Dating apps shift to friendship as user fatigue leads to major declines

Bumble launched Bumble For Friends, which gained 730,000 monthly active users within a year

Image credit: Microsoft Copilot and Canva

As dating app fatigue sets in, major players like Bumble and Match Group are shifting focus to attract users seeking friendships rather than romance.

Here are a few key points:

• Bumble launched Bumble For Friends, which gained 730,000 monthly active users within a year, and acquired the Geneva app for interest-based group connections.

• Match introduced Yuzu for the Asian-American community in the U.S., allowing users to select friendly or romantic encounters, and is testing a friendship feature on DisonsDemain, its app for older adults in France.

• Despite these moves, dating apps have seen significant user declines—Bumble’s dating platform lost 8% of monthly users, while Tinder, targeting young adults, saw a 16% drop.

• This "app fatigue" has led to large financial losses: Match Group’s valuation has dropped by over $40 billion, and Bumble’s by billions since its 2021 IPO.

• Friendship-oriented apps face stiff competition, with platforms like WeRoad and TripBFF for travelers, and France’s Timeleft, which organizes personality-based dinners.

• However, some industry experts doubt the longevity of friendship apps, suggesting that joining local activities may be a more sustainable way to make friends.