In this article, we will be looking at the 22 best and worst dating apps in 2024 ranked by reviews. If you want to skip our detailed analysis you can go directly to 5 Best and Worst Dating Apps In 2024 Ranked By Reviews.
Online Dating Apps Industry: An Overview
According to a report by Grand View Research, the global online dating applications market was valued at $8.64 billion in 2023. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6% from 2023 to 2030. The global dating apps market is estimated to reach a value of $14.42 billion by the end of the forecasted period. The growing popularity of dating apps among various demographic groups based on various factors including gender, ethnicity, and religion has been fueling the growth of the global market.
The online dating landscape is witnessing a shift towards intentional dating, with platforms like Hinge introducing premium subscription plans targeting users seeking serious relationships. This move diversifies revenue streams and caters to a niche market segment. It reflects broader societal trends towards prioritizing meaningful connections over casual encounters. Another prominent trend is the enhancement of safety features on these online dating applications. Various online dating apps are now incorporating advanced safety features into their apps including photo verification and background checks. The aim is to reduce safety concerns and enhance user experience.
North America was the most dominant region in the global online dating applications market in 2022 and accounted for 36% of the global market. Prominent online dating apps companies including Bumble are located in the region. The presence of the online dating applications giants in the region contributed to the large industry share. Out of the 36%, 58% of the market share was concentrated in the US alone. The Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest-growing region over the forecasted period. 58% share in the Asia-Pacific region is held by China and India. The rising single population and popularity of dating sites in the region are expected to be the main drivers of growth during this period. You can also check out the 15 Free Dating Sites For Singles in the US.
Notable Companies In the Online Dating Apps Industry
Bumble Inc (NASDAQ:BMBL), Spark Networks SE (OTC:LOVLQ), and Match Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH) are some of the most prominent players in the online dating applications industry. You can also read about the 20 Dating Sites with the Most Users in 2024.
Bumble Inc (NASDAQ:BMBL) is one of the most notable companies in the online dating industry. It is the parent company of Bumble, Bumble for Friends, Badoo, Fruitz, and Official. The company was founded in 2014 and is one of the first dating apps designed with a focus on women. The app enables women to be the ones to initiate conversations. The company is focused on connecting people be it for dating on Bumble Date, for friendship on Bumble For Friends, or professional networking on Bumble Bizz. Bumble Inc (NASDAQ:BMBL) is headquartered in Texas and is available in 190 countries with almost 42 million worldwide users. The company has established itself in the dating applications industry with various launches over the years including Badoo in 2006, Fruitz in 2017, and Official in 2020. You can also check out the 15 Countries With Most Bumble Users.
Spark Networks SE (OTC:LOVLQ) is a noteworthy company in the online dating industry. EliteSingles, SilverSingles, and Christian Mingle are some of the top online dating platforms by the company. The company is undergoing a major transformational phase that signifies potential market consolidation, increased competition, and potential improvements in user experience within the dating applications industry. On January 12, the company announced that it had completed its financial reorganization process. The completion of the process is marked with MGG Investment Group LP becoming its sole equity owner. The reorganization is set to improve the capital structure and liquidity of Spark Networks SE (OTC:LOVLQ).
Match Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH) is one of the biggest names in the online dating apps industry with popular names including Tinder and Meetic in its portfolio. On January 30, Match Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH) reported earnings for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023. The company reported an EPS of $1.08, beating estimates by $0.36. The company's revenue for the quarter grew by 10.19% and amounted to $866.23 million, ahead of market consensus by $4.94 million. Here are some comments from the company's earnings call:
"Match Group’s total revenue for Q4 was $866 million, up 10% year-over-year, an acceleration from 9% year-over-year in Q3. For the full year, Match Group delivered total revenue of $3.4 billion, up 6% year-over-year with AOI of $1.3 billion, representing a margin of 37%. Excluding the $40 million we received as part of the Google settlement, full year AOI margins would have been up 80 basis points compared to 2022, meeting our goal of flat or better year-over-year AOI margin."
Entering the online dating space can be a daunting experience, especially considering the large number of options. We have made a list of the best and the worst dating apps in 2024, which we are going to discuss in detail below.
22 Best and Worst Dating Apps in 2024 Ranked By Reviews
22 Best and Worst Dating Apps in 2024 Ranked By Reviews
Our Methodology
To make our list, we initially sifted through 4 different sources that listed the best and worst dating apps in 2024. We separated the names of the dating apps that appeared in at least 2 of the initial four sources. We then looked up the ratings for each app on Google Play Store and App Store. We aggregated the total number of reviews across these sources for each dating app along with the average rating across the platforms. The average rating was our primary metric for arranging our list and the number of reviews was the secondary metric, which we used as a tie-breaker. The list has been arranged in descending order of ratings i.e. from the best app to the worst app.
According to the data collected, the apps with a rating of 3.5 and above fell in the category of best dating apps whereas the worst ones had a rating of 3.5 or below. Furthermore, it is important to note that the number of reviews and ratings are subject to change over time as people are constantly sharing their reviews on the mentioned platforms. We have only considered the items that have more than 50,000 reviews across the platforms. The list has been arranged based on the data collected on March 7, 2024.
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Best and Worst Dating Apps in 2024 Ranked By Reviews
22. Bumble
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.55
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 990,800
Bumble is one of the best dating apps in 2024 based on reviews. The dating app was launched in 2014. Bumble allows users to view profiles of potential matches and decide by swiping left to reject or right to show interest. One of the unique features of the app is that it allows women to make the first move. As of 7th March 2024, the average rating of the app was 4.55.
21. Coffee Meets Bagel
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.5
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 112,038
Coffee Meets Bagel is a dating app that was founded in 2012. It has a rating of 4.5 across Play Store and App Store which makes it one of the best dating apps in 2024 based on our analysis. The app offers a unique approach to online dating by providing users with daily curated matches.
20. Adam4Adam
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.5
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 57,125
Adam4Adam is an online dating website specifically designed for men to meet other men. The dating app was launched in 2003 and has an average rating of 4.5 making it one of the best dating apps in 2024. The platform offers a unique plan-a-trip feature to help users locate potential friends or dates in specific locations.
19. Badoo
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.45
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 639,600
Badoo is one of the best dating apps in 2024 based on reviews. Badoo allows users to match, chat, make friends, or find a partner. It focuses on providing a safe and genuine platform for users to connect with others. The safety tools of the app are a distinguishing feature and set it apart from other similar apps.
18. Muzz: Muslim Dating & Marriage
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.45
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 157,100
Muzz is a Muslim dating and marriage app that caters to single Muslims. The dating app is quickly gaining popularity and it currently has over 10 million Muslim users. The app offers strong filters allowing users to find matches based on various aspects including location, profession, and education.
17. Surge
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.4
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 101,200
Surge is a popular gay dating app that caters to gay, bi, trans, and queer individuals. Surge offers features like browsing profiles and swiping to like or pass on users. It has an average rating of 4.4 across platforms.
16. Zoosk
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.35
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 720,500
Zoosk is an online dating site and dating app designed to help individuals meet local singles. The dating app provides a platform for connecting with potential partners. It has an average rating of 4.35 across platforms and is among our list of the best dating apps in 2024.
15. Happn
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.3
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 1,713,000
Happn is a dating app that was launched in 2014. It is one of the best dating apps in 2024 based on reviews. Happn allows users to like or dislike other users and chat if both parties express mutual interest.
14. Scruff
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.25
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 135,500
Scruff is a gay-friendly dating app that allows users to connect with others based on their preferences. One of the distinguishing features of the app is the "Woof" feature that allows the users to express interest. The app, as of 7th March 2024, has a rating of 4.25.
13. Romeo
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.2
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 181,318
Romeo, also known as Planet Romeo, is a popular gay dating platform. The app allows users to create profiles, upload photos, and engage with other members. The app focuses on creating a safe and inclusive space for the users.
12. Grindr
Average Rating Across Sources: 4.1
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 1,173,100
Grindr is an online dating application specifically designed for gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. The dating app was initially launched in March 2009. The app allows users to create profiles and utilize GPS positioning to connect with nearby users. The users connect using various communication features including chatting, sending pictures, video calls, and sharing locations.
11. Tinder
Average Rating Across Sources: 3.95
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 6,855,300
Tinder is one of the best online dating apps in 2024 based on reviews. The app was initially launched in 2012. The app enables users to "swipe right" to like or "swipe left" to dislike other users' profiles. The unique double opt-in system only allows users to exchange messages if both of them have swiped right.
10. Plenty Of Fish
Average Rating Across Sources: 3.55
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 1,670,000
Plenty of Fish is a well-established online dating platform available as both an app and a desktop site. Founded in 2003, the dating app and site have an extensive user base. It is one of the worst dating apps in 2024 based on reviews as it has an average rating of 3.55 across sources.
9. Jack'd
Average Rating Across Sources: 3.5
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 121,393
Jack'd is a location-based chat and dating app designed for gay and bisexual men. The app has experienced mixed user reviews with a large number of users having serious security concerns about the app. The app as of 7th March, has 121,393 user reviews across platforms with the average rating being 3.5.
8. Chat & Date: Dating Made Simple
Average Rating Across Sources: 3.45
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 351,000
The Chat & Date: Dating Made Simple app has received both positive and negative feedback from users. Users have reported encountering inactive profiles, leading to difficulties in getting responses from potential matches. Some users have experienced technical glitches and bugs within the app. Based on reviews, it is one of the worst dating apps in 2024.
7. OkCupid
Average Rating Across Sources: 3.4
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 596,000
OkCupid has an average rating of only 3.4 across sources. OkCupid, like many dating apps, has faced criticism and complaints from users. Users have reported encountering fake profiles, stolen pictures, and interactions with scammers on the platform, leading to frustration and distrust among members.
6. Hinge
Average Rating Across Sources: 3.4
Aggregate Number of Reviews: 280,000
Hinge is a dating app designed for individuals seeking meaningful connections. However, the users have mentioned various concerns regarding the dating app which is reflected in the relatively low rating of 3.4. Users have expressed dissatisfaction with the app's paywalls, where non-paying members receive a limited number of likes per day.
