Dating app Once, which dubs itself the “slow” dating app, has been sold to conglomerate Dating Group for $18 million in cash and stock, according to Tech Crunch.

Dating Group owns Dating.com, Dil Mil, AnastasiaDate and ChinaLove among other online dating platforms, competing directly with Bumble and Match Group’s suite of apps as well as Facebook Dating. It currently has offices in seven countries, and around 73 million users across its portfolio. Once comes with about 9 million users.

Once positioned itself as a more purpose-driven dating app, offering only one match per day to its users, who then have 24 hours to message that match to show interest, or they disappear. This offering was an intentional tactic to compete with the frenetic pace of apps like Tinder where people are inclined to swipe through dozens of profiles each minute rather than spending time really looking at each one. On the other hand, Once forced its users to consider one match at a time.

Recipient
Plenty of Fish

The recipient of the Editor's Top Pick - Free award for 2021 is Plenty of Fish. POF has won this award 4 times since 2016 and this year makes it the fifth time in a row. The free dating service category is extremely competitive and POF has managed to stay on top over the last decade and a half thanks to their continued improvements along with the success their members find when they use the service. A statistic that points to this services popularity is, in the last 5 years the POF dating apps have been downloaded over 73 million times (for iOS and Android). The reason that POF members enjoy a 30% success rate in only 4 short weeks or less, is because over 17 million conversations are exchanged every day. Singles who join POF are on their to find dates, and since it is free to use, everyone participates making your chances of finding love that much better.

The hit US dating reality show Dating No Filter from E! Network is getting a remake for UK audiences. Comcast-owed Sky One Network and Now TV will air the new eight-part series, according to Deadline.

The UK version follows a similar format to the original, with a group of singles set up on blind dates by comedians who give their commentary as the dates progress. According to British Comedy Guide, the comedians will be given some control over a range of matches to choose from, and of course they weigh in on any awkward moments.

Bumble Inc. made its IPO filing public Friday January 15th, following rumors that the company would go public in time for Valentine’s Day. The app is expected to list on NASDAQ under the BMBL ticker.

According to The New York Post, Bumble reported revenue of $488.9 million in 2019, and $376.6 million in revenue between January 29 and September 30th of 2020. (Fourth quarter results have not been reported.) The pandemic has helped fuel dating app sign-ups and activity, with people using them to connect in a time of social distancing. Bumble offers an in-app video chat feature, which has been incredibly popular the last several months as people were in lockdown.

Recipient
WooPlus

The Editor's Top Pick - Up & Coming award recipient for 2021 is WooPlus. This dating service for plus sized singles has seen a huge increase in registrations this year. This is thanks in part to their continued innovation in the niche. We are not the only ones to notice either as WooPlus in 2020 was also a top trending dating app on Google Play and a Google Play Editor’s Choice. Thanks to this increased visibility and major media outlets like Vice and People taking notice, WooPlus now has over 5 million users signup since they launched in 2015.

Dating app users are advertising when they have received the COVID-19 vaccine in the hope of capturing more matches.

As more people are able to get vaccinated, it has become a selling point for singles who are eager to date in person again. Healthcare workers, grocery store clerks, politicians and teachers are all in the front of the line to get the vaccine, along with other at-risk populations, and many of them are using dating apps to share their vaccine status. 

According to Vice, people are sharing details in their profiles for maximum visibility, like when they got their last vaccine or if they are still waiting for the second shot.