Anyone else witnessed a serious decline in dating apps since 2023 or so?

[RisingCane]

Back in the 2010s, the dating apps were my bread and butter for meeting women because I did well on them. I had professionally done photos and had 100s of matches on each of the big 3 apps (Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge). The women I matched with, I would consider above average but not downright gorgeous. I know @Chase criticizes the apps a lot but in the 2010s and even early 2020s, they worked for me. The women I would go on dates with, most guys I met in the Pickup community (more on that later) would happily approach at a bar.

When you traveled a lot and did not know a place too well, they made things easy.

However, since 2023 or really after 2022, I noticed something about the big dating apps and really all online dating:

• Far easier to get banned for just about anything
• They find far more reasons to "Shadowban" you so your profile no longer gets matches and likes
• Far more difficult to get back on (new phone, new number, new email, new pics, and even that is not enough for apps like Hinge that are strict)
• Pro photos were not enough and it was around 2023 I noticed a lot of guys seeing a drop in matches
• Lots of fake accounts, Only Fan accounts asking for money, and bots
• So many glitches that they matched you with women thousands of miles away

The thing is, every guy I knew who cracked a lay count of 50+ for the year was leveraging the apps.

This made me look at cold approach and I joined a WhatsApp group full of former RSD students. Needless to say that the one in Miami really sucks and these guys have Aspie-tier social skills so I will not judge Cold Approach from that alone. I have not met anyone who has managed to crack a high lay count from cold approach in the city I am in (Miami) but I rest my judgment until I meet more professional guys who know what the hell they are doing.

However, I have read about how Match.com's stock has started to sink a lot and then I read this article below. Granted it is UK based but I get the feeling that it is impacting us Americans too.

‘It feels like admin’: why are people falling out of love with dating apps?

About 1.4 million people have left online dating in the past year as experts say users see it as a chore rather than social activity

www.theguardian.com

Ofcom’s 2024 Online Nation report shows that dating app use declined significantly between 2023 and 2024, with a drop of nearly 16% in the use of the top 10 most popular dating apps this year.


Tinder experienced the biggest loss, with more than half a million users abandoning the platform since May 2023. Bumble and Hinge were also hit

I guess my question now is for guys who are cracking a high lay count every year (50+), how are they mainly doing it in 2025?

 

[average_daygamer]

I tried apps once in 2017, back when I was 27 and I got my first full time job which was what made me feel like I could offer value.

I think my photos were pretty bad as I don't really have a lot of photos of myself due to a limited lifestyle.

So I didn't get any matches. I remember having a couple of interactions on plenty of fish (a non matching style app) with just a selfie style photo. Anyway, I really didn't know what to say or I don't think the girl was that hot, maybe older than I was as well.

Now I am 35, the age filter will mean that the young hotties won't even see my profile, so it is cold approach all the way.

But the whole idea of taking pics and curating a profile seems cringely...feminine?

Cold approach is all about action. It was actually the helpless of apps which pushed me to cold approach. We are taking control of the situation with cold approach and not giving our information to anonymous companies.

 

[POB]

Apps are on the downside since 2017 or so.
(you just named the reasons)

That said, if you do everything right on your profile and text by the book, you still gonna get laid.
(Just not on the same clip as before).

Cold approach is king now (especially for daygame).
Just ask guys that are doing the rounds like @Kvothe , @Skippy , @Devilicious and @alleniverson if they rather use apps, or go straigh for the kill when they see a cutie.

 

[alleniverson]

Apps are on the downside since 2017 or so.
(you just named the reasons)

That said, if you do everything right on your profile and text by the book, you still gonna get laid.
(Just not on the same clip as before).

Cold approach is king now (especially for daygame).
Just ask guys that are doing the rounds like @Kvothe , @Skippy , @Devilicious and @alleniverson if they rather use apps, or go straigh for the kill when they see a cutie.

Of my 38 kills so far in 2025 only 5 are from dating apps

 

[RisingCane]

Of my 38 kills so far in 2025 only 5 are from dating apps

Wait a minute, you are a murderer?

Bruh.....

 

[S.S Can]

Of my 38 kills so far in 2025 only 5 are from dating apps

American Sniper

 

[Swati]

Have the same problem.

Got shadow banned from tinder and bumble, going to find some ways to get through it. It's fucking annoying, cause they want you to rely on the app and continuous drop money into the bullshit. They store your data if you recreate an account n etc, makes you feel like shit overall. But with more in-depth research it seems like those company, continuous nerfing males profile to being invisible having to buy the premium, boost and etc. total fem centric software.

only elite dudes gets 50+ a year, they're specialized, only doing one form of game, night game or online(apps and instragram or other social platforms) only. but they paid for the premium and are well above average in looks or just an OGs in night game.