Match Group Reveals European Trends: Top Takeaways for the Industry

Much like their American counterparts, European daters are fatigued by dating apps.

They crave real romantic connections based on authenticity and shared values. This doesn’t mean they’re willing to delete dating apps in favor of matchmaking or speed dating, however. 

While in-person dating has indeed become a more popular option for modern singles, they haven’t given up on the apps entirely, mainly because they don’t know how to date without them. As Match Group put it: “Europeans today recognise that online dating is not simply a convenience: it is a form of essential social infrastructure.” 

But even our most dependable infrastructure will show cracks if it isn’t properly maintained. 

When Match Group asked thousands of daters across five European countries (France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, and the United Kingdom) about their online dating opinions, the consensus was clear: Safety must be prioritized by dating platforms if they hope to regain user trust and long-term loyalty. 

When it comes to the type of safety regulations modern daters are seeking, ID verification only scratches the surface. 

1. The Specific Safety Tools Users Want from Platforms 

Effective safety requires both prevention and response tools, but Match Group’s survey respondents specified the need for improved prevention tools: 84.2% want features that better detect fake profiles, catfish, and other forms of identity theft. 

Europeans lost 94.7 million pounds to romance scams in the U.K. alone in 2024, (US$127 million) making any innovations in ID verification or scam detection tech feel all the more vital. Again, women support fake profile detection tech even more than men (at 87.1%), perhaps because women generally lose more money in romance scams than men. 

Match Group’s survey also debunks the theory that app users are patently against biometric technology. Biometrics may be controversial in nature, but that doesn’t stop more than half of respondents (65%) from touting biometrics as a strong, more trustworthy form of protection for app users. 

It’s possible that Match Group’s biggest safety achievement is its multipronged approach to ID verification. Far from just an ID-scanning tool, Match Group’s ID verification includes age assurance tech, facial recognition software (think: Tinder’s Face Check), and multiple photo verification services.   

The “soft skills” promoted by dating apps also can’t be overlooked, as more than 80% of respondents find them useful, particularly conversation assistance tools and AI-enhanced skill building games. 

Match Group highlights its AI Principles in the survey, calling them a “guide [to] the responsible development and deployment of generative AI,” including its dedication to authenticity, accountability, privacy, and safety. “Are You Sure?” and “Does This Bother You?” are two such Match Group tools that use AI to prevent harassment “in real time.” 

2. Dating apps Outrank Social Media on Safety

Seventy-three percent of surveyed Europeans consider dating apps to be as safe or safer than certain social media platforms. Perhaps this is because dating apps deal with matters of the heart, which feels more intimate than typical social media fare (vacation photos, selfies, and half-baked tweets, for example). 

Match Group is quick to note how its trust and safety efforts have grown in scale over the past few years. The company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in safety since 2022, including in the “proactive moderation” (or preventative safety measures) that users crave. 

Its efforts haven’t gone unnoticed: 38.4% of respondents say dating apps are generally safer than social media platforms. 

Over 42% say dating apps are better than social media sites at fostering a comfortable and approachable environment for users of all experience levels. Respondents also value transparency (37.5%) and fairness (40%) in dating apps as compared to social media platforms and internet forums. 

Generally speaking, respondents agreed that dating apps are just as good, if not better, at providing safety to users than social media platforms. 

Younger daters have the most faith in the safety tools used by dating apps (75.1% compared to 72.9% overall). Unsurprisingly, dating platforms still have a ways to go to earn the trust of older dating app users, and earning this trust begins with investing in stronger safety tools and regulations. 

3. Emotional Safety is a Core Expectation

“Safety emerges as the defining expectation Europeans bring to online dating,” Match Group concluded. It’s not something users hope for, but expect — and without it, they won’t even download the app.

Over 84% of respondents agree that apps must use tech to “create an environment where people feel protected, respected, and able to interact without fear or deception or harassment.” 

And it’s not just about being safe, but feeling safe. A dating platform can’t hope to generate much engagement or long-term loyalty if users don’t feel comfortable on the app. Seventy-five percent of respondents say a comfortable environment is just as important as a safe one, and this number jumps to 77.9% for female respondents. 

The emotional aspect of safety can’t be denied, according to Match Group. This means investing in safety tools and tech that fosters an accessible, civil, and respectful atmosphere. 

4. Apps Are Easing Loneliness Across Europe

There’s an epidemic afoot, and it’s not the one you’re thinking of. 

The loneliness epidemic has spread across the U.S. and Europe, with people of all ages and relationship status feeling more alone than ever. For nearly half (49.4%) of Europeans aged 18-39, one of dating apps’ biggest benefits is their ability to ease loneliness.

Younger generations have only recently started to explore in-person dating events again; while they warm up to the idea, they’re likely to consult the apps for quick dopamine-rushes of connection. 

In this way, dating apps operate not only as matchmaking tools, but as basic means of connection, however brief, for the world’s loneliest generation. This all points to “an important shift in how social support is found,” as Match Group reflected. 

In other words: Apps have an opportunity to offer support to — and generate engagement from — several groups, including singles, friend-seekers, and those simply searching for someone to vibe with. 

Match Group’s survey suggests that dating platforms are part of “Europe’s social-inclusion eco system” — they can benefit just as much from cross-industry collaboration as their users. 

More than 67% of respondents aged 18–39 support dating platforms partnering with social programs to help address the loneliness epidemic.

5. Collaboration Between Policymakers and Platforms 

A dating platform can only do so much to protect users from bad actors and other forms of danger; it gets to a point where the user’s safety lies as much with policymakers as it does with the app’s developers. 

More than 75% of respondents agree that productive collaboration between these two necessary groups is important, if not vital, to the success of dating platforms. 

Sixty-six percent of female users value their own safety just as much as their own personal freedom, reflecting, as Match Group put it, “the understanding that safety is the condition that makes autonomy meaningful.” 

Match Group’s survey respondents imply that innovation, while intimidating, is not only welcomed, but expected in the dating app space. “Rather than resisting technology, respondents want policymakers to enable the tools that demonstrably keep them safe,” according to the study. 

AI may be trendy, but it could also be the answer to users’ safety concerns. Many of us — including lawmakers — are wary of AI’s developing role in society, but a majority of respondents feel more comfortable when AI is used to keep them safe on dating apps. 

Over 84% are all for AI-powered fake profile detection, and more than 66% support using AI to prevent harassment. More than half (56.6%) of respondents also support facial recognition software. 

6. AI Improves Accuracy As Much As Safety on Dating Apps 

As important as safety is, it’s not the reason people sign up for dating apps. Match Group’s survey respondents emphasized the importance of dating apps using AI to streamline their matchmaking skills for a more accurate, efficient, and enjoyable experience. 

When AI helps users express their intentions and dating goals, it helps facilitate more compatible matches, according to more than 55% of respondents. Younger groups, especially, welcome AI’s ability to assist in identifying high-quality matches (nearly 60% of users aged 18-39 compared to 55% of older users). 

LGBTQ+ users get more value from dating apps than non-LGBTQ+ daters, perhaps because more niche platforms can better address the specific needs of the community. Bisexual daters in particular get the most value from dating apps at 61.9%. 

According to Match Group, these stats debunk a long-running stereotype: “The narrative that dating apps encourage ‘disposable’ interactions is not supported here. The data instead suggests that digital platforms help reduce ambiguity.”