Dating and Social Discovery App Spending by European Consumers Will Surpass $200 Million in Q1 2022

According to Sensor Tower Usage Intelligence data, Dating category apps have seen a marked increase in usage in Europe over the past three years. In January 2022, global usage of Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge collectively grew nearly 20 percent when compared to the same month in 2019. Sensor Tower’s State of Dating & Social Discovery Apps in Europe report reveals the latest consumer spending trends and digital ad spend among the top Dating category apps in European markets.

Dating and Social Discovery App Revenue Grew In 2021

In 2021, Europeans spent more than $780 million on Dating and Social Discovery apps, driving a 30 percent year-over-year increase in monthly revenue at its peak in July. Tinder and Badoo were the top grossing Dating apps across the continent, while Azar and LivU, live video chat apps, were the top Social Discovery apps.

Sensor Tower’s forecast anticipates Europeans are set to spend more than $200 million on Dating and Social Discovery in-app purchases in Q1 2022, or $1,600 per minute.

Social Discovery May Have Substantial Growth Opportunities Among Young Europeans

The Social Discovery category has seen a significant rise in first-time installs since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, with our data showing it has strong growth potential among the 20 to 34-year-old demographic. Turkey was one of the most competitive markets for Social Discovery apps in 2021, followed by the Russian and French markets. 

Germany and Italy may have the largest opportunities for Social Discovery apps, as these countries have relatively low download penetration rates in the region.

Hinge Focuses Its Mobile Advertising Budget on Facebook Link Posts

Dating app advertisers prioritize Facebook as an advertising channel. According to our Pathmatics by Sensor Tower data, Hinge invested nearly 98 percent of its Facebook advertising budget on link posts and 2 percent on video posts in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy. The app, which calls itself the dating app “designed to be deleted”, utilized 41 unique creatives garnering more than 13 million impressions in the U.K. market during 2021.

With installs of Dating and Social Discovery category apps reaching 112 million in 2021, our forecast predicts downloads to reach 28 million in 1Q22. Apps in the category may continue to expand and offer comprehensive subscription options, potentially leading to an increase in competition for consumer attention in the coming months.

Sensor Tower’s Store Intelligence platform provides key insights on the latest download, revenue, and usage trends. For more data on advertiser spend, explore our Pathmatics solution.

Download the complete State of Dating & Social Discover Apps in Europe report in PDF form below to read our full analysis: