Dating Apps at a Crossroads as Users Turn Their Backs on Them

Dating apps have been a big part of modern love stories for years. But now, many people are starting to give up on them. From emotional burnout to safety concerns, dating online isn’t what it used to be. As a result, even the biggest dating platforms are seeing fewer users, and even less profit.

Take Anne, a 31-year-old from Sydney. She deleted her dating apps after months of bad experiences. Between trying to buy a house and dealing with first dates that felt cold and rushed, Anne had enough. Dating started to feel more like a job interview than a chance to find love.

“It was so much all at once,” she said. The costs also added up; drinks, outfits, and even paying for features on the app. It didn’t just hurt her wallet. It affected her mental health too.

She’s not alone. More people are logging off dating apps because they feel drained, rejected, or just disappointed.

These user drop-offs are hitting dating companies hard. Match Group – the company behind Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid – has lost over 700,000 paying users in just one year. Bumble’s shares have also dropped by nearly 95% since their peak during the pandemic.

The message is clear: not enough people are willing to pay for these apps anymore. Even those who try new features or apps often walk away feeling let down.

John, 51, tried to find love online after a past relationship ended. He liked meeting new people but got tired of being ghosted. He later tried eHarmony because it promised better matches through long questionnaires. But when he realized he had to pay just to see other profiles – and couldn’t delete his account easily – he was shocked.

“It felt like a huge betrayal,” he said. “It’s such personal data.”

Others agree that apps often feel more like a numbers game than a real way to connect. You may match with many people, but deep, meaningful conversations are rare.

Online dating isn’t just emotionally tough. It can also be dangerous. A study by the Australian Institute of Criminology found that 75% of dating app users had faced some form of sexual violence. Even worse, one-third of them said it happened in person, after meeting someone from the app.

Because of these serious issues, the Australian government has introduced a new code of conduct for dating platforms like Tinder, Bumble, and Grindr. This code, which started on April 1, 2025, aims to keep users safe. Apps that don’t follow the rules could now face warnings or other penalties.

With apps losing their shine, some people are going back to real-life ways of meeting. After months off the apps, Anne decided to take salsa dancing classes instead.

“Worst-case scenario, I get some exercise and learn something new,” she said.

Others are trying speed dating or social meetups. They’re looking for connection beyond the screen, something real, human, and lasting.

Dating apps aren’t going away overnight, but they are clearly at a turning point. Users are asking for more honesty, better safety, and deeper connections. Unless apps make big changes, more people will keep turning away — and finding love in more personal ways. To reverse this trend, entities like Momo Inc. (NASDAQ: MOMO) now need innovative ways to make online dating more appealing to users that have been disillusioned by what they have experienced in recent years.

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