What SKOUT does

SKOUT is a mobile social dating and friendship platform founded in 2007 and operated by The Meet Group, Inc., a Delaware-incorporated subsidiary of the German media conglomerate ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE (acquired 2016). The platform enables users to discover and connect with people nearby or globally for friendship, romantic relationships, and livestreaming entertainment. SKOUT's product is built on a mobile-first stack (React, Next.js, Firebase) supporting real-time interactions, virtual gifting, and cross-platform livestreaming through the Skout Live Network, which interoperates with sibling apps MeetMe, Zoosk, and Yapp within ProSiebenSat.1's dating/social portfolio.

The business model combines a freemium consumer app with four monetization streams: recurring Premium subscriptions (1, 3, or 6 month terms), a virtual currency called Points (purchased by users to send animated virtual gifts to livestreamers), Diamonds (earned by streamers and redeemable for fiat currency via third-party providers), and Streamer Subscriptions (monthly fees for exclusive subscriber benefits tied to specific creators). Distribution occurs primarily through Apple App Store and Google Play with app store billing, plus a self-serve web platform for account management. Multi-provider authentication (email, SMS via Sinch, Apple Sign-In, Google Sign-In, Facebook Login) and biometric verification support onboarding and fraud prevention.

SKOUT serves individual consumers (18+) globally across 9+ languages with particular focus on European, Latin American, and other international markets. The platform participates in the EU Digital Services Act reporting regime and German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act compliance through its parent. Within The Meet Group portfolio, SKOUT functions as one of several social discovery brands alongside MeetMe and Tagged, sharing infrastructure and cross-app livestream reach but operating as a distinct consumer product.

Name

SKOUT

Legal name

The Meet Group, Inc.

Website

http://www.skout.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SKOUT is a mobile social dating and friendship app, operated by The Meet Group (a ProSiebenSat.1 subsidiary), that connects individual consumers globally for friendships, romantic relationships, and livestreaming via a freemium model with subscriptions and virtual currency.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Users purchase subscription packages (one, three, or six months) that provide premium features including better matching capabilities and enhanced visibility. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled 24 hours before the period ends.
2. Points (Virtual Currency): Users purchase Points to activate virtual features such as virtual gifts to streamers within the Live Network. Points are non-refundable and have no monetary value outside the Live Network.
3. Diamonds Redemption: Streamers receive Diamonds for virtual gifts triggered during their livestreams, which can be redeemed for fiat currency. The company facilitates cash-out through third-party providers.
4. Streamer Subscriptions: Users can subscribe to specific streamers for monthly fees, gaining access to exclusive subscriber features like special badges, exclusive chat, and animated entry notifications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SKOUT is a mobile social discovery application that helps users meet new people nearby or around the world for friendship, romantic relationships, and livestreaming entertainment. The platform supports free chat, location-based discovery, daily livestreaming, virtual gifting, and premium matching features, monetized through subscriptions and in-app virtual currency (Points and Diamonds). It is part of the Skout Live Network, which connects users across Skout, MeetMe, Zoosk, and Yapp.

Product overview

Skout is a social dating and friendship application operated by The Meet Group, Inc., designed to help users discover new people nearby and make real connections for friendship, love, and livestreaming. The platform operates as a unified app with multiple monetization features including a Premium subscription tier for enhanced matching, a virtual currency system (Points for purchasing virtual gifts, Diamonds earned by streamers), and a Streamer Subscription feature. Skout participates in the Skout Live Network, a cross-application livestreaming platform that shares user visibility with MeetMe, Zoosk, and Yapp. The service is available on iOS and Android via major app stores and supports multiple login methods including email, SMS, Facebook, Google, and Apple authentication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Skout Core App A social dating and friendship mobile application that helps adult users (18+) discover new people nearby and around the world to form friendships, romantic relationships, or join livestreaming entertainment. Available globally on iOS and Android with multi-language support.
• Premium Subscription Paid subscription tier providing enhanced visibility, premium matching, and advanced features to help users find like-minded people faster within the Skout app. Available in 1, 3, or 6 month terms with auto-renewal.
• Virtual Gifts (Points) In-app virtual currency (Points) that users purchase to send animated virtual gifts to streamers during live broadcasts. Gifts are live animations triggered in streamer transmissions within the Live Network.
• Diamonds (Streamer Earnings) Virtual currency earned by streamers when viewers activate virtual gifts during live broadcasts. Streamers can redeem Diamonds for fiat currency through third-party providers or convert them to Points at platform-determined rates.
• Streamer Subscription Monthly paid subscription allowing users to subscribe to specific streamers, providing subscriber badges, exclusive chat access during live streams, and special animated entry notifications.
• Skout Live Network A shared cross-platform livestreaming service connecting users across Skout, MeetMe, Zoosk, and Yapp. Users can broadcast live video, send virtual gifts, and participate in creative competitions with a unified experience across The Meet Group's app ecosystem.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• MeetMecoreTechnology or IntegrationMeetMe is part of the Skout Live network, allowing users to interact across platforms. Users on MeetMe can participate in the shared livestreaming platform, creating a unified experience across The Meet Group's app ecosystem.
• Zoosk (Spark Networks SE)coreTechnology or IntegrationZoosk, owned by Spark Networks SE, participates in the Skout Live network. This partnership integrates Zoosk users into the shared livestreaming platform, extending reach across the dating app ecosystem.
• Sinch America Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationSinch America Inc. provides SMS-based telephone authentication for Skout and Tagged registration/login. The service sends verification codes via SMS to authenticate users registering via mobile number, enabling phone-based authentication.
• Google AnalyticssupportingTechnology or IntegrationThird-party analytics service used to evaluate usage of Skout services. Google Analytics collects usage data and provides reports to help evaluate and improve user experiences.
• Apple Sign-InsupportingTechnology or IntegrationApple Sign-In is offered as a registration/login option for iOS users, providing authentication through Apple accounts.
• Google Sign-InsupportingTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Sign-In is offered as a registration/login option for Android users, providing authentication through Google accounts.
• Facebook LoginsupportingTechnology or IntegrationFacebook Login is offered as a single sign-on option, allowing users to register or log in using their Facebook credentials.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Parship: Personality-based dating platform owned by ProSiebenSat.1's ParshipMeet Group, making it a corporate sibling to SKOUT within the same media conglomerate's dating portfolio.
• Plenty of Fish: Freemium dating app owned by Match Group with location-based matching, comparable subscription tiers, and a similar horizontal user demographic.
• Bumble: Major dating app offering friendship (Bumble BFF), dating (Bumble Date), and networking (Bumble Bizz), competing for similar 18+ user segments with freemium subscriptions.
• Hinge: Relationship-focused dating app owned by Match Group; targets users seeking serious relationships with prompts-based profiles, competing in the same paid-subscription dating category as SKOUT Premium.
• MeetMe: Sister app under The Meet Group, sharing infrastructure, the Skout Live Network, and overlapping social discovery and livestreaming features with SKOUT. The closest functional comparable.
• Tagged: Sister app under The Meet Group with shared livestreaming platform and social discovery functionality. Operates in an adjacent demographic and shares user visibility via the Live Network.
• Zoosk: Dating app participating in the Skout Live Network; comparable mobile-first dating model with behavioral matchmaking and global user base. Operated by Spark Networks SE.
• Tinder: Category-leading mobile dating app (Match Group), serving similar demographics with similar swipe-based matching and freemium subscription monetization.

Emerging players

• Bigo Live: Global livestreaming platform with virtual gifting and streamer earnings—directly comparable to SKOUT's Skout Live Network livestreaming and Points/Diamonds virtual currency model.

Broad incumbents

• Match Group: Public parent of Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, Plenty of Fish, and OkCupid—a broader incumbent portfolio operator in the same dating/social discovery industry, with overlapping monetization and audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/skout
• Instagraminstagram.com/skoutapp
• Xx.com/skoutapp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skout

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SKOUT