Sensor Tower’s State of Dating Apps 2021: Younger Users Drove Growth Amid COVID-19

Sensor Tower's State of Dating Apps 2021 report reveals the latest trends in dating apps

Although the COVID-19 pandemic changed how consumers socialize and interact, it hasn’t prevented them from seeking out romantic connections and new friendships. Sensor Tower’s latest State of Dating Apps report, available now, reveals the latest trends among the top dating apps in the United States.

Younger Users Are Flocking to Dating Apps

As we revealed in our Mobile App Industry Trends report, younger users are driving social app growth—including dating apps. For the first three quarters of 2020, the top 25 dating apps in the U.S. saw their lowest average user age in at least three years.

Top dating apps in the U.S. saw the average age of their users drop to its lowest during COVID-19

Although the average age of dating app users has been steadily declining in the last three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this trend. Developers are reacting by adding features to apps that appeal to younger users, such as live streaming, and experimenting with advertising on networks such as MoPub and Vungle, which are typically popular for mobile games.

Bumble’s Market Share Has Nearly Doubled

Ahead of its 2021 IPO, Bumble has solidified its position as the No. 2 dating app in the U.S. In 2020, it reached 19 percent market share of revenue, nearly double the 10 percent it held in 2017. This is more than the market share held by its next four largest competitors combined.

Bumble's market share of revenue in 2020 was nearly double that of 2017

Bumble has also seen the second most installs from app stores for the last two years, holding steady at 11 percent market share.

Chatting App Revenue Sees a Boost

The COVID-19 pandemic motivated consumers to find alternative ways to socialize, leading to a surge of interest in apps dedicated to finding friends and meeting new people. The top chatting apps such as Tagged and MeetMe experienced a spike in revenue in Q2 2020.

While Yubo was the only app in this cohort to continue growing quarter-over-quarter after the initial boost, the top apps in this subcategory remain elevated above pre-pandemic levels.

The top chatting apps saw a spike in revenue in Q2 2020

For more analysis on dating apps from the Sensor Tower Store Intelligence platform, including key insights on the latest advertising and demographics trends, download the complete report in PDF form below:

Download Sensor Tower's The State of Dating Apps 2021 Report