OkCupid Survey: Over Half of Singles Still Rely on Dating Apps

Dating professionals: OkCupid has confirmed that the vibe has officially shifted. After surveying 1,200 Gen Z and millennial OkCupid singles, the dating site learned that today’s daters no longer crave the instant gratification of dating apps. 

People still appreciate efficiency — we’re products of the 21st century, after all — but they prioritize the emotional depth and authenticity that comes from a genuine connection. 

Going forward, dating professionals can expect to find daters who are willing to swap a large quantity of matches for a few high-quality ones that meet their emotional needs. 

Daters Want Clarity, Not Superficiality 

The superficiality of dating apps has not aged well. Today’s daters are largely in agreement: Ambition is more important than wealth. 

A majority of OkCupid daters — 68% — would date someone who makes less money than them. And while 11% said they still prefer their partner to make more money than them, it’s clear that wealth doesn’t hold a candle to authenticity in today’s dating world. 

Case in point: Forty percent consider real sexual compatibility to be an important part of a relationship’s overall success, as opposed to the 3% who said that sexual compatibility is not very important. Thirty-nine percent of respondents took it a step further by saying sexual compatibility is extremely important. 

And as always, balance is everything for younger daters, according to the 72% of respondents who prefer a combination of scheduled and spontaneous sex, rather than one over the other. 

When seeking clarity, 61% of respondents say they look within, using their own personal values and life goals as guides on their dating journeys. Thirty-four percent choose to learn their lessons from previous relationships. 

Surprisingly, a negligible number of respondents said they get dating advice from social media, pop culture, and friends. People these days really do crave authenticity, so much so that they’re willing to trust their own gut over someone else’s. 

This may explain why 25% of respondents prioritize their own energy over their relationship status. Taking things slow and steady doesn’t only protect their emotions, but weeds out the inauthentic matches who aren’t willing to wait. 

In an effort to weed out those pesky inauthentic daters, today’s singles tend to put on their detective hats. Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed say they check their date’s Instagram, 20% say they check out their date’s political views, 13% find out their zodiac sign, and 10% try to learn more about their job/salary. 

This Googling isn’t just about curiosity — it’s about clarity. 

Fifty-two percent said they don’t feel the need to label their relationships, but would prefer to have the type of clarity that can get lost in online dating spaces. They want to know, “What type of relationship do both of us want, and are we willing to get a little vulnerable in the process?”

The Apps Are Not Dead Yet, OkCupid Says

We know that young people want to start making offline connections, but that doesn’t mean they know how — or that they’re even trying to make those connections in the real world. 

Today’s daters may be drawn to the old-fashioned meet-cutes of yore, but in reality, only 11% of daters interviewed by OkCupid are trying to meet people only in the wild. It’s far more likely (38%, at least) for people to combine serendipitous meet-cutes with online dating. 

And this will make dating app developers feel a little better: Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they still rely on the apps to meet new people. 

Time is our most precious commodity, and dating apps promise to save people a lot of it. Dating apps were once the fast-paced solution to the all-too-tedious dating process. But all that extra time made people wonder what they were missing out on as they rushed to swipe through dating apps. 

Now, 71% of singles say they are willing to put in the time it takes to find a meaningful relationship, according to OkCupid’s survey. 

Rushing only leads to skinned knees, which is exactly why 31% of today’s daters choose to take their time in new relationships before they slap on a label. Twenty-eight percent of survey respondents said they would rather wait until both people in the relationship are ready to define what they share. 

After all, being “cringe” — aka, authentic and vulnerable — is “in,” and keeping your feelings to yourself is “out”.