Condensed Version The State of Dating Apps 2021
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The State of Dating Apps 2021 — An Analysis of U.S. Dating App Market Trends and Top Apps Condensed Version
Transcript of Condensed Version The State of Dating Apps 2021
The State of Dating Apps 2021— An Analysis of U.S. Dating App Market Trends and Top Apps
Condensed Version
Market Overview - United States: Dating app revenue and download trends in the U.S. and top apps
Trends during COVID-19 A look at how COVID-19 altered the dating landscape
Traditional Dating Trends Trends among traditional dating apps entering 2021
Dating Advertising Advertising trends among top dating apps, including a look at Bumble’s creatives
Conclusion A summary of key takeaways from the report
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The State of Dating Apps report offers analysis on the latest trends for the category:
The State of Dating Apps: Table of Contents
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5M
10M
15M
20M
Q1 2017
Q2 2017
Q3 2017
Q4 2017
Q1 2018
Q2 2018
Q3 2018
Q4 2018
Q1 2019
Q2 2019
Q3 2019
Q4 2019
Q1 2020
Q2 2020
Q3 2020
Q4 2020
5.1M5.8M5.6M6.7M
5.7M5.9M
6.1M6.3M
5.8M6.3M
6.1M6.3M6.3M
6.5M
6.3M6.5M
10.5M10.1M10.4M10.4M9.5M10.0M
9.0M9.5M9.1M9.1M7.8M7.6M7.1M7.5M
6.5M6.8M
App Store Google Play U.S. dating app downloads reached a new high in Q1 2020. Most of this success came from a particularly strong January prior to the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. Despite COVID-19, dating app adoption remained steady throughout the rest of 2020. Downloads grew 3 percent Y/Y in Q4, and it appears that mobile dating in the U.S. will continue to thrive even while social distancing measures are in place.
App Store install growth outpaced that of Google Play, perhaps suggesting that dating apps are going after the comparatively higher spending consumers on Apple’s platform. While the App Store accounted for roughly 67 percent of U.S. downloads in Q4 2020, it generated nearly 87 percent of the revenue.
Market Overview
Quarterly U.S. downloads on the top 25 dating apps on the App Store and Google Play
U.S. Dating Downloads Grow Despite COVID-19
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+11%
+2%+3%
Market Overview 4
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Match Group app
Tinder Match Group
Plenty of Fish Match Group
Bumble MagicLab
Zoosk Spark Network
Badoo MagicLab
Match Match Group
OkCupid Match Group
Grindr Grindr
Anonymous Chat Rooms AntiChat
Clover Clover
Tinder Match Group
Bumble MagicLab
Plenty of Fish Match Group
Hily Hily
Hinge Match Group
Badoo MagicLab
Match Match Group
Zoosk Spark Network
OkCupid Match Group
Clover Clover
Tinder Match Group
Bumble MagicLab
Plenty of Fish Match Group
Hinge Match Group
Hily Hily
Badoo MagicLab
BLK Match Group
Grindr Grindr
Match Match Group
Taimi Social Impact
Tinder Match Group
Plenty of Fish Match Group
Bumble MagicLab
Zoosk Spark Network
Badoo MagicLab
Match Match Group
OkCupid Match Group
Grindr Grindr
Hinge* Match Group
Hily Hily
2017 2018 2019 2020
*Note: Match Group acquired a 51 percent stake in Hinge in 2018, before fully acquiring the dating app in early 2019.
Match Group Also Tops the U.S. Download RankingsMost installed dating apps on the U.S. App Store and Google Play by year
Dow
nloa
ds
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5M
10M
15M
20M
25M
Aver
age
Age
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Q1 2018
Q2 2018
Q3 2018
Q4 2018
Q1 2019
Q2 2019
Q3 2019
Q4 2019
Q1 2020
Q2 2020
Q3 2020
Q4 2020
Average Age Downloads
28.2
27.327.227.2
28.5
28.1
28.7
29.229.4
29.329.5
29.6
Note Regarding Download and Age Estimates Population of apps includes the top 25 dating apps by U.S. downloads each quarter across the App Store and Google Play. Average age is among the same top 25 apps, and is App Store only.
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Younger Users Turned to Dating Apps Amid COVID-19Quarterly average age and U.S. downloads for the top 25 dating apps
While the average age for dating apps steadily declined in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend in early 2020. The average user age among the top apps was around 27.2 the first three quarter of 2020 before jumping back up to 28.2 in Q4.
School closures and social distancing orders increased demand among a younger user base. Some top apps started to add features that are popular among this younger audience, such as live streaming.
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Trends During COVID-19
Quarterly U.S. downloads for top apps for finding friends and meeting new people
Apps for Making Friends Have Seen a Surge in Adoption
Meet Group has found steady success with a handful of apps including MeetMe, Tagged, and Skout. These apps contain many of the same features included in top dating apps, but are marketed primarily for the purpose of chatting and meeting new people.
With a sudden surge in demand for social apps during stay-at-home orders amid COVID-19, some other apps were able to capitalize on the influx of younger users, including Yuba, Wink, and Wizz. These apps promoted themselves as social apps for making new friends. Interestingly, Meet Group’s top apps did not see much of a boost in 2020.
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500K
1.0M
1.5M
2.0M
Q1 2017
Q2 2017
Q3 2017
Q4 2017
Q1 2018
Q2 2018
Q3 2018
Q4 2018
Q1 2019
Q2 2019
Q3 2019
Q4 2019
Q1 2020
Q2 2020
Q3 2020
Q4 2020
MeetMe (-3%)
Wink (+105%)
Yubo (+38% Y/Y in 4Q20)
Skout (-9%)
Tagged (+5%)
Yubo MeetMe Tagged Wink Skout Wizz
Wizz (+1,900%)
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Trends During COVID-19
Dating Advertising
Bumble was a Top Advertiser Across Popular Ad NetworksTop dating apps by U.S. share of voice for iPhone and iPad
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Bumble MagicLab
Tinder Match Group
Hinge Match Group
Clover Clover
Badoo MagicLab
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Bumble MagicLab
Hinge Match Group
Clover Clover
Plenty of Fish Match Group
BLK Match Group
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Hily Hily
Bumble MagicLab
Clover Clover
Tinder Match Group
Badoo MagicLab
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Bumble MagicLab
Ashley Madison Ruby Life
Tinder Match Group
Taimi Social Impact
HUD HUD Studio
TikTok Apple Search AdsSnapchat
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TikTok
Creative Trends: Bumble
1 Pre-Pandemic 2 Early Pandemic 3 Late 2020
By late 2020, Bumble shifted away from its virtual dating advertising. A few of its top creatives still referenced dating from home, but many featured more traditional ads with success stories from the app or demonstrations of its latest features.
MoPub TikTok
Bumble was one of the few top dating apps to adjust its advertising to address the pandemic. Many (though not all) of its top creatives began to mention dating from home and highlighted its video chatting option for virtual dates.
SnapchatTikTok
Bumble’s advertising early 2020 highlighted its differentiating features. It frequently called out how female-identified users message first, and many of its ads promote how it is a great dating option for them in particular.
Dating Advertising
The State of Dating Apps: There’s More!
The full State of Dating Apps report is available exclusively to Sensor Tower Enterprise customers. Request the full report from our sales team ([email protected]):
Additional Insights in the Full State of Dating Apps Report (28 more pages)
• Revenue Trends for Top Apps in the U.S.
• A Look at How Demographic Shifts Following COVID-19 Altered the Dating App Landscape
• Trends in Traditional Dating Apps, Including the Recent Success of Hinge
• App Store Optimization and Advertising Strategies Amidst COVID-19
• And more!
Request the Full Dating Report
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Modification, republication, distribution, or other unauthorized usage violate this copyright, unless express permission has been granted.
App icons, images, and other branding assets are property of their respective publishers and are used expressly for the purpose of editorial commentary.
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