Differences In Dating Apps
Check out Bustle's 'Save The Date' and other videos on Facebook and the Bustle app across Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.It seems like there's a new dating app coming out every day. You can find one that caters to your political party, favorite hobby, or even matches you by which flight you're on. Although why you would ever be an awkward first date while hurling through the sky in a metal bird is beyond me. But despite all the different options available, there are still some clear front-runners in the dating app department. Classics and standbys, Survey Monkey Intelligence has released data based off of last's month usage that shows just how far and away some app's popularity is.
Before we get into it, I definitely think that you shouldn't be signing up to something just because it's popular — there are so many different dating apps out there it's easy to find one that's right for you, but it's still really fascinating to see which ones people are flocking to. What's even more interesting, is that there is a definite age shift between apps. I sort of thought there would be an age difference between those who use apps versus those who date only in real life, but even with the tech-savy there's a big split between the different apps.
Check out Bustle's 'Save The Date' and other videos on Facebook and the Bustle app across Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.
Here are the most popular dating apps and median age that uses them:
Let's break it down:
Whether you're looking for a new friend or a date, Different Dating is the place to be. When you sign up, you can identify yourself as Male, Female, Transsexual, Transvestite-Drag Qeen or Couple (MF, FF, MM) and search for what you want according to your tastes, around you or around the world. With a single subscription you will have two. The Differences Between Dating Apps. Looking for love (or a hookup) has never been so. Admit it - this whole dating app craze is fundamentally, incontrovertibly strange. People flip through their smartphones at pictures of human beings like they're a buffet of potentially attractive dishes. But not all dating apps.
1. Tinder
With over 7 million monthly users, Tinder was far and away the most popular app. In fact, none of the other apps reported on had even half the number of users as Tinder, so if you're just looking to work the numbers game Tinder is the way to go. The median age was 26 which... which makes me feel old, quite frankly.
2. OkCupid
OkCupid had over 2.5 million monthly users, which sounds like a lot, but like I said it's way, way less than Tinder. But, the median age was 32, so if you're hoping for a more mature crowd but still want a lot of people to chose from, it sounds like a good option.
3. Match
If you're looking for an even more mature group, Match boasts over 2 million monthly users and also had the oldest median age of any of the apps — 45.
4. Bumble
Bumble is probably the most popular app among my friends after Tinder, mostly because it's female-led. But with just over a million monthly users, it's a lot less popular than the options above. But then again, with a median age of 26, it may just be that it's more popular with the millennial crowd.
5. Coffee Meets Bagel
With almost 700,000 users, Coffee Meets Bagel may not be the most popular, but that doesn't really matter. One of their draws is that you only get one potential match a day, so the whole point is not to be overwhelmed by endless potential matches. And with only one match a day, it's going to take you a whole lot of time to get through all those users. The median age of users is 30, and, with it's uber selectivity, it seems like the choice for the young professional set.
6. Hinge
With under half a million users, Hinge's big benefit is that it matches you with your Facebook friends' friends or third-degree connections, so there are fewer users on there but probably more people you're connected to in some way. Its Facebook-reliance probably explains why the median age is 27, and it's great if you want to debrief with a mutual friend before your date.
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Images: Fotolia; Survey Monkey Intelligence; Giphy; Liz Minch/Bustle; Mary Rabun/Bustle (2); Caroline Wurtzel/Bustle; Cora Foxx/Bustle
We know the dating experience is significantly different for men and women, but what is dating like for different age groups? Do Millennials use dating apps differently than Baby Boomers? And what about dating etiquette? Does Generation Z adhere to a different set of norms and standards than others?
To help us determine how each generation approaches dating, the online dating site and app Zoosk analyzed over 5.7 million profiles and surveyed over 4,000 daters.
We even teamed up with UK’s leading dating expert, Hayley Quinn, who interviewed singles on the streets of London, to see if Zoosk’s data held up in the real world.
Watch the Video for Highlights:
Dive Into the Full Results:
Generation Z (Born after 1994)
Are the least picky online daters.
Gen Zers swipe or say yes to 33% of people they’re shown on dating apps—that’s 15% more than Millennials, and 20% more than Generation X and Baby Boomers.
Appreciate when a woman initiates, more so than the older generations.
While the majority (59%) think either a man or woman should make the first move online, 16% are more open to the idea of a woman making the first move—2% more than Millennials, 8% more than Generation X, and 7% more than Baby Boomers.
Need more time planning for dates.
38% of Generation Z want a week’s notice for a date—8% more than Millennials, 10% more than Generation X, and 13% more than Baby Boomers (who all need 2-3 days).
Are the most meticulous online daters.
51% of Millennials fill out their online dating profiles as much as possible—3% more than Generation Z, 9% more than Generation X, and 17% more than Baby Boomers.
Like drink dates a little more than all other generations.
While coffee dates are still the most popular choice with Millennials, drink dates come in a close second at 35%—8% more than Generation Z and Baby Boomers, and 3% more than Generation X.
Value conversation skills.
36% of Millennials think having great conversation skills is the best way to make a good first impression—1% more than Gen Z, 6% more than Gen X, and 10% more than Baby Boomers.
Enjoy banter online.
Generation X have the deepest conversations online (i.e. go back and forth in conversation the most)—24% more than Millennials and Baby Boomers, and 59% more than Generation Z.
Are more open to go Dutch on first dates.
Generation X are split when it comes to who should pay on the first date—47% think a man should pay while 46% think the check should be split 50-50 (5% more than Baby Boomers and Millennials, and 9% more than Generation Z).
Initiate conversations most often online.
After matching, Baby Boomers initiate the most conversations (whether that’s sending a smile or a message)—2% more than Generation X, 2.6% more than Generation Z, and 4% more than Millennials.
Dating Websites
Put more thought into a first message.
The average length of a first message is 17 words for Baby Boomers—6 more words than Generation X, 9 more than Millennials, and 11 more than Generation Z.
Like cutting to the chase, more so than the younger generations.
While 32% of Baby Boomers think chatting 2–3 days before asking someone out online is a good idea, 23% think it’s okay to ask someone out within the first few messages—10% more than Generation X, and 11% more than Millennials and Generation Z.
2021 Dating Apps
Prefer to call (not text) to set up dates.
The majority of Baby Boomers (60%) like to call to arranges dates—13% more than Generation X, 25% more than Millennials, and 26% more than Generation Z.
Differences In Dating Apps
Enjoy online dating on Sundays.
Sundays are the busiest day for online dating across all generations.
Start with coffee.
While younger daters are more open to the idea of dinner dates (and even ice cream dates), coffee dates are the preferred date of choice across the board.
Consider holding doors open a romantic gesture.
Over 80% of daters across all generations think holding the door open for your date is a romantic gesture.
Agree that a man should pay on first dates.
About 50% of daters across all age groups think a man should pay on the first date and about 40% think it should be split.
Don’t consider one-night stands dating deal-breakers.
Even though Baby Boomers are less likely to date someone after a one night stand, the majority of daters across all generations would still do it.
While there are a lot of similarities between how people from each age group date, overall, the younger generations tend to match more online and are more open to women making the first move. They also prefer to build up a connection before meeting in-person. The older generations like to initiate conversation more online and set up dates faster. They’re also a little more traditional with their dating approach—they like to call to arrange dates, hold doors open during dates, and enjoy a classic coffee date for a first date.
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