Studies

When you think about dating apps, Tinder, Bumble or Hinge may be the first names that come to mind. But one dating service that doesn't even have its own standalone app is quietly becoming a significant part of the U.S. online dating landscape: Facebook Dating.

Launched in the U.S. in 2019, Facebook Dating operates as a free feature inside Facebook. While it may receive less attention than some of the industry's biggest dating brands, new research from Morning Consult suggests that awareness doesn't tell the whole story when it comes to which services people actually consider and use.

Morning Consult examined 25 situations or feelings that might prompt someone to think about using a dating service. Facebook Dating ranked first among the major brands studied in 22 of those 25 situations, while Tinder led in two.

If it feels like online dating is becoming a bigger part of everyday life in Europe, the numbers suggest you're right. Despite concerns about dating app fatigue and changing attitudes toward swiping, the European online dating industry is expected to continue growing over the next five years.

Europe's online dating services market is forecast to increase from approximately $1.22 billion in 2026 to $1.63 billion by 2031, according to a new market forecast highlighted by Yahoo Finance UK.

That represents a compound annual growth rate of 5.99%, suggesting that people aren't necessarily abandoning online dating. Instead, the way they use and pay for dating services is changing.

You match with someone. The conversation feels natural. They seem genuine. Then they ask for money, send a suspicious link, or convince you to move the conversation somewhere private.

Unfortunately, scenarios like this are becoming more common, and new Canadian data suggests online communities and dating platforms are increasingly attracting fraud activity.

According to reporting from Global News, citing new data from TransUnion, Canadians are facing elevated levels of digital fraud, with online communities, including dating platforms and forums, showing some of the fastest growth in suspected fraud attempts.

For anyone using online dating, this isn’t meant to create fear—it’s a reminder that knowing what to watch for has become just as important as creating a great profile.

Remember when you spent hours analyzing a three-word text message, trying to decode whether "sounds good" meant they were actually interested or just being polite? Yeah, those days are officially over. Singles are hitting reset on romance, and the confusion that's plagued dating for years is finally getting replaced with something refreshingly simple: clarity.

According to Tinder's Year in Swipe 2025 report, young daters are done with mixed signals and ready to be upfront about what they want. In fact, 64% say emotional honesty is what dating needs most right now, while 60% are calling for clearer communication around intentions. If you've been feeling exhausted by the guessing games, you're not alone—and 2026 is shaping up to be your year.

The shift isn't about making dating more serious or rigid. It's actually the opposite. When you stop overthinking every interaction and start saying what you mean, dating becomes less stressful and a lot more fun. And the trends emerging for next year prove that authenticity, confidence, and a willingness to be emotionally available are the new currency of attraction.

If you’ve ever downloaded a dating app, opened it with excitement, and deleted it just a few days later, you’re in good company. Many young adults feel the same way, and for Gen Z in particular, swiping has started to feel more like a chore than a chance at connection.

Think back to your own first experience. Maybe you were sitting with a friend, scrolling and laughing together, only to realize later that none of those matches turned into real conversations. That frustration is exactly what today’s younger daters are feeling, and they're walking away from apps faster than ever.

According to FastCompany and AppsFlyer, 69% of dating apps downloaded in 2025 were deleted within the first month. This is a sign that the industry needs to evolve if it wants to keep Gen Z engaged.

How secure is your favorite dating app? According to a new study from the Business Digital Index, a staggering 75% of the 24 largest dating apps received a grade of D or F in cybersecurity—a mood-killer you didn’t swipe for.

Dating apps don’t just store your favorite selfies or witty first lines—they often hold deeply personal data: messages, orientation, even payment info. When security systems fail, the fallout can be devastating.