BUSINESS INSIDER – Bumble's stock plunged 28% on Wednesday after weak first-quarter guidance disappointed investors, extending a 92% decline since its 2021 peak. Despite a Q4 revenue beat of $261.6M, the company forecasted $242M–$248M in Q1 sales, missing expectations. The drop is attributed to a temporary decline in paying users amid a brand refresh. Dating app fatigue and shifting user habits have made growth challenging, with rival Match Group also seeing a 79% drop since 2021. CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd remains optimistic, citing upcoming innovations aimed at reviving user engagement and revenue.
Category: Outlets – Business Insider
Hinge CEO Rejects AI Replacing Human Connection in Dating
BUSINESS INSIDER – Hinge CEO Justin McLeod dismissed the idea of AI dating on behalf of users, emphasizing that dating is a personal journey that individuals must experience themselves. While apps like Grindr and Bumble are exploring AI-powered dating assistants, McLeod stated that Hinge believes AI should support users rather than act as an intermediary. He also noted that current technology is not advanced enough to accurately replicate a person’s voice, values, and personality. Instead, Hinge plans to introduce features that guide users with conversation tips.
New Apps Challenge Swipe Fatigue and Traditional Models
BUSINESS INSIDER – New dating apps are emerging as users grow tired of swiping, challenging industry giants like Tinder and Bumble. Startups are experimenting with alternatives, such as AI-powered matchmaking (Sitch), daily limited profile selections (Pique Dating), and in-person dating events. Some social networking apps like 222 and Posh also foster organic connections that can lead to romance. Even Big Tech, including Facebook and Instagram, is expanding its dating features. With Gen Z prioritizing broader social connections, the online dating landscape is evolving beyond traditional swipe-based models.
“Bored of Dating Apps” Events Help Singles Connect in Real Life
BUSINESS INSIDER – Frustrated with dating apps, Jess Evans launched Bored of Dating Apps (BODA) in 2022, attracting 200+ singles to her first event. Now hosting events in London, Manchester, and New York, BODA offers real-life connections through socials, hikes, supper clubs, and themed meetups. Many singles feel burned out by dating apps, with 79% of Gen Z reporting app fatigue (Forbes, 2023) and Match Group's stock dropping 64% in five years as users decline.
Instagram Might Be the Most Popular Dating App, New Data Shows
BUSINESS INSIDER – More singles are ditching dating apps in favor of social media, with Instagram emerging as the top platform for meeting potential partners, according to data from Rizz, an AI dating assistant. Rizz, which helps users craft messages, has half a million monthly active users. The app’s data shows that 22% of uploaded screenshots now come from Instagram, an 8% increase from last year, surpassing traditional dating apps like Tinder and Hinge.
New Dating Apps Betting on Matchmaking
BUSINESS INSIDER – Several new "matchmaking" dating apps have launched in the past year, addressing dating-app fatigue. Sitch is an AI matchmaking app launched in New York in November. Cheers is an app that lets friends play matchmaker in a social-media feed, launched in October. Facebook Dating even launched a matchmaking feature last month. Tinder's cofounder and former CEO, Sean Rad, said on a September episode of the 20VC podcast that he had always imagined the dating app moving beyond swiping and into matchmaking. In 2017, Hinge launched a stand-alone app called Matchmaker that lets friends swipe for each other. It appears to have since shut down. Tinder, also owned by Match Group, launched a similar feature in 2023.
Loop is a matchmaking app where everyone can set up their single friends. Only a third of the user base are singles; the rest are friends and family members or even professional or hobbyist matchmakers. Loop launched in 2023 and is currently free for all users.
Arrange should launch in December and will let users link their profiles with a "scout," a trusted friend or family member, who can talk with potential matches ahead of time and vet for compatibility.
Amori is a dating-advice app with characters users can chat with, is experimenting with matchmaking using a personal assistant (though it isn't live within the app yet).
by Sydney Bradley & Daniel Latu
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Turns out People Are Actually Using Facebook Dating
BUSINESS INSIDER – Facebook Dating is growing, offering free features like unlimited likes and no paywalls, in contrast to competitors like Tinder and Bumble. Since its launch in 2019, it has seen a 20% growth in the US and Canada, with increased daily interactions among young adults. Key features include the "Matchmaker" tool for friends to swipe on your behalf, AI-assisted bio writing, Instagram integration, and "secret crushes" for sending interest to friends of friends. Facebook's strategy focuses on providing a competitive dating experience without monetizing directly, leveraging its core app to drive user engagement.
Match Shares Tumble, Signaling an Opening for Dating Startups
BUSINESS INSIDER – Match and Bumble stocks wavered. Tinder expects another drop in paying users in Q4. A 2024 Forbes Health survey reported 78% of Americans felt exhausted by dating apps. Match Group shares dropped 18% Thursday after Tinder paying users fell 4% to 9.9m in Q3. Hinge Q3 revenue grew 36%. Bumble saw 10% paying user growth to 2.9m. ARPU dropped 10%. Revenue was flat, dropping 0.7% to $274m.
Hinge now limits users' simultaneous match conversations to reduce unanswered messages to help "daters shift their mindset from quantity to quality of matches" and follow through with their matches. This is helping increase response rates on the app.
Earlier this year, Bumble acquired Geneva, a group chat app for niche communities for $17m. Bumble founder and chair Whitney Wolfe Herd said we "will not be a dating app in a few years" but rather for "human connection." CEO Lidiane Jones said the company will "enable the next generation of online-to-real-world connections."
by Dan Latu, Katie Balevic & Sydney Bradley
See full article at Business Insider
Mark Brooks: Dating companies need to persuade the public they have their best interests at heart. User sentiment is changing. We need to solve the continuity problem by broadening our perspective while increasing our sheer utility in dating. AI is the future.
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Instagram Emerges as the New Dating Hub Amid Swipe Fatigue
Wingman Dating App Engages Friends to Combat Gen Z Dating App Burnout
BUSINESS INSIDER – Tina Wilson, founder of Wingman, developed the app to involve friends in the dating process. Despite skepticism from industry insiders, Wilson believes Gen Z values the "karmic reward" of helping others find connections. Wingman's voice note feature allows friends to share insights, adding authenticity and encouraging better dating etiquette. The app aims to provide a fun alternative to mainstream dating platforms, which many users find have become too focused on profit and surface-level interactions.