Survey Reveals The Good, Bad, And Ugly About Dating Apps

For a growing segment of the population, the days of hitting up singles night at a local bar or striking up a conversation in the produce department of the supermarket are over. Instead, they’re relying almost exclusively on dating apps in a bid to find a long-term romantic partner.

There’s no longer a stigma around online dating like there was in the early days of the internet, but there are still some pitfalls to watch out for.

A surprising generation gap

You might think younger adults who grew up in the digital age would be more willing to rely on technology to help spark a relationship. Nevertheless, people under 30 are more likely than their older counterparts to believe that dating apps make it harder to find a long-term partner.

While 42% of all adults say it is easier to start a serious relationship with an app and 22% said it is harder, those numbers were 35% and 33%, respectively, among those between the ages of 18 and 29. That’s probably why those over 30 are more likely to spend money on dating app features than younger adults.

Different genders, different uses

In addition to variations based on age, the survey determined that men and women tend to have different expectations of dating apps. For example, 43% of men say they use such services strictly for casual dating, which is higher than the 42% who said they are looking for long-term relationships.

Men indicated that they’re more likely than women to pay for apps and premium features — and they’re also more likely to feel insecure about themselves when they don’t receive messages.

Even though singles keep going back to them, a whopping 90% of women and 87% of men say they’re disappointed by what they find on typical dating apps.

Chris Agee February 9th, 2023

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