Tinder is going through a glow-up. Faced with a 7% drop in paying users and growing pressure to reignite interest, the OG dating app is rolling out a series of updates aimed squarely at Gen Z.
During Match Group’s Q2 earnings call, new CEO Spencer Raskoff unveiled a roadmap of redesigns, real-time modes, AI-powered features, and college-only experiences, all designed to re-engage users and boost conversions.
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At the heart of the update is a feature called “modes” allowing users to switch between different dating goals (think casual, serious, friends, etc.) as they swipe, helping people make more intentional matches. It’s an evolution of the “relationship goals” labels Tinder introduced in recent years, but this time it’s interactive and fluid.
Also on the roadmap:
- A UI refresh coming this fall: faster, cleaner, and more modern
- A redesigned “See Who Likes You” tab to improve match quality and drive premium upgrades
- A Hinge-style feature letting users like specific parts of a profile to spark better convos
- College-specific filters so students can limit their search to their campus or nearby schools
- An expansion of the AI-powered matching system, first tested in New Zealand, which builds curated recommendations based on profile inputs and optional photo data.
- And positive early traction from Double Date, the new feature letting friends swipe as a duo, with 92% of users under 30.
With flat revenue ($864M) and declining earnings this quarter, Match is betting big on product. The company plans to invest $50M in development to keep pace with evolving dating behaviors, particularly among Gen Z users who are demanding more intentional, less superficial experiences.
Whether Tinder’s new vibe will bring back the spark remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: it’s no longer just about the swipe.
