Men 150% More Likely to Use Dating Apps Than Women

A close look at the social media habits of consumers reveals, to steal an old movie title, where the boys are.

They’re online, and specifically, they’re on dating apps.

PYMNTS’ research, based on a survey of over 2,600 respondents, found that regardless of gender or financial status, we’re all moving online, more often, to meet and greet and catch up, as found in the report “The Who’s Who of the Digital Social Scene.”

Download the report: The Who’s Who of the Digital Social Scene

Seven million more consumers keep in daily contact with friends and family online than in December 2021.

All told, an estimated 47 million consumers, or approximately 18% of the adult population, now connect with friends, family and romantic partners online as part of their daily routine. That means that 62 million women across the country are scrolling through their social feeds every day, compared to 38 million men.

PYMNTS also found that women go online chiefly to keep up with friends and family on social media, while men go online primarily to find dates.

Women browse 14% more and post 4% more on social media than men, while men are 150% likelier than women to use dating apps. And that old saying “trust but verify” holds sway, too, as men are also 128% more likely than women to conduct background checks on their potential romantic interests.

The chart below shows that wide divide in the digital pursuit of romance: More than 35% of men opt to use a dating app, while only a bit more than 14% of women do.

Get the report: The Who’s Who of the Digital Social Scene