“Anarchy” Is Redefining What Users Want from Dating Platforms

As dating norms evolve, a growing number of app users are moving away from traditional romantic trajectories, embracing a lesser-known relationship philosophy known as relationship anarchy (RA). This shift challenges assumptions baked into most dating platforms – particularly the default toward monogamy, romance, and long-term commitment.

According to Hinge’s newly released 2025 D.A.T.E. report, younger users are more open than ever to exploring diverse forms of attraction and connection, and are taking a label-fluid approach to how they date. One third of the surveyed daters considered dating somebody outside the usual boundaries of their gender and sexuality expression, and Gen Z users were significantly more likely to both date outside of their understood sexuality and reconsider their sexual labels because of an unexpected romantic interest.

In simple terms, relationship anarchy describes users defining each connections on their own terms, whether that means a major upheaval to dating norms like polyamoury or simply ignoring one’s own identity labels to date somebody new. However, despite this emerging trend, most mainstream dating apps remain structured around a monogamous, romantic ideal that may be too limiting for a large amount of users. For example, profile options typically ask users to define goals in binary terms – like “short-term fun” or “long-term partner” – without room for alternatives.

While some platforms, such as Feeld and Flure, have begun to accommodate non-traditional relationship models by offering features like customizable relationship styles and detailed profile options, many mainstream apps have yet to adapt. However, as more and more users turn to a less traditional way of viewing themselves and their relationships, many of them may eschew typical dating platforms to find ones that better suit their own view of their relationships.