ADWEEK – Hinge has launched a new campaign, “Can’t Believe We Met on Hinge,” featuring real couples from the U.S., U.K., and Australia whose paths crossed before eventually meeting through the app. The campaign is the first under Hinge’s new chief marketing and communications officer, Tamika Young, and will run across streaming, cinema, and social media in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia through July.
BUSINESS INSIDER – Spencer Rascoff said Gen Z finds traditional dating apps intimidating because they feel too structured and “like a job interview.” Speaking during Match Group’s earnings call, he said younger users want low-pressure, more natural ways to meet people. In response, Match Group is adding features focused on real-life interaction. Hinge is testing a “Direct to Date” feature that encourages users to meet immediately after matching, while Tinder has started hosting in-person dating events and added interest-based features like music and astrology modes.
REUTERS – Match Group reported a strong Q1 2026, with revenue up to $864M (+4%) and profit rising 42% to $167M. Growth was driven mainly by Hinge, which saw 28% revenue growth, while Tinder showed early signs of recovery. Tinder’s registrations returned to YOY growth in March for the first time in nearly two years, with improving engagement and retention. New features and product changes are starting to stabilize the platform, especially with younger users. Overall, paying users declined 5%, but revenue per user increased. The company is streamlining operations, cutting costs, and investing in higher-growth areas, including a $100M stake in gay dating app Sniffies.
DISTRACTIFY – Hinge has added a “Signals” feature (a beating heart icon) to highlight users who consistently engage in high‑quality behavior, including thoughtful browsing, messaging, and follow‑through. It is designed to identify people who are less likely to ghost. The badge cannot be bought; it is earned through profile completeness, verification, regular use, and positive interaction patterns, and eligibility is reassessed periodically.
HINGE – During the Date Ideas test, 54% of Hinge daters shared that the feature made them feel more confident asking someone out, and it led to more matches and dates. Ben Celebicic, Hinge’s CTO said, “date Ideas gives daters a clear, low-pressure way to signal they’re ready to meet.”
Date Ideas: daters select three Date Ideas to feature on their profile. Suitors then select one of the three activities and their availability (this week, this weekend, next week, next weekend) before liking or commenting with them. Available in U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia.
See full article at Hinge website
Mark Brooks: Nice. Next it would be nice to guide them on actual date venues, and specials. Dating can get expensive. Hinge has scale and can negotiate deals with promising new restaurants, book right into their systems, and take a small cut. That’s ‘found money’ in a tight dating market.
NEWSWEEK – Jackie Jantos says AI is increasingly replacing small, vulnerable conversations that build real relationships, as young people use tools like ChatGPT instead of turning to friends. She points to declining in-person interaction among Gen Z and argues that technology removes the “messiness” needed for intimacy. While AI can mimic empathy and conversation, it lacks real reciprocity and shared experience. At Hinge, Jantos is focusing on intentional friction, real-world connection, and product design that pushes users toward actual relationships rather than more time on the app.
FINANCIAL TIMES – Since 2021, Hinge’s MAU have doubled from 4.8M to 11.8M (Sensor Tower), while Tinder went from 65M to 51M. Jackie Jantos played a pivotal role, as Hinge’s CMO for 4 years before becoming CEO in December. “Prompts” – short notes that users write on profiles to share their interests and spark conversation – and emphasis on chat over simply responding to photos boosted its success. Does the algorithm rate users’ attractiveness? “No,” Jantos says. “We are trying to find who you might like and who might like you. The algorithm has the information around the individuals who you’ve liked and it also sees signals around content that you’ve liked.” Revenue per payer on Hinge was $31.97/month in 2025. Paying users increased to 1.8M at the end of 2025. Jantos says maintaining the “free experience”, which gives users eight likes a day, was “sacred.”
BESTAIFOR.COM – Tinder’s Face Check reduced user exposure to bad actors by 60%+, according to their Oct. ’25 press release. The FTC reported U.S. romance scam losses reached $1.1B in 2023. OkCupid found that 70% of users view AI-generated profiles or messages as a violation of trust. AI enables recommendation engines. Safety tooling came second i.e. nudity filters, scam detection, identity checks. Now AI is helping users craft profiles and messages.
Does this translate to better long-term relationships. Harvard Data Science Review frames the tension: platforms optimize for behavioral signals – likes, messages, return sessions – not for relationship success. Hinge launched Prompt Feedback in Jan ’25, an AI coach that reviews your written answers to profile prompts and gives feedback. Bumble followed in Feb ’26 with Profile Guidance and Photo Feedback. OkCupid now uses OpenAI to generate new matching questions.
Online dating has moved toward ‘scoped assist.’ Hinge’s Convo Starters, launched Dec. ’25, gives AI-generated tips tied to a specific photo or prompt the other person posted. Grindr is testing Wingman, for profile crafting and conversation starters.
– Daniele Antoniani worked for Badoo 2005-2008 and is a long term team member on the Courtland Brooks team, since 2013.
FORBES – Former Hinge executives Sam Levy and Tim MacGougan have raised $8.5M in seed funding to launch Rodeo, an app designed to turn social media content into real-world plans. The app extracts details from links or screenshots, such as restaurant addresses or ticket information, and converts them into shareable calendar holds to help users make plans with friends. After a 20,000-user beta, Rodeo secured backing from Foundry, 359 Capital, and Oceans, and has grown through TikTok-driven marketing and creator partnerships. The company is not yet generating revenue but is exploring future monetization through partnerships with platforms like Ticketmaster and OpenTable or a potential freemium model.
REUTERS – Reuters’ Econ World podcast interviews dating-industry consultant Mark Brooks about how dating apps actually make money despite losing users when matches succeed. He explains the evolution from Match.com search-based dating to Tinder’s swipe gamification, the freemium-to-subscription model, and why apps aim for users to stay around three months before pairing off. Major players include Match Group (Tinder, Hinge, Match), Bumble and Grindr. The industry grew during COVID, now faces payment reluctance and privacy concerns from Gen Z, and is shifting toward more meaningful matching and niche communities. Brooks says AI will help verify users, improve profiles and eventually predict compatibility and support relationships, not just create matches.