Matchmakers Claim Higher Success Rates as Singles Drift From Dating Apps
BUSINESS RECRUITMENT – Dating app usage in the UK has fallen 16% since 2024 due to app fatigue, but investor interest is shifting toward female-led dating companies, especially matchmaking services. Women run ~90% of personalized agencies and are increasingly entering app leadership roles, focusing on safety, emotional intelligence, and relationship outcomes rather than engagement mechanics. These platforms produce fewer initial meetings than large swipe apps but achieve higher rates of long-term relationships. The UK market has ~1.3M users across ~1,400 services worth £422M and is growing 8% annually, with global dating projected to exceed £13B by 2030. Industry figures argue that the future model combines human matchmaking supported by AI rather than AI-only systems.
Swept Dating Adds In-App Date Planner and Safety Tools
PRESS RELEASE – Swept Dating, a relationship-focused dating app, released an update adding an in-app date planner to schedule and review dates, with feedback used to flag no-shows and repeat ghosting. The update also introduces profile styling options, VPN-based fraud detection, stronger safety controls, and expanded availability across the U.S. and Canada.
Paul Eastwick: Dating Works Through Compatibility, Not Volume
LOS ANGELES TIMES – UC Davis relationship researcher Paul Eastwick, author of Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection, argues dating is driven by compatibility and emotional attachment rather than looks, money, or fixed “mate value.” Instead of many quick app dates, people should broaden social circles and spend more time with fewer partners across different activities. His research finds men and women want largely the same qualities – support and security – and connection forms through repeated interaction, not rapid filtering.
UK Survey: AI Deepfakes Are Undermining Trust in Dating Apps
ITBRIEF – A UK poll of 2K dating-app users found 84% say AI-generated content now makes dating harder to trust (up from 64% in 2025). While 32% use AI to help write messages, 36% have tried AI companions instead of dating apps. Identity fraud and deepfakes are the main drivers: 61% encountered fake profiles and the sector shows high fraud rates (6.35%), with romance scams costing over £100m annually. Users are responding by self-verifying matches, while demanding clearer rules and stronger platform accountability rather than outright bans on AI tools.
Happn: Singles Feel Less Pressure on Valentine’s Day as Slow Dating Takes Over
BFM RMC – Valentine’s Day no longer drives major dating pressure. Happn CEO Karima Ben Abdelmalek says 39% don’t mind being single, reflecting broader social acceptance and a shift toward intentional partner selection. Dating-app signups peak in January and summer, not February. Users now favor “slow dating” and personalized matches, while AI-generated fake profiles have pushed Happn to add reporting tools.
Announcing LTR 49 With Matthew Gain, CEO of ParshipMeet Group, and Eric Straus, former CEO and Founder of Cupid.com
OPW – Edition 49 of the LTR (Love, Tech, Relationships) online experience will be on Wednesday, February 25th, at 12 pm (noon) EST (New York time).
In this edition of LTR, Mark Brooks will sit down with Matthew Gain, CEO of ParshipMeet Group, to discuss the company’s portfolio of brands, current market challenges, and the key opportunities shaping the next few years in the dating industry.
Following that conversation, Mark will sit down with Eric Straus, former CEO and Founder of Cupid.com and now President of Transworld Business Brokers in Manhattan. They will cover Eric’s exit from Cupid.com and explore how dating companies can position themselves for acquisition, navigate the sale process, and identify the right buyers.
If you hold a full-time leadership role at an online dating company, you are welcome to join LTR events for free.
Why attend LTR?
🏠 Flexible: Attend from anywhere – no travel required.
⏰ Convenient: Live session. 90 minutes.
💰 Free: No registration fees.
See the LTR Edition 49 speakers and invite page here.
Email mark@courtlandbrooks.com to RSVP.
Score Relaunches Dating App With Credit-Score Verification and Premium Verified Tier
TECH CRUNCH – Luke Bailey has relaunched Score, the dating app centered on financial compatibility. The original version required a minimum credit score of 675 and attracted ~50K users before being shut down. The new version adds two tiers: a free tier open to anyone, and a verified tier where users consent to identity and credit verification via Equifax (soft check, no credit impact). Verified users unlock features like seeing who saved their profile, messaging before matching, video intros, and nearby discovery. Bailey argues credit scores signal reliability rather than wealth. The app plans global expansion starting with Canada.
Dating App Users Hide Identities as Security Fears Rise
PPC LAND – A 2025 Verve survey of 4K U.S. and U.K. users shows dating-app privacy behavior shifting: people are less willing to share identity data such as names, phone numbers, and emails, but more willing to share location and even health details because those improve matching. Over half of users now refuse to share any personal data at all, mainly due to breach and hacking fears after repeated security incidents. Women and younger users are the most cautious. The trend creates a problem for dating platforms, which need identity information for verification, safety, and payments, but face declining trust in how they handle it.
Mark Brooks on the Dating App Business Model and AI’s Role in Matchmaking
REUTERS – Reuters’ Econ World podcast interviews dating-industry consultant Mark Brooks about how dating apps actually make money despite losing users when matches succeed. He explains the evolution from Match.com search-based dating to Tinder’s swipe gamification, the freemium-to-subscription model, and why apps aim for users to stay around three months before pairing off. Major players include Match Group (Tinder, Hinge, Match), Bumble and Grindr. The industry grew during COVID, now faces payment reluctance and privacy concerns from Gen Z, and is shifting toward more meaningful matching and niche communities. Brooks says AI will help verify users, improve profiles and eventually predict compatibility and support relationships, not just create matches.