Tinder Testing a Controversial New Height Feature

Tinder is testing a new height feature, which sparked controversy among daters after a screenshot from a Reddit forum disclosing the feature was leaked.

According to Tech Crunch, Tinder confirmed that it is testing the height feature, but only among its paying users. In other words, subscribers to Tinder Gold and Tinder Premium who are participating in the test group can now filter their matches according to height preferences. The testing is taking place globally.

According to Tech Crunch, the feature allows paying users to set preferences for height, but the app won’t block or exclude matches who don’t meet the requirements. Instead, the company says the feature will “inform recommendations.”

The move by Tinder sparked controversy online, with many male posters complaining of being ruled out before they’ve had a chance, according to The Independent. (The assumption being that women prefer taller men.) Other posts noted that many female users don’t pay for a subscription to the app, so won’t be able to use the new feature anyway.

The Independent also noted that height is a consideration for both sexes, at least according to a study by OkCupid. In its study, the dating app found that men tend to add two more inches to their profiles to attract more matches, and that women who were 5 foot 4 inches received 60 more messages on average than a woman who is six feet tall.

The height feature is part of Tinder’s push to attract more paying users. Match Group has brought in a new CEO who has made revamping Tinder and increasing paying users his number one priority, so new features are bound to be behind a paywall – and if they are coveted, might end up being controversial. Some journalists have wondered if another feature the company might be considering is a weight filter, though there has been no evidence they are testing other similar features.

While Tinder didn’t get the chance to announce the new height filter in a splashy way, the company did issue a statement in response to the controversy.  

“We’re always listening to what matters most to our Tinder users — and testing the paid height preference is a great example of how we’re building with urgency, clarity, and focus,” said Phil Price Fry, VP Comms at Tinder, in an emailed statement. “This is part of a broader effort to help people connect more intentionally on Tinder. Our new product principles guide every decision, and this one speaks directly to a few: prioritizing user outcomes, moving fast, and learning quickly. Not every test becomes a permanent feature, but every test helps us learn how we can deliver smarter, more relevant experiences and push the category forward.”