Ever swiped left at those pesky dating app ads? "Subscribe here for more matches"? You would be surprised by the millions who've opted to actually pay those premium fees for more, well, premium matches.
According to Match Group, which operates dating apps like Tinder and OkCupid, the company managed to earn $2.4 billion in revenues in 2020 thanks to its hundreds of millions of users in over 190 countries.
More than half of the revenue comes from Tinder, the cash cow of Match Group and arguably the biggest dating apps in the world. And its bringing in huge revenues to its mother company thanks to its 6.7 million worldwide subscribers who are willing to cash in with the hopes of finding the right match.
That number has been growing exponentially since 2015, when only a few thousand were willing to pay to subscribe to dating apps. Within five years, dating apps like Tinder bumped up that number to almost seven million.
Meaning more and more are willing to pay up to "cheat" the system to get more matches, better matches, priority in matching, and more.
A lot has changed in dating since way back when. Before, anyone interested in you would have to find the right time and place to ask you out. But now? Looks like all you need is a credit card to pay a premium subscription fee of a dating app that will give you VIP treatment via its algorithm. These subscriptions are shortcuts to dating, but it looks like millions are willing to take the shortcut. And pay for it, too.
But this begs the question: does this count as "cheating"? No, not cheating on another person. But cheating to get at the head of the line.
Thoughts?
