Tinder events cities expand as dating app takes matches offline
Tinder is bringing its Events tab to nine more cities, letting verified users find local outings and match with other attendees.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Tinder events cities are multiplying fast: the dating app is expanding its Events tab beyond its Los Angeles pilot to nine additional markets in the U.S. and Europe, with more locations planned by the end of September.
The feature is built to push app users toward real-world meetups. In eligible cities, Tinder users can browse local happenings inside the app, signal interest, see other interested attendees, RSVP, buy tickets when needed, check in at events and receive an “Attended” badge on their profiles, according to Tinder.
Users can also match with other people who are interested in attending the same event, turning a night out, a class or a group run into a new dating lane.
Which cities have Tinder Events now?
After testing Events in Los Angeles earlier this year, Tinder is adding the feature in New York City, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City and Phoenix in the U.S., according to details shared with Mashable.
In Europe, Tinder is launching Events in Berlin, Munich, Zurich and Geneva. The company also plans to bring the feature to 26 more cities over the next couple of months. Tinder has not released the full list, but told Mashable that San Jose and Baltimore are among the planned additions.
Only Photo Verified users can fully use Events, according to Tinder. Opening the Events tab is free, though individual outings may be free or may require buying a ticket from the organizer, depending on the event.
How does Tinder Events work?
Tinder Events is an in-app discovery tab for local activities aimed at singles. It lets eligible users find things to do nearby and connect with people who may be going to the same place.
The setup puts Tinder closer to the offline social calendar business, while keeping the dating function at the center. A user can discover a DJ night, game night, creative class, hike or group run, then see who else has shown interest.
During the Los Angeles pilot, Tinder said 66 percent of eligible active users in that market engaged with Events. The company defined that engagement as opening the tab and interacting with the experience, such as browsing listings.
Gen Z users were the most active group in the test, according to Tinder. The company said 71 percent of users ages 18 to 24 engaged with Events, compared with 63 percent of users 25 and older.
Tinder also said 53 percent of users who interacted with the Events tab came back the next week. More than 60 events took place in Los Angeles during the pilot.
One event moved especially quickly: a 60-person candlelight ceramics class sold out within a day after the event partner promoted it, according to a press release shared with Mashable.
Why is Tinder adding local events?
Tinder introduced the Los Angeles Events pilot as singles have been showing more interest in meeting people away from dating apps, including through offline singles events and activity-based gatherings such as run clubs.
The Events rollout also sits alongside dating apps’ push into artificial intelligence. When Tinder announced the Los Angeles pilot in March, it also launched Chemistry, an AI matchmaker feature.
Bumble has been trying its own event strategy, including events in New York City this summer, according to Mashable. The app has also drawn criticism from some users after founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd announced plans to move away from swiping and toward an AI experience.
For Tinder, the Events tab gives users a way to move from browsing profiles to sharing a room with potential matches. The company is now betting that the Los Angeles test can travel.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.