total average remaining close to 51 minutes.
| Gender | Average Time Spent on Dating Apps |
| Total | 50.9 minutes |
| Male | 49.3 minutes |
| Female | 52.3 minutes |
Source: Forbes
Millennials Spend 55.7 Minutes on Dating Apps on Average
Millennials spend the most time on online dating apps, averaging 55.7 minutes, compared with 49.6 minutes for Gen Z and 49.7 minutes for Gen X. Baby Boomers spend considerably less time on dating apps, at an average of 36.8 minutes.
Millennials therefore spend 18.9 minutes more than Baby Boomers, representing approximately 51% more time. Gen Z and Gen X show very similar usage levels, with only a 0.1-minute difference between the two generations.
| Generation | Average Time Spent on Dating Apps |
| Gen Z | 49.6 minutes |
| Millennials | 55.7 minutes |
| Gen X | 49.7 minutes |
| Baby Boomers | 36.8 minutes |
Source: Forbes
Overall, the figures indicate that dating-app engagement is highest among Millennials and lowest among Baby Boomers, with younger and middle-aged generations spending roughly 50 minutes or more on dating platforms.
27% of Dating App Users Start Conversations With a Compliment
Dating app users use several different strategies to start conversations, with compliments being the most common approach at 27%. Another 26% of users tailor their opening message to the other person’s dating profile, suggesting that more than half of respondents (53% combined) rely on either compliments or profile-based messages.
| Conversation Starter Strategy | Percentage of Users |
| Lead with a compliment | 27% |
| Tailor the message to the user’s profile | 26% |
| Reuse conversation starters | 19% |
| Use pickup lines | 13% |
Meanwhile, 19% of respondents reuse a selection of conversation starters across different matches. Pickup lines are less popular, with only 13% of users identifying them as their preferred opening strategy. Overall, the figures show that personalized or positive opening messages are more common than generic pickup lines, while nearly one in five users rely on reusable conversation starters.
Long-Term Relationships Are the Top Reason for Using Dating Apps
Among U.S. adults who had used a dating site or app in the previous year, 44% said finding a long-term partner or spouse was a major reason for using online dating, making it the most commonly cited major reason.
Another 31% considered it a minor reason, while 24% said it was not a reason. Dating casually was a major reason for 40% of users, followed by 37% who cited it as a minor reason. In comparison, 24% said having casual sex was a major reason, while 27% considered it a minor reason and 48% said it was not a reason.
| Reason for Using Dating Apps | Major Reason | Minor Reason | Not a Reason |
| Meet a long-term partner or spouse | 44% | 31% | 24% |
| Date casually | 40% | 37% | 22% |
| Have casual sex | 24% | 27% | 48% |
| Make new friends | 22% | 36% | 42% |
Source: PewResearchCentre
Making new friends was a major reason for 22% of recent dating-app users, while 36% considered it a minor reason. Overall, the figures show that long-term relationships and casual dating were more commonly cited as major reasons for using dating apps than casual sex or making new friends.
Online Dating App Success Rates and Outcomes
Online dating has become an increasingly common way for people to form long-term relationships and marriages. According to Pew Research Center’s 2022 survey, 10% of partnered U.S. adults said they met their current spouse or partner through a dating site or app, equivalent to 7% of all U.S. adults.
The rate was higher among younger partnered adults, with 20% of those aged 18 to 29 saying they met their current partner online. Among partnered LGB adults, the figure was even higher at 24%, compared with 9% of partnered straight adults.
| Online Dating Outcome | Percentage |
| Partnered adults who met current partner online | 10% |
| Partnered adults aged 18–29 who met partner online | 20% |
| Partnered LGB adults who met partner online | 24% |
| Partnered straight adults who met partner online | 9% |
| U.S. adults who married or entered a committed relationship through online dating | 12% |
| Online dating users who married or entered a committed relationship through online dating | 39% |
Earlier Pew research provides another measure of online dating outcomes. In 2019, 12% of U.S. adults said they had married or entered a committed relationship with someone they first met through a dating site or app. Among people who had actually used online dating, 39% had married or entered a committed relationship with someone they met through these platforms.
These figures suggest that dating apps are not only used for casual dating but also contribute to long-term relationships and marriages. Pew also found that 42% of U.S. adults believe dating sites and apps have made finding a long-term partner or spouse easier, compared with 22% who say they have made the process harder.
Online Dating Industry Revenue and Growth
Online Dating Revenue Is Expected to Reach $3.51 Billion by 2030
The global online dating market is projected to generate $3.24 billion in revenue in 2026, increasing to $3.51 billion by 2030. This represents an estimated 2.03% CAGR between 2026 and 2030, adding approximately $270 million to the market over the period.
The number of online dating users is also expected to increase, reaching 475.1 million by 2030. User penetration is projected to rise from 5.3% in 2026 to 5.9% by 2030, while average revenue per user (ARPU) is expected to reach $7.73.
| Year | Global Online Dating Revenue |
| 2026 | $3.24 billion |
| 2030 | $3.51 billion |
Source: Statista
U.S. Online Dating Revenue is Expected to Reach $1.45 Billion in 2026
The United States is expected to generate the highest online dating revenue globally in 2026, at approximately $1.45 billion, accounting for nearly 45% of the projected global market. Belgium is expected to record the highest user penetration, at 19.7%, making its online dating adoption rate substantially higher than the global penetration rate.
Key Trends Shaping the Dating App Market in 2026
Dating Apps Shift From User Growth to Retention
The 2026 data shows that the dating-app industry is shifting from a focus on user growth and downloads toward retention, match quality, and user satisfaction. Attracting new users remains important, but platforms are increasingly focusing on keeping users engaged and helping them form meaningful connections.
Tinder Leads Revenue as Hinge Drives Match Group Growth
Tinder remains the largest revenue-generating dating app, but declining user activity has increased pressure on Match Group to improve the platform’s user experience. Hinge has emerged as a major growth driver for Match Group, supported by strong user adoption and continued expansion into international markets.
Bumble Paying Users Fall 23% Year Over Year
Bumble’s paying user base continued to decline in 2026. The number of Bumble app paying users fell to 2.08 million in Q1 2026, down from 2.71 million in Q1 2025. This represents a 23.2% year-over-year decline, or approximately 630,000 fewer paying users compared with the same quarter a year earlier.
User Satisfaction Becomes a Key Dating App Metric
User behavior is becoming an increasingly important measure of dating-app performance. While users continue to value the convenience and large pool of potential partners offered by dating apps, repetitive swiping, low-quality conversations, and irrelevant matches can reduce satisfaction and engagement.
This means dating platforms must focus not only on attracting users but also on retaining them, improving match quality, encouraging meaningful interactions, and delivering a better overall user experience.
Dating Apps Focus on Match Quality and User Retention
The next stage of the online dating market is expected to place greater emphasis on match quality and long-term user engagement. Dating platforms are likely to focus less on simply increasing downloads or expanding the number of available profiles and more on helping users find compatible matches, build meaningful connections, and remain active on the platform.
Metrics such as retention, engagement, match quality, and successful connections are therefore expected to become increasingly important measures of dating-app performance.
FAQs
1. How many people use dating apps worldwide?
More than 350 million people worldwide used online dating apps in 2025. The exact number varies by source because companies use different measures, including active users, registered accounts, and users of broader online dating services.
2. Which dating app has the most users?
Tinder has the largest reported user base among the major dating apps covered in these statistics, with approximately 60 million monthly active users.
3. Which dating app generates the most revenue?
Tinder generated approximately $1.8 billion in revenue in 2025, making it the highest-revenue dating app among the major platforms compared.
4. What age group uses dating apps the most?
Young adults aged 18 to 29 have the highest online dating adoption in the U.S. According to Pew Research Center, 53% of adults in this age group have used a dating site or app, compared with 37% of adults aged 30 to 49.
5. How much time do people spend on dating apps?
Users spend an average of 50.9 minutes on dating apps. Women spend an average of 52.3 minutes, compared with 49.3 minutes for men.
6. Why do people use dating apps?
Finding a long-term partner or spouse is one of the most common reasons. Among recent U.S. dating-app users, 44% said finding a long-term partner or spouse was a major reason for using online dating, while 40% cited casual dating as a major reason.
Wrapping Up
The 2026 online dating statistics show that dating apps have become a significant part of modern dating, with hundreds of millions of users worldwide and billions of dollars in annual revenue. Tinder continues to lead major platforms in both U.S. market share and revenue, while Hinge remains an important growth platform and Bumble faces pressure from declining paying users.
User behavior also varies widely by age, gender, sexual orientation, generation, and region, with younger adults showing particularly high adoption. At the same time, users are placing greater importance on meaningful matches, personalized conversations, and overall experience rather than simply having access to more profiles.
As competition increases, dating platforms are likely to focus increasingly on user retention, match quality, engagement, and successful connections.
These trends suggest that the future of online dating will depend not only on attracting millions of users but also on creating experiences that keep them engaged and help them form genuine relationships.
