Younger Daters Turn to Free Dates as Dating Costs Rise

Gen Z and millennial singles are increasingly looking for ways to date without the cost of a traditional night out, as rising expenses make dating less financially appealing.

A new survey of 5,400 Gen Z and millennial daters in the U.S. by dating app Hily found that free dates are already part of the dating mix for some younger adults. More than one-third of Gen Z respondents and two in five millennials said they had suggested a free event as a date. Meanwhile, 17% of Gen Z respondents and 25% of millennials said they had been asked on a free date, including options such as promotional events.

Nearly half of Gen Z respondents, at 47%, said they would accept a no-cost date, while the figure rose to 54% among millennials.

The idea is not universally popular, however. Women in particular were more likely to view free dates negatively. Some 44% of Gen Z women and 39% of millennial women said free dates did not match their level of interest. Among Gen Z women, 38% also described free dates as potentially “low-effort” or last-minute.

Expectations around who should pay also remain. More than half of Gen Z women and millennial women said that someone who cannot afford to pay at least part of a date should not ask someone out. The same view was held by 47% of Gen Z men and 45% of millennial men.

The survey comes as the cost of dating continues to rise. According to the 2026 BMO Real Financial Progress Index, the average cost of a date night for millennials increased 32% over the previous year to $252. Gen Z daters were spending an average of $205, up from $194 in 2025. For some younger daters, the choice may increasingly be between finding a low-cost way to meet someone and reducing their dating activity altogether – with apps that tools that faciliate these low-cost dates likely to see a rise in overall usage.