Dating Apps Push In-Person Meet-Ups as Bumble Paid Users Fall 16.4%
Updated
Updated · CNN · Sep 12
Dating Apps Push In-Person Meet-Ups as Bumble Paid Users Fall 16.4%
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Sep 12
Summary
Match Group and Bumble are reworking dating apps around real-world meetings as paid subscribers slide, with Bumble’s paying user base down 16.4% to 3.2 million and Match’s down 6% to 13.3 million.
78% of app users report burnout, pushing newer services to curb swiping and chat: Surf uses interest filters and event tie-ins, while Breeze shows about seven profiles a day and sends matches straight to partner bars.
28,800 downloads worldwide still make Surf a tiny player in 2026, but its Hyrox-linked blind dates have produced real matches, including a committed couple formed at an Ottawa mixed-doubles event.
Legacy apps are following the shift: Bumble is replacing its classic swipe with a feature that sets up in-real-life dates, while Tinder is adding an events page and Feeld is expanding hobby-based meet-ups.