Impact of COVID-19 on online dating in Singapore
The circuit breaker measures, implemented in 2020 and 2021 in Singapore, have affected social relations and, by extension, romantic relationships. According to the National Population and Talent Division, an increasing number of couples in Singapore met via dating websites or apps between 2019 and 2021. This was reflected in consumer spending on dating apps, which has gradually increased since the beginning of 2019, reaching 1.65 million US dollars in December 2022.Compared to the pre-pandemic period, 48 percent of Singaporean dating app users are now looking for something more casual in their online dating activities, while 34 percent are looking for something more serious. Most users now connect several times a week, with higher usage by males, especially in the 25-34 age group.
Key players in the Singapore dating market
Tinder, the global industry leader, also dominates the Singapore market in terms of downloads and in-app revenue. The Match Group's app reached 138.49 thousand downloads in 2022 in Singapore, followed by Bumble and Tantan, the Asian dating app.However, the use of these apps was impacted by the effects of the pandemic. Bumble, the app that prioritizes women to initiate conversations, has already offered a video calling feature since the pre-pandemic period. Since then, Tinder also offers the possibility to call face-to-face with correspondents. Local Singapore dating agencies such as KopiDate and LunchActually have also adapted and now offer virtual dating via online meals on conferencing platforms such as Zoom.
