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.
YOUTUBE – Match Group CFO Steve Bailey discusses swipe fatigue, AI in matchmaking, and where the company is investing to win new users and regain investor confidence across brands like Hinge and Tinder.
MASHABLE – Hinge is testing Face Check (facial recognition) in Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and Canada, with U.S. testing expected soon. The test was disclosed by Match Group during its Q4 2025 earnings call. Tinder already requires Face Check for all new U.S. users and plans a global rollout by end of Q1 2026. Match Group says Face Check has cut interactions with bad actors by 50%+ where implemented. Hinge is also piloting Direct to Date, a feature designed to speed up real-world meetups by letting matches share availability and preferred date activities. Testing is planned for spring.
PRESS RELEASE – Match Group reported Q4 and full-year 2025 results showing stable revenue, stronger profitability, and early signs of improved engagement from product changes.
Full year 2025: Revenue $3.5B (flat Y/Y); Net income $613M (+11%); Adjusted EBITDA $1.2B (35% margin). Payers declined 5% Y/Y, offset by higher revenue per payer.
Q4 2025: Revenue $878M (+2%); Net income $210M (+32%); Adjusted EBITDA $370M (+14%, 42% margin).
Tinder: Engagement improved; Sparks Coverage up 4% Y/Y in December (the number of users engaging in six-way conversations). Face Check reduced bad-actor interactions by 50%+. MAU trends improved in Australia.
Hinge: Direct revenue up 26% Y/Y in Q4; MAU up nearly 50% in European expansion markets; strong momentum in Europe and Latin America.
Outlook: 2026 revenue expected to be roughly flat, with higher EBITDA margins and strong free cash flow.The company emphasized a product-led strategy focused on match quality, safety, and real-world outcomes.