This timeline of online dating also includes events that involve using technology to help with dating, not only online dating. When similar services exist, only the most important ones or the first to offer that type of service are listed.

Dominance of online dating

A survey by Michael J. Rosenfeld in 2017 was updated in 2021. It looked at how Americans meet their spouses and romantic partners from 1940 to 2021. The results showed that more couples are meeting through online media. In 2021, 39% of heterosexual couples and 65% of same-sex couples met this way. However, these numbers include all online interactions, not just those from dating apps. When only dating apps are considered, the percentage drops to about 10%.

A Pew Research study supported these findings. It reported that 28% of straight and 52% of lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) Americans used dating apps or sites. However, only 9% of straight adults and 24% of LGB adults met their partners through these platforms. Similar results were found in a 2021 study by Morning Consult. It showed that the percentage of people meeting partners through online dating increased from 10% in 2018 to 13% in 2021. This change may have been influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic. A multinational study by YouGov found that, on average, 8% of couples in 17 countries met through apps, with the U.S. having the same rate.

In summary, 49% of people using dating apps say they are looking for a romantic relationship. However, only 8-13% of straight couples and 24% of lesbian, gay, or bisexual couples meet through these apps.