Key Takeaways
- More than half of those surveyed by the dating app 3Fun reported an increased interest in threesomes.
- Respondents reported feeling increasingly open-minded about unconventional relationships, including ethical non-monogamy.
- As non-traditional relationships become normalized, they move closer to mainstream popularity and market opportunity.
New research shows that American couples are expanding their sexual horizons — and looking for apps that foster their desires.
3Fun, which calls itself “the leading dating app for open-minded singles and partners,” surveyed 3,673 of its members to learn more about how people feel about unconventional relationships in the modern dating landscape.
A whopping 69% of survey respondents reported increased interest in threesomes.
3Fun, it should be pointed out, is a dating app for people who are already interested in non-traditional relationships such as ethical non-monogamy and threesomes. Because its demographic is interested in pursuing unconventional relationships in the first place, it makes sense why more than half of respondents are open to the idea of a threesome.
The real question is whether 3Fun’s findings represent a broad shift to sexual open-mindedness among all couples, not just those who have already downloaded an adventurous app like 3Fun.
Max Ma, founder and CEO of 3Fun, certainly thinks so.
“The data reveals a fundamental shift in relationship dynamics across the country,” he said in a press release. “We’re seeing unprecedented openness to non-traditional relationships, particularly in major cities where social attitudes constantly evolve.”
For the record, dating apps that cater to non-traditional relationships may want to concentrate on the cities where polyamory and ethical non-monogamy (including threesomes) are most prevalent: New York City, Las Vegas, Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles, according to 3Fun.
“Taboo” Topics Are Inching Closer to the Mainstream
Dating apps that cater to the sexually/romantically adventurous may not be mainstream, but they’re closer to it than ever before: According to 3Fun’s survey, 72% of respondents said society’s general attitude toward threesomes and ethical non-monogamy has changed for the better.
Specifically, these respondents found that people are generally more accepting of non-traditional relationships than they used to be.
3Fun’s survey respondents made it clear that threesomes aren’t only for promiscuous singles. In fact, when it comes to the people seeking threesomes, singles (41%) and couples (40%) are almost evenly represented.
“The nearly equal split between singles and couples challenges long-held assumptions about who participates in threesomes,” Ma said.
Ethical non-monogamy may be considered a “niche” label offline, but online it’s a different story. Gone are the days when couples looking for a third make furtive glances at singles in hazy bars. Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they prefer finding a threesome partner(s) on a dating app, rather than in person.
Non-Traditional Dating Apps Have a Bright Future
Dating apps that cater to people who engage in ethical non-monogamy, such as 3Fun, Feeld, and MoreThanOne, may have serious market potential: A 2021 study from Frontiers In Psychology found that 1 in 6 adults out of 3,000 total were interested in a polyamorous relationship, and 1 in 9 already had engaged in polyamory.
These relationships are happening, which means singles and couples alike are searching for stigma-free, non-judgmental dating apps that cater to their specific needs.
This is specifically true for people in the 25-44 age range, which 3Fun said was the most common age group to seek out threesomes.
The interest in ethical non-monogamy and threesomes isn’t expected to die down anytime soon. In fact, 66% of respondents reported that they expect their interest to grow even more. Even 3Fun users, who are by definition more open-minded than others, said they have become more open to different relationship dynamics over the last year.
And according to Ma, they’re taking their curiosities to the next level.
“These findings signal a broader cultural shift toward accepting diverse relationship structures,” he said. “People aren’t just curious anymore. They’re actively seeking meaningful connections outside traditional dating patterns.”
As people’s modern dating dynamics continue to evolve, so, too, should the apps that cater to them. It’s possible that apps like 3Fun, Feeld, and MoreThanOne are on the ground floor of what could someday be a booming business: The ethical non-monogamy revolution.
