If you’ve been on Tinder for more than a few months, at some point you’ve probably deleted the app, throwing your phone down in frustration after yet another unmatch or ‘we’re looking for different things’ situation.
Before too long, though, you redownload it and get back to the grind. Or, the swipe. The Tinder dating experience comes with misunderstanding, ghosting, occasional bots, and unrequited attraction. It’s a lot for a person to take! But it’s pretty unavoidable, and when you do get that great date it all seems worth it.
But is Tinder a waste of time? That depends on how you are using Tinder.
Tinder is the world’s most popular dating app, with a mega 75 million active monthly users globally, reaching a swiping record of 3 billion right swipes in one night, on March 28th, 2020. That’s a whole lot of people who don’t think it’s a waste! Could they be wrong?
Tinder being a waste of time completely depends on things like how you are using it and what you want from it. Likewise, where you are in the world will have an effect on your Tinder success.
Tinder may be a waste of time if:
- You live in a very rural area
- Your settings are extremely stringent (a tiny age range, or a tiny distance)
- You aren’t swiping right yourself – remember, the Tinder algorithm is based on mutual matching so you need to swipe right on people to get matches
- You don’t know what you’re looking for – if you aren’t ready, and haven’t worked out what you want, you probably won’t have much success on Tinder
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On the other hand, it can be a great way to meet people.
Some claim that people who find success on Tinder also find success IRL, and people who have trouble making connections out in the world have the same struggles on Tinder.
This might be a factor in Tinder failure. But Tinder might also not be the app for everyone, with other apps tailoring the dating experience in different ways that will work better for different people.
Tinder might be the basic bar hookup while eharmony could be the meeting-your-soulmate-at-the-library. Maybe that’s not the case and it all depends on your approach! Some people meet their soulmates at the bar.
Some went to grade school with them. Some lose a glove, and there’s this whole thing with a number written on a dollar bill and… I mean have you watched Serendipity recently? Not believable TBH.
I, on the other hand, want to be a source of great information. So we’re going to look at some cold hard stats and facts to try and work out if Tinder is a waste of time or not.
What is the Success Rate of Tinder?
Of course, this depends on how you measure success. If you’re on the hunt for hookups then that would be your metric, if you’re a serious relationship kinda person you’ll want to know the stats on those wedding bells. Here are a few key facts about Tinder success.
- 95% of people meet within a week of matching on Tinder. That’s high!
- Over 30 million matches are made every day on Tinder.
- 26% of people who got married in 2020 after meeting online, met on Tinder.
- The majority of Tinder users are in the USA, at 7.8 million.
- The average amount of time spent on Tinder is 90 minutes a day.
- 22% of people use Tinder specifically for hookups, according to a 2020 survey. That’s less than you might think, given its (I believe, somewhat unfair) reputation as a hookup app.
- Research has found that it takes 57 matches to result in one meet-up. So, you better plan that date well!
Is Tinder Bad For Guys?
It’s basically general knowledge at this point that it’s more difficult to find success on Tinder if you’re a man. You’ll find plenty of threads on Reddit lamenting that Tinder is an impossible maze built to defeat you.
But why is that? Studies have shown that women are almost always more discerning in their tastes on apps like Tinder, taking more time to only match with people they’re genuinely attracted to.
It is common for men to swipe right on a much higher number of women, a quantity over quality approach. At the same time, there are vastly more men on Tinder. Of course, that means whatever your gender you might want to try a better app for women either instead of or in addition to Tinder.
Overall, on Tinder, men definitely have lower success rates than women but don’t give up hope. Considering some of those Tinder success facts, men are getting lucky (in various ways) on Tinder every minute of every day!
The thing is, Tinder has volume on its side. With millions of users worldwide, there are almost certainly plenty of Tinder users to choose from no matter what you’re looking for.
And if you need help, check out my eBook, Tinder Hacked.
Disclaimer: This may not be true if you live in the middle of a Nebraskan farm, or the Great Steppes. But I don’t know that any dating app will be very popular in either location!
Tinder Gender Stats
It is easy enough to find Tinder gender statistics for the US (which makes up 40%+ of Tinder’s market), and the UK (which makes up just under 10% of Tinder’s market). They
- In the USA:
- 24% of Tinder users are female
- 75% of Tinder users are male
- This leaves 1% as ‘Other’, an option that includes various trans, nonbinary and gender nonconforming identity options
- In the UK:
- 9% of Tinder users are female
- 89% of Tinder users are male
- So, 2% fall into that ‘Other’ category, though stats aren’t broken down further than this
Does Tinder Still Work in 2023?
Big question! Tinder has grown in popularity year on year since its inception, becoming increasingly popular amongst all age groups. In 2021 Tinder cracked Gen Z who now makes up around 50% of its users. Does Tinder still work in 2023? Looking at the numbers, it seems like a resounding yes.
However, it really depends on what you’re looking for, and what kind of dating style you like. Is Tinder for serious relationships? It can be. Is Tinder for hookups?
It can be! But the bottom line is that If you’re on Tinder and don’t like it, it’s as simple as that. Tinder might be a waste of time for you.
There’s no doubt that Tinder can feel pretty hopeless, and you need to spend quite a lot of time on the app to get results, matches, and dates. Tinder is kind of a bog-standard dating app, used by all people of all ages, sexualities, and interests.
It’s like searching for love in the big wide real-life world. And we all know that’s tough! In order to give yourself the best chance possible, spruce up your Tinder profile. You can start with a bio that is actually funny.
Is There An App Better Than Tinder?
After reading all that, you might be wondering, is there an app better than Tinder? At least if you don’t line up with the average Tinder user. And the answer is, probably! If Tinder doesn’t suit you, I bet there’s an app out there that does.
There are plenty of dating apps around these days that offer a bit more of a tailored experience, catering to different types of dating to suit different people. Of course, there’s Bumble, another dating app giant, where women take the lead on the conversation.
There’s also eharmony, designed specifically for serious relationships. If you’re a bit older than Gen Z I’ve written a guide for dating over 40. There are truly so many options, and many of them are living a Tinder-free life.
In fact, you should probably take my quiz, Which Dating App Is Right For You?
