SilverSingles

Seniors are a growing demographic of online daters, and they are flocking to popular dating apps, including Tinder, according to a recent study.

Independent insurance group Choice Mutual found that about one third of seniors who have dated in the last five years have looked to dating apps to meet people. In addition, two thirds of those using dating apps have found relationships with someone they met through the platforms, according to Forbes. 

Some top choices of apps were Tinder, Match and Hinge, with 35 percent of respondents saying Tinder was the platform where they met the person they were dating. Twenty-eight percent said they had the best luck on Match, 25 percent had found someone either on Hinge or Plenty of Fish, and 24 percent had found their significant other on Bumble.

Boomers are looking for love and increasingly turning to dating apps to do it. But Tinder isn’t necessarily what they are looking for.

BBC reported that the demographics with the biggest growth for dating app usage are 18-24-year-olds and those over 50. Between 2013 and 2015 when Tinder began to take off, online dating tripled for the younger demographic and doubled for those aged 55-64, according to Pew Research Center.

However, older daters were finding obstacles in using popular apps like Tinder that continue to cater to young users. For example, when Tinder launched its premium paid service, the company charged significantly more for older users, which caused an outcry. Some dating apps don’t let people over 50 sign up at all, so boomers were either having to lie about their ages or look for another platform. 

Recipient
SilverSingles

The recipient of the 2020 Dating Sites Reviews Editor's Top Pick - Senior Award is SilverSingles. This dating service which is accessible via their website at SilverSingles.com and available as a dating app on iOS and Android phones is designed for singles 50 years and older. It is owned by Sparks Network which is the second largest online dating company in North America in terms of subscribers (just behind the Match Group). Being part of a large international company that has been in business since the late nineties means they have a lot of experience on what works and what does not when it comes to online dating. A lot of research went into the design and features of this service and it shows when you sign up for the first time.