There’s a heavier toll coming to those who’ve been courting for free on dating apps. Know this: people who pay nothing on these apps are less likely to find dates and hookups than those who pay to play. That equation is about to get even less favorable. Match Group, the Texas-based company that owns popular dating brands including Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid and PlentyOfFish, is trying to get paid-subscription users to pay even more.
Dating apps got sexy again during the pandemic, as people got lonely and, yes, horny in isolation, but as revenue has started to plateau, Match is looking to introduce "superpremium" tiers to Hinge and Tinder that would favor those who pay upwards of $50 to $500 a month to find their perfect match. That means those who can afford premium status would be more likely to be seen and matched with the most sought-after women on each platform.
In a Wall Street Journal podcast discussion (on Valentine's Day, no less), chatters lamented the price hikes, but some defended the money grab, suggesting that you can't put a price on finding true love (or what passes for it on Tinder) if you have the funds to spend.
"A Superpremium Class of Online Hook-up Seekers." is a pretty dystopian group of words. Free-ride daters, get ready to be frozen out of the hot-people party.
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