The History of Match.com (From 1993 to Today)

It’s impossible to talk about online dating without talking about Match.com. Before Match, online dating was, shall we say, kind of sketchy. Yes, there were online personals and chatrooms, but people had their doubts. It wasn’t until Match came along that we realized the true potential of online dating.

Don’t believe me? We’ve created a timeline of Match.com’s illustrious history to show just how much of an impact it’s had on the dating scene. Read on to learn everything about where Match has been, where it is now, and where it’s going.

1993: Gary Kremen and Peng Tsin Ong Found Match

Way back in the early 90’s, Gary Kremen, an American engineer and entrepreneur, had an idea. “[It] came to me in the shower,” he told Wired. “I thought it would be really interesting to use the internet for relationships, and to do it right.”

Teaming up with fellow entrepreneur Peng T. Ong, the pair founded Electric Classifieds, Inc. in 1993. Their first project? A humble little website called Match.com.

It was a bold plan for the time. While subscription-based dating services weren’t new, Match was one of the first to take the idea into cyberspace. Not just that: they wanted to target a broad market, including the LGBTQ+ community.

With design from Ong and a business plan by Simon Glinsky, they began an enterprise that would change dating forever.

1994: Brand Builder Fran Maier Gives Match.com a Much-Needed Female Perspective

Fran Maier, a well-known entrepreneur and brand builder, joined the team in late 1994 to develop a strategy for making the platform female-friendly. Her first task was making a profile questionnaire that women would actually want to fill out.

“Have you ever done any online dating? Have you ever had to put in your weight, in pounds!? [No?] That’s because of me.” – Fran Maier, in an interview with The Story Exchange.

One of her early contributions was nixing certain questions based on physical appearance, like weight. Instead, she incorporated broad physical descriptions, and questions that focused on emotional connection.

1995: The Site Officially Launches

In 1995, Match.com entered its public beta. Wired was one of the first magazines to write a profile about it. At the time, Match was set to be just one of many digital classified services that Electric Classifieds would offer, with the article mentioning services for house hunters and jobseekers.

It was classic dot-com era speculation. Everything was going online, and it would be easy to write off Match as just another member of the bandwagon. But Match would prove far more resilient than other dot-coms of the era.

To help kickstart the site, Match.com offered early adopters a lifetime membership, free of charge. So if you were an early adopter and find yourself on the dating scene again 30 years later, you’re all set to go! Provided you remember your login, that is.

March 1996: Gary Kremen Steps Down as CEO

It wasn’t all chocolates and roses that first year, unfortunately. Like many internet startups, Match was funded by venture capitalists, who didn’t always agree with Kremen’s egalitarian vision for the company.

See, Kremen wanted to target other markets, like the LGBTQ+ community, which is something 90s-era investors weren’t entirely on board with. After a few struggles, Kremen ceded his position as CEO to Fran Maier, but remained on the Electric Classifieds board.

Kremen’s insistence on spreading Match’s influence would prove prescient, however. Today, Match doesn’t just cater to the LGBTQ+ market, but dozens of even more niche markets, covering different ethnicities, religions, and even political affiliations.

1997-1999: The Big Sale Match Match Was Purchased by CUC International in 1997 and IAC in 1999

Now with Meier at the helm, Match needed cash. Under pressure from the board, and against Kremen’s objections, the company was sold to Comp-U-Card (CUC) International (later known as Cendant) in 1997 for just under $8 Million.

Meier has gone on record saying she regrets the sale. “I knew almost immediately, I made a mistake there,” she said in an interview with The Story Exchange. “Through all that, I got a couple hundred thousand dollars, which isn’t nothing, but come on, look at the valuation.”

What valuation, you might ask? Well, in 1999, Cendant sold Match.com to USA Networks for a whopping $70 Million. Talk about seller’s remorse!

It was part of a bold strategy on USA’s part. Over the next five years, USA would divest itself of its namesake television network to focus on its internet brands. By 2004, it would have completed its evolution into its current form: Internet powerhouse IAC.

If you haven’t heard of IAC, you’ve definitely heard of the many brands that, at one point or another, have sailed under their metaphorical flag. We’re talking big names like Ticketmaster, People Magazine, and TripAdvisor. Match was joining some illustrious company. Or rather, an illustrious company.

Don’t feel too bad for Kremen, Meier, and the other Match founders, though. While they missed out on that sweet IAC money, they would go on to find success in other fields. Kremen in particular holds the patents for a lot of technologies that websites (like the one you’re reading) use today.

1999: Match.com Takes Dallas

In 1999, Match.com moved their headquarters to Dallas, Texas, where it remains to this day. Though, like any booming company, they aren’t just in Dallas. You can find branch offices in San Francisco, West Hollywood, Río de Janeiro, Beijing, and Tokyo.

Match would also continue to expand, merging with dating site One & Only in a $47.5 Million deal. One & Only focused on the 30 to 40 set, and the merger was one of the first steps in their journey to becoming the dating juggernaut they are today.

2001: Love@AOL

In the dial-up days, America Online (now known as AOL) was an internet powerhouse. Installation CDs covered the walls of every grocery store. Companies would list their AOL keywords in commercials instead of URLs. “You’ve Got Mail” was so ingrained into the cultural zeitgeist they named a movie after it.

So naturally, AOL wanted to get into the dating scene. They started off with Love@AOL in 1996, which was originally a special Valentine’s Day feature that proved so popular it became a permanent feature of the service.

In 2001, Match partnered with Love@AOL, becoming the official dating service of America Online, and gaining access to a diverse new user base. They would also form a similar partnership with Microsoft’s MSN Dating and Personals, spreading the Match brand even further.

There were some hiccups in the relationship: notably the 2003 launch of the short-lived love.com dating service, which was designed to integrate with AOL Instant Messenger. However, Match and AOL would enjoy a beautiful partnership for years to come.

2002-2003: Match Goes Offline

There’s a major challenge for any dating site: getting relationships off their service and into the real world. People will chat forever if you let them, but if you want real results, you need to meet up in the flesh.

So in 2002, then-CEO Tim Sullivan spearheaded MatchLive: a service that brought members together in real life for speed dating and other activities. These events were reminiscent of more recent efforts to bring dating apps into the real world.

Match would also launch MatchTravel in partnership with Expedia, one of their sister companies at the time. MatchTravel offered members discounted travel experiences.

Match continues to offer real life events, though their travel services have since been scaled back since spitting from Expedia.

2004: Guinness World Records Recognize Match as the Largest Dating Site in the World

By November 2004, over 42 million people had signed up for Match, and more than 15 million people across the globe were using the service. That year, Guinness World Records named Match the largest dating site in the world.

While Match.com itself has fallen behind in recent years, the Match Group remains the world’s largest provider of online dating services, including the current most popular dating app: Tinder.

2005: Match Teams Up With Dr. Phil

Dr. Phil McGraw is one of the most recognizable psychologists in the country, even though he stopped renewing his license in 2006. By 2005, he had earned his claim to fame through appearances on “Oprah” and the launch of his self-titled advice show.

It should come as no surprise that Match.com would turn to Dr. Phil to add a touch of psychology to their matchmaking. For an additional fee, Match.com members could sign up for MindFindBind: a service that combined a self-evaluation survey, communication tools, and tips on building a healthy relationship.

In addition to this program, Match would also launch Chemistry.com, bringing compatibility-based matching to the Match brand. Chemistry.com was noteworthy in being one of the first dating sites to openly market to same-sex couples, drawing national attention.

2009: Match Meets Meetic

French dating service Meetic purchased Match European operations in 2009 for €5 million and a 27% interest in the company, according to Online Personals Watch.

WhiteLabelDating Co-Founder Ross Williams told Mark Brooks in an article: “There was a clause in the announcement that didn’t make many of the headlines, but I think will tell you the direction IAC is going in: Match has the option to buy Meetic in its entirety in about three years. So this is kind of phase one of setting the limits of both businesses.”

True enough, Meetic would become a subsidiary of the Match Group in 2011. How the tables turn!

July 2009: Match Acquires People Media

During the summer of 2009, Match made another big move by buying People Media from American Capital for $80 Million. But who are People Media? Despite what you might expect, they have nothing to do with the magazine. Amusingly, IAC already owned that brand.

People Media specializes in niche dating sites, some of which you’ll recognize if you’re a frequent reader. OurTime and BlackPeopleMeet are two of the most popular, but there’s a whole network of PeopleMeets out there that tailor to nearly any demographic you can think of.

Are you looking for someone big and beautiful? Try BBPeopleMeet. Want to find a vegetarian? Try VeggiePeopleMeet. Love cats? PetPeopleMeet has your back. There are even PeopleMeets for different political parties.

2010: Match & Meetic Launch a Joint Venture to Better Target the Latin American Dating Market

The following year, Match and Meetic announced a new marketing campaign directed toward Latin America. The two companies combined on ParPerfieto, a dating site in Brazil, and increased Match’s presence in Latin America.

Feburary 2010: SinglesNet Bought By Match

Match added another dating site to its arsenal in February 2010 by acquiring SinglesNet.com.

March 2010: Android App Launches

With mobile dating growing more popular, Match created an app for Android users, which meant it was available on all of the big-brand smartphone platforms. Match had already launched an app for iOS users.

May 2010: Match & Yahoo! Co-Brand a Site Called “Match.com on Yahoo!”

This meant Match was the only provider of a Yahoo! Online dating service. Its ongoing mission to take over the online dating scene continues.

Feburary 2011: Match Acquires OkCupid

Match continued its dominance in the online dating industry by buying OkCupid, the first non-subscription based dating site in its portfolio, in February 2011 for $50 million in cash.

2011: The Company also Invested 20% Interest in the Chinese Dating Site Zhenai

2011 was a big year for Match. Not only did the company invest 20% interest in Zhenai Inc., a popular dating site in China at the time, but it also “announced a planned public tender offer for all outstanding shares of Meetic S.A.”

2012: Sam Yagan Becomes Match’s CEO

Not long after Match purchased OkCupid, Sam Yagan, OkCupid’s Co-Founder, took over the role as Match’s CEO. He held this position until 2016, before becoming Vice-Chairman of Match Group.

He was succeeded as CEO by Greg Blatt in 2016, and Match North America President Mandy Ginsberg in 2018.

2012: Match Introduces Singles Event Service

Match tried again to break into the offline dating realm and found success with Stir events, which include happy hours, all kinds of classes, wine tastings, bowling, and other activities.

Match hosts dozens of these a month in cities all over the US. Additionally, Match launched an on-site dual-player game that brought members together in another way.

2015: Match Buys the Popular Free Dating Site PlentyOfFish

PlentyOfFish (POF) was the next site Match acquired, and it was its second 100% free dating site, after OkCupid. According to Business Insider, POF CEO Markus Frind, potentially got $525 million for the sale.

2015: Match UK Wins Best Dating-Related Marketing Campaign

In 2015, the UK version of Match won the Best Dating-Related Marketing Campaign at the UK Dating Awards, which “celebrates the best of the British dating industry.” Match was also a finalist for Online Dating Brand of 2015, Most Original Dating Event of 2015, Innovation Within the Dating Industry for 2015, and Daters’ Favorite Dating Site of 2016 and 2017.

2017: Match Group Merges With Tinder

In 2012, Hatch Labs, a business incubator owned by IAC, ran a hackathon. There, Sean Rad launched a product that would change online dating forever: an app called Matchbox, better known by its current name, Tinder.

In 2017, Match Group merged with Tinder in a $3 billion dollar deal. That same year, Tinder launched Tinder Gold, its paid premium service, and became one of the highest-grossing non-gaming apps in history.

2020: Match Releases Video Chat Tools

The coronavirus pandemic impacted the online dating world in a lot of different ways. A whole generation of single people were isolated, unable to go to their favorite bars and hangouts, and they were desperate to make online connections that could get them through this difficult time. Thus, video dating went into huge demand practically overnight.

The Match Group was among the first dating platforms to adapt to this new normal and integrate video chat tools across its platforms, including Hinge, Tinder, and Match.com.

Match.com’s Vibe Check gave couples who were already matched and chatting the opportunity to take their new relationship to the next level.

“Who says all dates require crowded bars and restaurants?” the Match team said. “Our video chat feature lets you focus on one another without the stress of going out.”

July 2020: Match Group Separates From IAC

In July 2020, Match Group separated from IAC, becoming an independent, publicly traded company. Match Group was valued at over $30 billion at the time, making this the largest separation in IAC’s history.

Mandy Ginsberg would also step down as CEO in 2020, being succeeded by Sharmistha Dubey. Dubey would be succeeded by Bernard Kim in 2022, and current CEO Spencer Rascoff in 2025.

2021: Match Continues To Expand, Acquiring Hyperconnect and The League

In 2021, Match Group acquired South Korean company Hyperconnect, creators of video chat app Azar, for $1.725 billion. The following year, Match Group acquired The League, an elite, members-only dating app, for an undisclosed amount.

Match Group continues to expand its influence with a plethora of dating sites, including powerhouses like Tinder and PoF, and more niche apps aimed at all segments of the community.

Whether you’re looking to match based on religion, political affiliation, or even how much you love dogs, Match Group probably has a site or app out there for you.

2023: Match.com Innovates With 72 Hours Feature

In 2023, Match.com launched its 72 Hours feature, designed to combat dating burnout. Part of a curated weekly dating experience, 72 Hours shows Match users nearby profiles of people looking to connect, giving them the weekend to meet up in person.

The service is designed to encourage real-world connection. After the 72 hours are up, all in-app chats are deleted, requiring users to make connections outside of the app if they want to continue the relationship.

Today, Match Has 30M+ Members & Is Responsible for the Most Romantic Connections

Decades later, Match is still the number one name in online dating. The site has 30 million members, and counting, and people from numerous countries and of all different backgrounds can access it. However, probably the most staggering fact is that Match has led to more dates, relationships, and marriages than any other dating site. We can only imagine what the next 25 years hold.