Major Dating Apps Increase Ad Spend To Combat User Burnout

Dating app giants have ramped up advertising spending in 2024, aiming to re-engage users amid growing reports of dating fatigue. MediaRadar reports that leading dating platforms Bumble, eHarmony, Grindr, Hinge, Match.com, and Tinder collectively spent approximately $147 million on advertising through July 31. If spending continues at this pace, the year-end total may reach $252 million, significantly surpassing 2023’s $220 million.

Match Group, the parent company of Hinge and Tinder, noted that Q3 marketing spend is up about 6% year-over-year to support new campaigns. Among overall top spenders, Bumble has outpaced Tinder this year, spending $44 million by July compared to Tinder’s $41 million. Bumble’s increased ad spend reflects its extensive 2024 rebranding, led by new Chief Marketing Officer Selby Drummond, who has overseen a global campaign introducing Bumble’s updated visual identity.

The intensified ad spending comes as industry reports indicate widespread user dissatisfaction with traditional dating apps, which many users describe as repetitive and unfulfilling. A recent Forbes Health/OnePoll survey found that 78% of users experience burnout, with 31% of millennials and 28% of Gen Z users feeling “often” drained by app use. To combat this, more and more platforms are going for unconventional dating options – whether that’s facilitating real-life double dates or entirely new matchmaking processes.

It’s not clear how things will change in the near future – it all depends on what steps platforms start taking to counteract this dating burnout. However, with burnout and dating fatigue being a very real and very clear thing based on a number of reports, something eventually has to be done if dating platforms want to get the widest user base possible.