Online Personals Watch: News on the Online Dating Industry and Business

Hinge & Meetic Hackathons

LINKEDIN - Hinge and Meetic held their annual hackathons, where teams across the organization come together to find new ways for people to form IRL connections. The Hinge winner was "Hinge IRL," a proposal to get more people on IRL dates by offering immediate options for nearby meetups with people who match your interests and timing. The Meetic winner was "Resonance." Resonance would use AI voice technology to capture a user's energy, personality, and truth, allowing micro-conversations to open the doors to real connections. Tinder's hackathon is in the fall.

See full article at LinkedIn

Mark Brooks: Internal company hackathons are a GREAT way to build excitement and create real innovation. Does your company do an annual hackathon or innovation hothouse? Careful facilitation and lead-in are key. We can help.

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How This Employee Perk Can up Your Dating Game

INC - Hinge gives its 300+ employees $100 per month to spend on dates or quality time with loved ones, promoting real-life connection as part of its benefits package. The perk applies to anyone - partners, friends, or family - and is shared in a company Slack channel. Hinge also offers a $3,000 annual "Be Your Best Self" fund for personal development and holds biannual summits and biweekly success-story sessions to maintain morale. While most U.S. companies are cutting wellness benefits, Hinge sees them as essential to fostering meaningful work and relationships.

by Kayla Webster
See full article at INC

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Hinge CEO Justin McLeod Says Dating AI Chatbots Is 'Playing With Fire'

THE VERGE - In an interview, Hinge CEO Justin McLeod outlined how Hinge is using AI to improve matchmaking and coaching while staying firmly focused on facilitating real-world, human relationships. Hinge distinguishes itself from apps like Tinder by aiming to help users find meaningful connections, not just increase engagement. McLeod explained that Hinge pivoted in 2015 from chasing usage metrics to optimizing for successful dates, using features like the "We Met" survey to measure outcomes. The company is now applying large language models to improve profile guidance, matching algorithms, and in-app coaching, already seeing a 15% boost in matches and dates. Despite this, McLeod rejected the trend toward AI companionship, calling it "playing with fire" and likening it to emotional junk food. He emphasized that AI should be a tool to support dating, not replace it, and warned of the broader mental health risks of virtual relationships.

by Nilay Patel
See full article at The Verge

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Hinge Is Planning Its Own Mobile Payment System to Avoid App Store Fees

THE VERGE - With its own payment system, Hinge might be able to offer lower prices and invest more in the company. Hinge co-founder and CEO Justin McLeod says he plans to introduce the alternative payment service by the end of this year.

by Jay Peters
See full article at The Verge

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Why Is Hinge Betting on Substack

ADWEEK - Hinge is turning to Substack to reach Gen Z through authentic, long-form storytelling instead of traditional marketing. Hinge used the platform to share real user love stories as part of its "No Ordinary Love" campaign, building brand trust and increasing consideration by 10.5%.

Key takeaways:

• Substack offers a clutter-free, ad-free space to engage audiences through real narratives, not sales pitches.
• Gen Z values authenticity, not promotional fluff - apps that succeed on Substack focus on relatable content, not direct marketing.
• Partnering with existing Substack creators can help tap into engaged niche communities.
• While Substack may not directly drive conversions, it strengthens brand loyalty and trust - vital in the dating space.

Important: Copy-pasting email marketing content won't work. Substack users expect sincerity, creativity, and personal voice.

by Elena Cavender
See full article at AdWeek

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Tinder and Hinge Gave 3-Hour Pitches - Rascoff Saw Why One Is Winning

FAST COMPANY - After taking over as CEO of Match Group in February, Spencer Rascoff, former Zillow CEO, set out to understand the company's 45+ dating apps, including Tinder and Hinge. With Match's stock down over 80% since 2021 and Tinder's growth stalled, Rascoff asked the leadership teams of Tinder and Hinge to each deliver a three-hour presentation. Tinder's team focused heavily on financials, product roadmaps, and internal culture. In contrast, Hinge's team began with deep consumer insights on how Gen Z and millennials date, think, and connect, only briefly mentioning financials at the end. Rascoff said this user-first mindset explains Hinge's 39% revenue growth and Tinder's stagnation. Days later, Tinder CEO Faye Iosotaluno resigned. Match shares rose 1.3% following the news.

by Yasmin Gagne
See full article at Fast Company

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Hinge Bets on Slow Dating and Real-World Connection as Gen Z Turns Away From Swiping Apps

TECH CRUNCH - Hinge CMO Jackie Jantos spoke at SXSW London about the app's focus on reducing loneliness among Gen Z by encouraging more intentional dating and in-person connection. Hinge has seen growth in revenue and downloads, outperforming Tinder in Q1 2025. The platform is testing features like chat limits, profile coaching, and Warm Introductions to improve match quality. A new AI recommender launched in March has increased matches by 15%. Hinge also launched the $1M One More Hour fund to support Gen Z social initiatives and continues to run campaigns and events that promote real-world connection.

by Dominic-Madori Davis
See full article at Tech Crunch

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AI Takes Over Key Features on Dating Apps in India, but Trust Issues Remain

NDTV - AI is becoming increasingly integrated into dating apps in India, with platforms like Bumble, Tinder, Hinge, Happn, and Aisle using it for profile optimization, match suggestions, fraud detection, and user safety. Match Group added AI tools in March 2025 to assist with photos, bios, and match selection. Bumble uses AI for fake profile detection and conversation starters, while Hinge and Tinder rely on AI to personalize user experiences. Challenges include data privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, deepfake scams, and lack of emotional intelligence. While Indians use AI for relationship advice and self-reflection, most still prefer human input for matchmaking.

by Dristi Sharma
See full article at NDTV

Podcast: Hinge Turns Real Dates Into a Book to Stand out

CAMPAIGN LIVE - Hinge launched No Ordinary Love, a campaign featuring real user love stories rewritten by authors. The stories are published on Substack and will be released as a hardcover book in June. CMO Jackie Jantos says the goal is to promote serious relationships and appeal to Gen Z.

by Luz Corona
See full article at Campaign Live

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Dating Apps End Their Best Month of Revenue Ever

APPFIGURES - In April, the top three dating apps cashed their biggest checks yet. $4B. That's how much users spent in the top 3 three dating apps so far in 2024 as a result of increasing prices, aggressive monetization, and new subscription tiers. Hinge's basic subscription, which has a variable cost based on age and location, can cost $45/mo. Double what it was in 2020. Bumble and Tinder have done the same. Bumble lost momentum in the last year, but even it is seeing revenue rise. ±$76M in app in April, up 25% from January of 2024. Tinder saw $171M of gross revenue in April, up 35% from January of 2024.

See full article at AppFigures

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Hinge Releases Book and Substack Series of Real Love Stories

ADWEEK - Hinge has launched the second phase of its "No Ordinary Love" campaign to reconnect Gen Z with romance amid dating app fatigue. The initiative features real love stories from Hinge couples, written by contemporary authors and released as both a hardcover book and a five-part Substack series. The campaign, produced with Dazed Studio, includes book club events in New York and London, and targets Gen Z's growing interest in literature.

by Brittaney Kiefer
See full article at AdWeek

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Match Group Announces Q1 Results

PR NEWSWIRE - Match Group reported $831M in Q1 2025 revenue, down 3% YOY. Paying users dropped 5% to 14.2M, though revenue per payer slightly increased. Operating income fell 7% to $173M. Tinder continued to see a decline in direct revenue, down 7% as paying users fell 6%. Hinge's revenue rose 23% as paying users increased 19%. CEO Spencer Rascoff is driving major restructuring, cutting 13% of the workforce (325 employees) and consolidating teams to save ~$100M annually. New product features include Tinder's AI Discovery and The Game Game, plus an improved AI match algorithm on Hinge that boosted match rates by 15%. The company also expanded globally across multiple brands. $195M in stock was repurchased.

See full article at PR Newswire

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Dating Apps Turn to AI to Help Gen Z Users Improve Flirting and Conversation Skills

WIRED - Dating apps are introducing AI-driven tools to help users improve conversation skills and reduce awkward interactions. Tinder launched "The Game Game," an AI voice simulator that places users in fictional scenarios and offers feedback to boost flirting confidence. Grindr is testing an AI "wingman" powered by Anthropic and AWS, designed to craft witty messages, highlight past connections, and summarize chats. Hinge released a connection guide with fill-in-the-blank templates to help Gen Z users navigate real-life interactions and overcome a fear of appearing "cringey." Bumble introduced "Instant Match," which lets users scan QR codes at events to match instantly and view shared interests, bypassing small talk.

by Elana Klein
See full article at Wired

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Hinge Appoints First Chief Risk Officer to Strengthen User Safety

HINGE - Hinge has named Jeff Dunn as its first Chief Risk Officer. Previously VP of Trust & Safety, Dunn will now oversee risk and safety across the platform. He brings experience from Google, ICANN, and Harvard, and has led the development of features like the Comment Filter and AI-powered anti-harassment tools.

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Hinge CEO's Daily Habit for Mental Resilience

CNBC - Hinge CEO Justin McLeod swears by a simple daily habit: writing a gratitude list. Whenever he feels down or stressed, listing 10 things he's grateful for instantly shifts his mindset. He says this practice helps him stay grounded, productive, and mentally sharp. Backed by research, journaling - whether for gratitude or reflecting on painful experiences - can boost problem-solving, emotional resilience, and long-term growth.

by Ashton Jackson
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