What Hinge does

Hinge is a mobile dating application founded in 2012 by Justin McLeod and acquired by Match Group (NASDAQ:MTCH) in 2018, where it operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary with retained brand autonomy. The platform serves relationship-seeking singles, primarily Gen Z and millennial users, under a brand positioning of being "designed to be deleted" — emphasizing meaningful long-term connections over engagement metrics. Hinge is headquartered in New York with offices in Dublin (European HQ), Dallas, and Gurgaon, serving 30 million users globally across North America, Europe, Oceania, India, and (as of 2025) Latin America.

The product is built on the Nobel Prize-winning Gale-Shapley stable matching algorithm, augmented in 2025 by a deep-learning recommendation system that combines stated preferences with behavioral activity data. Key product features include AI Convo Starters (generative AI suggesting personalized opening lines), Date Ideas (pre-selecting activities to streamline meetups), and Signals (a purple heart badge indicating thoughtful engagement). Hinge Labs, a dedicated research division, studies compatibility and daters to continuously improve match quality. Distribution is mobile-first via the iOS App Store and Google Play, with a freemium business model: free core functionality plus Hinge Premium and Preferred+ subscription tiers, supplemented by virtual items (Roses and Boosts).

Hinge generated $550 million in revenue in 2024 (+38% YoY), with Q4 2025 revenue of $186.5 million (+26% YoY) and Q4 2025 operating income growth of 72% YoY. Paying subscribers grew from 1.4 million to 1.8 million+ between early 2025 and March 2026. Hinge ranks third in the US online dating market at 18% share behind Tinder and Bumble, while holding the leading position in the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. The company holds ISO/IEC 27001, 27017, and 27701 certifications and operates the One More Hour social impact program. Leadership transitioned in December 2025 when founder Justin McLeod stepped down and Jackie Jantos (formerly President and CMO) was promoted to CEO; Match Group concurrently spun out Overtone, an AI-driven dating venture incubated within Hinge.

Name

Hinge

Legal name

Hinge, Inc.

Website

https://hinge.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Hinge is a mobile dating app serving relationship-seeking Gen Z and millennial singles through a freemium subscription model. Owned by Match Group, it uses Nobel Prize-winning matching algorithms and AI-powered features to help users find meaningful connections.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue (Hinge Premium): Freemium model with premium subscription tiers (Hinge Premium and Preferred+) providing enhanced features like unlimited likes, filtering options, and access to who likes you. The free app experience is essential to the mission while subscriptions enhance it.
2. Virtual Items: Roses and Boosts available as in-app purchases for profile visibility enhancement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hinge operates a mobile dating application that uses a Nobel Prize-winning Gale-Shapley algorithm combined with a deep-learning recommendation system to match users for the purpose of forming meaningful romantic relationships. The platform is offered on a freemium basis, with the free experience supporting core matching functionality and premium subscriptions (Hinge Premium, Preferred+) plus virtual items (Roses, Boosts) providing enhanced visibility and filtering features.

Product overview

Hinge offers a unified dating platform as its core product, the 'dating app designed to be deleted' that helps users find meaningful romantic connections. The platform is enhanced by AI-powered features including Convo Starters for generating personalized conversation openers and Date Ideas for streamlining date planning. The Hinge Labs research division drives continuous product improvement, while the One More Hour social impact initiative extends the brand's mission beyond the app to foster real-world connections. The portfolio includes the Signals engagement badge feature and operates under Match Group's corporate umbrella.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hinge Dating App Mobile dating application for individual adults seeking long-term romantic relationships, using a Nobel Prize-winning Gale-Shapley stable matching algorithm combined with a deep-learning recommendation system to surface compatibility-driven matches. Available globally on iOS and Android with a freemium business model.
• Roses and Boosts (Virtual Items) One-time in-app virtual items that Hinge users can purchase to increase profile visibility and stand out to potential matches.
• Hinge Labs Research division of Hinge employing researchers, behavioral analysts, and matchmakers who study daters and compatibility to inform matching algorithms and product improvements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Users twice as likely to go on a date when a like includes a message
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tinder: The largest dating app globally and Hinge's sibling brand under Match Group. Both target the same user pool with overlapping freemium/subscription models, though Tinder skews toward casual encounters while Hinge focuses on serious relationships.
• Bumble: Independent publicly-traded dating app (NASDAQ:BMBL) and Hinge's closest direct competitor in the 'serious relationships' segment. Women-message-first mechanic and overlapping Gen Z/millennial target with comparable subscription tiers.
• OkCupid: Another Match Group dating brand focused on compatibility-based matching and LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Competes directly with Hinge for relationship-minded daters, though with a more legacy product experience.
• eHarmony: Long-standing serious-relationships dating platform built around a compatibility questionnaire and algorithm. Targets the same marriage/long-term relationship outcome as Hinge but with a different matching modality and older demographic skew.
• Coffee Meets Bagel: Curated dating app that sends limited daily matches, targeting relationship-minded professionals. Competes with Hinge in the 'quality over quantity' segment with comparable freemium monetization.
• Plenty of Fish (POF): Match Group dating brand with broad user base across casual and serious dating segments. Overlaps with Hinge on subscription model and free-messaging features but with a different demographic mix and lower brand premium.

Broad incumbents

• Match.com: Match Group's flagship long-term dating platform. Serves an overlapping serious-dating user base but skews older than Hinge and uses a more traditional profile/algorithm rather than Hinge's prompt-based and AI-driven UX.
• Badoo: Large international dating-focused social discovery platform. Comparable freemium model and mobile-first distribution, but stronger presence in emerging markets and a more casual/social positioning than Hinge.

Emerging players

• The League: Selective, application-based dating app targeting ambitious professionals. Competes with Hinge in the relationship-focused, higher-income segment but with a curated/admission-based model rather than Hinge's open freemium approach.
• Raya: Invite-only dating and networking app. Overlaps with Hinge's premium positioning among creative/influencer demographics but operates at much smaller scale and via application-based access.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HingeApp
• Instagraminstagram.com/hinge
• Facebookfacebook.com/hinge

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hinge