For years, dating apps have fought over users, subscriptions, and downloads. According to a new report from 5W Research, however, there may be a new battle emerging: getting recommended by AI.
The company’s Dating App AI Visibility Index looked at how often dating platforms are mentioned by ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews when people ask questions like which dating app is best for serious relationships, which app is safest, or which platform is best for a particular age group.
The findings suggest that being the biggest dating app no longer guarantees being the most recommended one.
While Tinder remains the industry’s revenue powerhouse, the report says Hinge has become the dominant answer for people looking for serious relationships. In other words, Tinder may still make more money, but Hinge is increasingly becoming the app AI tools suggest when users ask for relationship-focused recommendations.
That is notable because online dating discovery is changing. Plenty of people still use Google, of course, but more consumers are now turning to AI assistants for advice. Asking ChatGPT which dating app to use is becoming just as natural as typing the same question into a search engine.
The report argues that AI systems tend to favor apps with clear identities rather than general-purpose platforms. Hinge reportedly owns the serious-relationship category, while Tinder is more closely associated with casual dating. Other niche services appear to benefit too. Apps such as Grindr, Feeld, Christian Mingle, JDate, and Her often receive recommendations that seem disproportionate to their overall size.
Perhaps the most interesting takeaway is that trust appears to matter. According to 5W, dating apps that publish safety information, offer stronger verification tools, and clearly define their target audience tend to perform better in AI-generated recommendations than apps relying solely on their massive user bases.
Of course, it’s worth remembering who produced the research. 5W is a communications firm that sells AI visibility services, so it has a vested interest in promoting the importance of AI recommendations. Even so, the report highlights a trend that is becoming difficult to ignore.
The dating app wars may no longer be decided entirely inside app stores. Increasingly, they could be decided by whichever apps AI assistants choose to mention first.
And if that proves true, getting recommended by ChatGPT could become almost as valuable as ranking at the top of Google.
Support independent tech journalism
NERDS.xyz is independently owned and operated. If you enjoy my coverage of Linux, AI, hardware, cybersecurity, and tech culture, consider supporting the site on Ko-fi.
Support NERDS.xyz