Survey Finds Czech Offline Connections Still Outpace Dating Apps

A new survey suggests that most Czechs continue to struggle with dating, with offline connections still proving more effective than digital platforms when it comes to forming long-term relationships.

The research, conducted by STEM/MARK between August 13 and 16 with 504 respondents aged 18 to 64, found that 82% of people consider it difficult to find a partner. Women and lower-income respondents reported the greatest challenges, with 96% of women under 30 describing dating as particularly hard.

Despite the widespread availability of dating apps, the study revealed that only 15% of ongoing relationships in the Czech Republic began online. By contrast, 21% of respondents in relationships said they met their partner through friends, while 17% credited workplace connections. Among relationships that had ended, dating apps played a larger role, accounting for 24% of past partnerships.

Perceptions of online dating remain mixed. Just over one-third (36%) of respondents considered it an ideal way to meet someone, with acceptance highest among people aged 30 to 44 (42%). Younger adults were more skeptical, with only 27% in the 18–29 group viewing apps favorably, a level of doubt mirrored by older respondents aged 60–64.

Survey participants pointed to social introductions as a more natural way of meeting partners, often facilitated by mutual friends in group settings or through casual encounters. “Finding a partner through friends includes both our friends introducing us to their single acquaintances and spending time with friends in settings where someone completely new might appear,” explained Zuzana Švalbová of STEM/MARK.