Mainstream dating applications are experiencing a significant decline in users, prompting a shift toward social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn for romantic pursuits. Dating columnist Jana Hocking reports that major dating apps have seen double-digit percentage drops in their UK user base since 2023, with platforms such as Tinder and Bumble experiencing notable decreases in users and market value.
Tinder's UK user base reportedly fell from 2.5 million in May 2023 to 1.5 million in May 2025. Bumble confirmed a 16.4 percent year-on-year decline in its global paying user base and a 95 percent loss in market value since its 2021 peak. A YouGov survey indicated that nearly half of Britons found their experience with dating apps to be negative, with 61 percent encountering profiles they suspected were fake. Bumble has even relaxed its signature women-message-first rule, allowing men to initiate conversations in an apparent effort to retain users.
Hocking suggests that a primary reason for this decline is the perceived lack of safety and authenticity on these platforms. She notes that fake profiles, often using stolen photographs, are prevalent, leading to instances of catfishing and romance scams. Hocking advocates for mandatory identity verification on dating apps to enhance user confidence and deter fraudulent activity, a suggestion that she claims has been met with resistance from app companies concerned about a potential decrease in user numbers.
"The app knew verification could make users safer, but it also knew it might shrink its membership figures," Hocking wrote. The issue of safety is underscored by reports from the UK's National Crime Agency, which analyzed offenses starting on dating platforms, finding that a significant percentage of victims were female and a substantial portion of suspects had prior criminal convictions.
In response to the frustrations with dating apps, Hocking experimented with using social media for dating. She posted a series of pictures on Instagram outlining her requirements for a potential date, including being single, age-appropriate, and interested in a relationship. This approach, she found, provided more context about potential partners than traditional dating apps.
"Instagram gave me something the apps rarely do: Context," Hocking stated. "I could scroll through years of someone’s life, see how they spoke to people and check whether we had mutual friends." While acknowledging that social media also has its share of fake profiles and unavailable individuals, she found it removed some of the "coldness of swiping" and allowed for more upfront communication about intentions.
Other platforms, like LinkedIn, are also being repurposed for romantic connections, with a US survey indicating that one in eight users had formed a relationship through the business networking site. Hocking concludes that digital dating may not be disappearing but rather evolving, with platforms offering a more comprehensive view of individuals becoming the new avenues for connection.