Internet dating is a service that started as something you would keep to yourself. You might have kept a fictitious meet cute story in your back pocket though, just in case. Today however it’s often more surprising when someone doesn’t meet their partner online.
Internet dating is about as old as the internet. With dozens of apps and websites, combined with nearly two years of global lockdowns it’s no wonder its popularity has skyrocketed. Businessofapps.com released data this month breaking down which apps are most popular and just how many people worldwide are on them.
The number of dating app users has nearly doubled between the years 2015 and 2021. The number increased from 193 million to 323 million users. For better or worse these apps have revolutionised the dating scene, and they only seem to be getting bigger. Tinder was created just ten years ago, in 2012 and is currently the most popular dating app in the world. It was the first app to incorporate the fast paced, split decision swiping, which so many apps went on to include on their platforms.
Tinder is the most popular and makes up 26.1% of users’ prefered choice. Badoo, Bumble and Hinge have been climbing the ranks in recent years, taking up 19.6%, 14.7% and 8.8% of the public preference respectively. Bumble offers a unique approach for users where the woman must message first and there must be a reply within 24 hours.
Although Grindr makes the list with 4.9% an honourable mention is HER another LGBTQ+ dating app aimed at women seeking other women as a partner, for more on dating apps, check here the swingers blog. Dating apps give people an opportunity to be upfront about what they’re looking for, either in their bio or on the app they are using. It can also help people learn what they are not looking for, ie. getting ‘the ick’ because they’re holding a big fish in one of their pictures.
As well as having a type or finding certain aesthetics attractive, there are many personal checklists dating app users have. They could be the most beautiful, charming, funny person you’ve ever met but some compromises just aren’t worth it. Below are some of the most important pieces of information people like to see on a profile. Profiles with photos of the individual are pretty important to both men and women, but when it comes to religious and political beliefs women tend to have these as a higher priority. In the latest season of Love is Blind one contestant Shaina Hurley broke off her engagement due to contrasting religious beliefs. Although it is a reality TV show it did highlight the importance these principles can have.
In an age of GDPR and Cookies, it’s been hard not to think about the data footprint we’re leaving when we mindlessly click accept. Most companies are legally obliged to provide your data if you ask for it, and dating apps are no different. Tinder provides the most in depth look out of all the top dating apps, breaking interactions down hour usage! It can be quite jarring to think that every time you opened the app waiting for a bus that data was being logged and assigned to your internet identity. Youtuber Evan Edinger volunteered as tribute to expose his dating app data in a recent video linked below:
Data acquired from Pewreaearch.org and businessofapps.com
