Are dating apps on their way out? New study reveals success rates are dropping
A recent study by tech retail giant Currys has analysed the public’s experience with the 15 most popular dating apps available. The study is a follow-up to their 2021 study, allowing for a comparison year on year.
The data revealed that almost all of the 15 dating apps analysed experienced a drop in success rate in 2022 compared to 2021, with the exception of Hinge and Lumen which experienced small increases. Tinder, although still the dating app with the highest success at 16.51%, showed a success rate drop of almost 5% compared to 2021 figures.
Match.com showed the second-highest drop in success rates, with 2022 figures being 3.26% less than 2021 and in third place was eHarmony with a 1.55% drop.
Dating apps with the highest decrease in success rates year on year
| Platform | Success rate 2021 | Success Rate 2022 | Success rate change |
| Tinder | 21.50% | 16.51% | -4.99% |
| Match.com | 8.90% | 5.64% | -3.26% |
| eHarmony | 5.10% | 3.55% | -1.55% |
| Plenty of Fish | 12.70% | 11.18% | -1.52% |
| Badooo | 6.10% | 4.91% | -1.19% |
| Feeld | 3.00% | 1.88% | -1.12% |
| Happn | 2.70% | 1.88% | -0.82% |
| Grindr | 3.60% | 2.93% | -0.67% |
| Bumble | 6.00% | 5.75% | -0.25% |
| Snack | 2.76% | 2.51% | -0.25% |
| OkCupid | 3.60% | 3.45% | -0.15% |
| Her | 1.70% | 1.57% | -0.13% |
| EliteSingles | 2.10% | 1.99% | -0.11% |
| Lumen | 1.18% | 2.09% | +0.91% |
| Hinge | 3.00% | 4.08% | +1.08% |
But why? One explanation could be that in 2021 many were still feeling the effects of the pandemic and not being able to get out as much as, whereas in 2022 all restrictions were lifted, and a sense of normality was returned to peoples’ social lives.
Nearly 60% of respondents said they would prefer to meet someone in real life, rather than on a dating app.
Or could the reason be the negative stories around the behaviour of dating app users? Just last year the hit Netflix show The Tinder Swindler came out and showed how the app was used by one man to fool several women out of hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Similarly, there are bad behaviours unique to online dating which may be hindering success rates.
When the same group of participants were asked if they were guilty of any of the bad behaviours associated with dating apps, it was predominantly the men using the apps who admitted fault.
Men were found to be the main perpetrators of Posing (pretending that you are interested in a certain type of relationship when you are not) with 14.39% of male participants admitting to this, Cushioning (messaging other people casually in case your current committed relationship doesn’t work out. Also known as ‘micro cheating`) where 13.49% have admitted to this and 10.25% were guilty of Catfishing (pretending to be someone else).
The bad behaviour men were not the guiltiest of, however, was Ghosting (ending all contact without explanation). Here women took the lead with almost 1 in 5 women (19.2%) admitting to ghosting on dating apps at some point, whereas only 17.45% men said they had done this.
| Bad Behaviour | Men | Women |
| Ghosting | 17.45% | 19.20% |
| Posing | 14.39% | 7.48% |
| Cushioning | 13.49% | 9.73% |
| Catfishing | 10.25% | 3.24% |
