Tinder, the world’s largest dating app, is innovating its offerings as it faces challenges in retaining its paying customer base. The company has recently launched a new feature called “Double Date”, which allows users to go on group dates with friends. This new functionality is designed to transform the traditional dating experience by enabling users to create joint profiles with their friends, turning what was once a solo endeavor into a fun group activity.

The process to get started with Double Date is user-friendly. Participants can select up to three friends to form a group, which then allows them to browse and “like” other pairs. When two groups express mutual interest, a group chat is automatically initiated, facilitating connections and planning for outings among all four individuals.

Additionally, the Double Date feature offers users the option to privately message one member from a matched pair, thus allowing for a more personal interaction if desired. Users can engage in this group dynamic while keeping their personal dating profiles separate and active, which promotes privacy and flexibility.

According to Tinder’s findings, women have shown a stronger preference for this group dating concept. Data from testing phases conducted in Europe and Latin America revealed that women are three times more likely to like paired profiles compared to traditional individual profiles. Moreover, group chats are generating significantly more communication, with users sending about 35 percent more messages compared to standard one-on-one chats.

Tinder plans to roll out the Double Date feature globally by July, with the intention of catering especially to the younger demographic, notably Gen Z, who were born between 1997 and 2012. Cleo Long, Tinder's head of product marketing, mentioned in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that this feature aims to alleviate some of the pressures associated with dating for younger users. She stated, “This is a social-first experience that’s really meant to help relieve some of the pressure that we know a lot of Gen Z experiences with dating by making it more social, more fun and bringing your friends in to help reinforce that comfort piece.”

The introduction of Double Date is also proving beneficial in attracting new users to the platform. Reports indicate that approximately 15 percent of individuals who accepted Double Date invitations were either completely new to Tinder or returning users who had been inactive for some time.

This move comes at a critical juncture for Tinder, which is owned by Match Group. The app has seen a significant decline in its subscription numbers, experiencing a 7 percent decrease in paying users during the first quarter of 2025. This trend corresponds with a broader downturn in the online dating market, which has witnessed a drop in dating app downloads from 287 million in 2020 to 237 million in 2023.

Research from Sensor Tower indicates that the number of active users engaging with dating apps at least once a month has declined from 154 million in 2021 to 137 million by mid-2024. In response to these challenges, Spencer Rascoff, who took over as Match's chief executive in February, is now directly overseeing Tinder's operations. He suggests that many younger users perceive dating apps like Tinder as merely a “numbers game,” and believes that features like Double Date can alter this perception, making the experience less focused on casual hook-ups and more about enjoying time with friends.

For those who want to stay updated on the latest news and trends in the dating app world, subscribing to relevant channels can provide valuable insights.