The entire world has drastically transformed over the past few decades. The internet is everywhere; it’s impossible to avoid AI, and children know how to use an iPad before they can even speak. It’s only natural for every aspect of life to be impacted by technology, and dating is no exception.
Online dating and dating apps come with a lot of benefits. They instantly connect you with more singles in your area than you could ever meet in person, and they provide you with the opportunity to publicly declare what you’re looking for. There’s no need to waste time asking about someone’s religion, political views, or whether or not they want kids. All they have to do is glance at your profile to glean all of that information.
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Nowadays, there are plenty of successful dating apps: Bumble, Hinge, OkCupid, Raya, Match, the list goes on and on. But the most popular and successful of all time is Tinder. Originally launched on September 12, 2012, as a beta version and only available at the University of Southern California campus, Tinder was created by a group of friends who wanted to simplify dating apps.
No longer did users have to fill out a lengthy questionnaire or read paragraphs of information to find out about a person. They could simply see a photo and swipe right or left. It was extremely easy to use, especially because it allowed users to link their profile to an existing Facebook account, and it didn’t take long before the app exploded in popularity.
By early 2013, Tinder had acquired $3 million in seed funding, and by 2014, the app was seeing 1 billion swipes per day. This was also the year that the company decided to launch Tinder Plus– a paid version of the app that offered subscribers profile boosts and unlimited likes.
Despite how popular Tinder became, however, it has not been free of controversy. In 2014, the app was called out for the “racial bias” that users noticed in its algorithm. The same year, there was a discrimination lawsuit filed by a former executive at the company against the chief executive and chief marketing officer at the time.
As we can see from this list, there are also plenty of Tinder users who have complaints about the experiences they’ve had on the app. While many users start swiping with hopes of finding genuine love, there are plenty of others with nefarious intentions. In fact, a 2022 study found that half of the people on Tinder aren’t looking for dates, and nearly two-thirds are already in relationships. Some are even married and looking to cheat on their spouse.
But of course, the company maintains that it can be a great place to find an authentic connection. "Tinder has been downloaded more than 530 million times and created more than 75 billion matches. Tinder’s in-app ‘Relationship Goals’ feature lets members signal their intent," a spokesperson for Tinder wrote in a statement. "Globally, 40% of Tinder members say that they are looking for a long-term relationship, versus 13% looking for a short-term connection."
Despite how difficult it can be to find true love on an app, people around the globe won’t stop trying. Nearly a third of adults in the United States say that they’ve used a dating app, and there are 360 million dating app users around the world. Research from The Knot even found that one-third of couples who got married in 2025 say that they met their spouse on a dating app or website, up from only 27% in 2024.
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