Business
Infographic Timeline: 10 Years of Tinder
Infographic Timeline: Ten Years of Tinder
A decade of swiping and over half a billion downloads later, Tinder still leads the market share of online dating apps in the United States at 32%.
What started as a “hook-up” app 10 years ago for college students, is now a mainstream hit that is globally used in 190 countries and 45 languages.
The graphic above highlights key moments that have shaped the app’s success, using data from Match Group’s investor presentations and news reports.
From Hatch to Match: The Early Days of Tinder
The concept of the app emerged when the original founding partners, Sean Rad and Joe Munoz, won a hackathon in 2012. Their collaboration lead to the development of Tinder (originally named Matchbox).
Marketing the app to college students was a strategic decision that quickly gained the interest of millennials. This young demographic had been traditionally underserved in the online dating world, and with the global adoption of smartphones, a mobile-only dating app hit the right spot at the right time.
Monetization began in 2015 when premium features became exclusively available for paid users. Annual revenue that year was $47 million and by 2021 that grew to $1.7 billion.
Match Group acquired Tinder in 2017, with a $3 billion valuation. But at the time, very few could predict the stellar run Tinder would have, having risen to become the top dating app in the world and one of the most popular apps overall.
This surge in popularity is also reflected in the financials — Tinder is just one of the 30 dating apps that Match Group owns, but it represents over 50% of their overall revenues. In addition, Tinder is closing in on generating $2 billion per year.
Today, Match Group is worth roughly $17 billion, and by some estimates Tinder is worth around $9 billion, over triple the price of the original acquisition.
Note: Tinder’s value is based on the valuation multiples for online dating companies as well as Tinder’s revenues as a portion of Match Group’s total.
Tinder and Technology
The swipe feature was an integral part of Tinder’s design, and it revolutionized the dating world. Gamifying dating was a novel concept when the feature was introduced back in 2012.
From the 1998 film “You’ve Got Mail” to today’s dopamine-inducing hit of “It’s a Match!,” it’s easy to see the influence technology has on the way we date and mate.
Below is a snapshot of app features that have been driven by technology and culture:
Year | Technological Feature | Key Business Focus |
---|---|---|
2012 | The “Swipe” | Gamification is the hook |
2014 | Tinder Plus | App monetization driven by user experience |
2015 | Instagram Integration & Facebook “Common Connections” | Network effects |
2017 | Tinder Gold | Power to the user - “Insight to who has liked me” |
2019 | Traveler Alert | Putting user safety first |
2020 | Panic Button / “Are You Sure?” | Putting user safety first |
2021 | Plus One | The pursuit of connections post-covid |
2023? | Virtual Exploration - It’s a “Swipe Party” | Understanding the changing demographic |
The Tinder Algorithm
Rating people’s attractiveness can be a controversial subject. Websites like Hot or Not and Mark Zuckerberg’s Facemash are cringe-worthy reminders of the internet’s past.
During the app’s early development, the discovery of a new match relied partially on the “Elo” rating system to score desirability. Attractiveness was evaluated by how often people swiped. The more selective you were with swiping, the higher your attractiveness was rated within the algorithm.
But now according to Tinder’s pressroom:
“Elo is old news at Tinder.”
Instead, Tinder’s algorithmic criteria for profile discovery depends on the users:
- Recent activity – members who are sending likes and nopes
- Profile elements such as the user’s interests
- Location
Tinder now says that proximity is a key factor in how people match on the app.
The Future of Tinder: A Changing Demographic
Today, as the company attempts to target Gen Z, the company’s revenue growth expectations are more lukewarm thanks to shifting cultural preferences,
And keeping the app relevant to a young demographic requires thoughtful consideration that goes beyond just adding new technological features. According to research organization YouthSight, more than 90% of Gen Z’ers report having frustrations with dating apps.
Only time will tell if technological incentives such as features for the metaverse, or virtual coins that further gamify the dating app, are attractive enough for Tinder to compete against the allures of meeting people IRL.
Real Estate
Modular Housing vs. Traditional Housing: How Do They Compare?
Modular housing can be completed 40% faster and costs 10-25% less than traditional construction methods. Is the future of housing modular?


Modular Housing vs. Traditional Housing: How Do They Compare?
The U.S. needs new houses. Lots of them.
With housing prices nearing six times annual incomes, increasing supply is a must if there is any hope of bringing down house prices, and modular housing could be the solution.
This visualization is the third and final piece of the Reimagining Home Series from our sponsor Boxabl, where we compare the benefits of modular housing against traditional construction methods. Let’s start with the basics.
What Is Modular Housing?
Modular homes are built offsite, in standardized sections, usually in a factory setting. They are then transported to the building site and assembled on a waiting foundation. Once complete, modular homes look just like any other house.
Modular housing is not the same as manufactured homes, which are also sometimes called mobile homes. Like modular housing, manufactured homes are built offsite in a factory, but the key difference is that they can be moved after being assembled. Modular homes aren’t meant to be moved again after final assembly.
6 Ways Modular Homes Differ to Traditional Homes
The following benefits are based on information from the Modular Home Building Association, as well as a paper given at the 2020 Creative Construction e-Conference by members of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington.
1. Speed of Construction
Because of the piecemeal nature of modular construction, many building activities can be done simultaneously, greatly reducing the overall time of completion. At the same time, because construction happens indoors, weather delays aren’t an issue. Overall, a modular housing project can be completed in 40% less time than using traditional building construction methods.
2. Cost Effectiveness
Standardization of design, less transportation of materials onsite, and the reduced impact of weather are some of the reasons that modular housing can be much cheaper than traditional building methods. According to the authors of the paper, there was a 10-25% decrease in construction costs for modular housing, again, compared to traditional methods.
3. Customizable
A common misconception is that modular housing isn’t customizable. While many manufacturers will often begin with a starter floor plan, they may also offer various customization options throughout the home.
4. Safety Record
Construction is a dangerous way to make a living. In 2021, construction and extraction workers held the number two spot for fatal occupational injuries in the U.S., with 951 work fatalities.
When you drill down into that number, construction tradespeople are in the majority, by far, with 726 that year alone.Description | Fatalities |
---|---|
Transportation and material moving occupations | 1,523 |
Construction and extraction occupations | 951 |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | 475 |
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations | 356 |
Management occupations | 323 |
Protective service occupations | 302 |
Production occupations | 242 |
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations | 218 |
Sales and related occupations | 200 |
Food preparation and serving related occupations | 101 |
Office and administrative support occupations | 91 |
Unknown occupation | 71 |
Personal care and service occupations | 64 |
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations | 57 |
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations | 45 |
Community and social services occupations | 40 |
Healthcare support occupations | 32 |
Architecture and engineering occupations | 29 |
Business and financial operations occupations | 27 |
Educational instruction and library occupations | 16 |
Legal occupations | 11 |
Life, physical, and social science occupations | 10 |
Computer and mathematical occupations | 6 |
Military occupations | 0 |
Total | 5,190 |
Because modular construction happens in a controlled, factory environment, the number of accidents decreases by 80% compared to traditional building methods.
5. Environmental Impact
Anyone who has walked past a residential build site can testify to the amount of waste produced during construction. Modular construction is more efficient and therefore produces less waste. And because onsite construction is limited to assembly, there is less dust and noise. Carbon emissions are also 38% lower.
6. Built to Last
Modular housing is as good, if not better constructed, than many traditionally-built houses. The factory environment allows for superior quality control, and homes built this way use 15-20% more wood per square foot, which makes them stronger. Moreover, in a study commissioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency after 1992’s Hurricane Andrew found that modular housing “performed much better than conventional residential framing.”
A Market On The Rise
Not only is modular housing cheaper and greener than traditional construction methods, it is also a market on the rise.
According to a recent report, the global modular construction market is expected to reach $54 billion by 2027, with a CAGR of 2.9% between 2021 to 2027.
Thinking Outside of the Box on Housing
Modular housing could be a solution to the housing affordability crisis not only in the U.S., but around the world. And with the global city population expected to hit 68% by 2050, it’s time to think outside the box on housing.
Boxabl uses advanced, mass production techniques to build and ship homes that significantly lower the cost of home ownership for everyone.
This is the final piece in the Reimagining Home Series from our sponsor, Boxabl. Be sure to read parts one and two on urbanization and affordable housing.

Learn more about how Boxabl is helping tackle the housing affordability crisis.

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