How Germans navigate dating apps in 2024

A recent survey with YouGov Surveys shows how and why Germans use dating apps.

The data shows that 20 percent of Germans have used dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge in the past but no longer do so. Another 9 percent are active users of these apps. However, the majority (68 percent) have never used a dating app.

Germans between 25 and 34 years old have used dating apps the most compared to other age groups and are currently the most frequent users (50 percent vs. 15 percent of those aged 55 and older). Overall, men are more active on dating apps than women (32 percent vs. 25 percent of women). They are also more likely to use them in the future (11 percent vs. 8 percent of women).

Among those who have never used a dating app or no longer do so, 38 percent do not want to go down this path (anymore). Another 48 percent consider it unlikely. Only 9 percent think it is likely they will use dating apps in the future. The latter is mostly said by the youngest respondents aged 18 to 24 years (24 percent).

Among those who currently use or have used dating apps, Tinder and Lovoo are the most popular out of the ten apps surveyed: 32 percent of the (former) users have experience with these two apps. 21 percent say this about Badoo, 17 percent about Parship, and 13 percent about ElitePartner.

A look at the age groups shows that Lovoo is particularly popular among consumers aged 25 to 34 (40 percent vs. 18 percent of those over 55). Among 18- to 24-year-olds, however, Tinder is the undisputed number one, with more than half of this age group (52 percent) using the app or having done so (vs. 15 percent of those over 55).

Respondents who have never used dating apps cite the most common reason as not currently looking for a relationship (46 percent). 36 percent prefer to meet people in person.

Other reasons against using dating apps include the potential costs of these apps (21 percent) and the belief that one cannot find a serious relationship on dating apps (19 percent). 18 percent do not want to share their photos on dating apps. 17 percent are concerned about fake/misleading dating app profiles.

Almost every second user encounters unpleasant behavior

Unpleasant behaviors and situations that users have experienced on dating apps could also be deterrents:

47 percent of dating app users have encountered unpleasant behaviors from other users. Of all ten apps surveyed, users particularly experienced unpleasant behaviors on Lovoo, such as quick sexualization of chats (20 percent), unsolicited explicit photos (17 percent), ghosting (17 percent), as well as disrespectful behavior (25 percent) and lying (23 percent).

 

This article was published originally on YouGov.

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