The state of dating apps 2026 | Adjust

The article 'Match made in data: The state of dating apps 2026' reveals a challenging landscape for dating app marketers. Global installs declined 4% year-over-year in 2025, and sessions fell 7%, indicating difficulties in user acquisition and engagement. User retention improved slightly, with Day 1 retention rising to 26%, but average session length dropped from 13.21 to 11.49 minutes, suggesting shallower engagement.

Acquisition costs surged across the board: CPC rose from $0.18 to $0.48 (167% increase), CPI increased 89% to $2.76, and CPM nearly doubled to $8.57. Click-through rates declined from 2.2% to 1.6%, while install per mille fell from 3.73 to 2.2, meaning fewer installs per thousand impressions. The paid-to-organic ratio increased to 2.14, and reattribution rates rose to 0.07, indicating heavier reliance on paid campaigns.

Valentine's Day 2025 saw only a modest lift for dating apps (installs +12% on Feb 9, sessions +4% mid-Feb), while other categories like video streaming (+138% installs), recipe apps (+49% installs), and social networking (+37% installs) experienced larger surges. For ad ops decision-makers, key takeaways include: (1) Rising costs demand efficiency optimization, targeting, and creative refresh; (2) Improved retention suggests focusing on quality users; (3) Seasonal campaigns should account for broader app ecosystem behavior, not just dating app trends; (4) Incorporating reattribution strategies can help re-engage lapsed users. The data underscores the need for robust cross-channel attribution and cohort analysis to navigate an increasingly competitive and costly environment.