Thursday aims to redefine traditional online dating in a crowded market. The app, which recently launched in San Francisco, encourages mindful dating by limiting users to Thursdays. At midnight, all matches disappear. The idea is that limiting access to just one day a week will encourage potential users to meet in real life sooner.
Many singles, especially young people, are abandoning traditional dating apps due to “swipe fatigue,” the tired feeling that comes with swiping through countless profiles. This, along with other negative feelings like burnout from talking to too many people or being trapped in a messaging app that rarely leads to an in-person date, have led some young users to abandon traditional dating apps. For example, Tinder, which essentially invented the swipe-left/right approach to dating, has lost paying users for seven straight quarters.
In contrast, Thursday encourages users to use the app when they actually want to date. By encouraging early in-person meetings and removing matches after 24 hours, the app aims to keep users from endlessly scrolling and searching for confirmation from dozens of matches they’ll never interact with. In fact, you can only match with 10 people per day on Thursday, unless you pay a $19-per-month subscription to remove that limit.
The company also hosts exclusive events for IRL singles through a separate app called Thursday Events. The app offers large meetups at venues like bars, running clubs, gyms, dance studios, and art galleries. Users can also apply to host their own events.
The Resurgence of In-Person Dating and Industry Challenges
In-person dating is seeing a resurgence post-pandemic, with young people returning to “old-fashioned” methods like meeting in public in hopes of finding love. According to a 2024 study by Eventbrite, attendance at singles and dating events grew 42% from 2022 to 2023. Eventbrite reported that there were more than 1.5 million requests for such events on the platform. Speed dating is also gaining momentum.
Thursday’s launch in San Francisco comes as dating giants Bumble and Match Group (owner of Tinder and Hinge) grapple with the challenges of adapting to the post-pandemic dating landscape and general disillusionment with dating apps.
Bumble reported second-quarter earnings on Wednesday, missing Wall Street’s revenue estimates. The company also cut its full-year revenue growth forecast, raising concerns among investors about the company’s ability to attract and retain users and sending shares down 30% in after-hours trading, adds NIX Solutions.
Other dating startups have also tried to capitalize on the disillusionment with Bumble, Tinder, and Hinge. Over the years, we’ve seen a variety of new apps emerge that cater to a variety of user and community behaviors. There are platforms that cater to gamers, an app that hides selfies until users message each other, an app that matches users based on their favorite memes, and more. There’s even an app for dating people with good credit scores.
As the dating app landscape continues to evolve, we’ll keep you updated on the latest trends and innovations in this dynamic industry. Thursday’s unique approach to online dating represents just one of many attempts to address the challenges faced by traditional dating apps and meet the changing needs of modern singles.