The Bottom Line

Whether you're in the US or Australia, the story is the same: dating apps are brilliant at one thing, making you feel like love is just one more swipe away. They are considerably less brilliant at actually delivering it.

In the US, $1.3 billion vanished into romance scams in 2025, 45.7% of app users went a full year without a single date, and 74% were ghosted at least once. In Australia, $28.6 million was stolen from 1,330 people, 91% of singles say the apps aren't working, and 54% burn out within three weeks.

Meanwhile, 59% of Australian singles are dating to marry. 55% say love is their #1 priority, above money and career. And demand for human-led matchmaking in the US surged 58% in just one year. The market is speaking. Are you listening?

Curated matchmaking offers something the apps fundamentally cannot: a real human who cares whether you find love, who has vetted the people you'll meet, and who will hold your hand through the process and give you honest feedback along the way. It's not magic — no ethical matchmaker promises guaranteed outcomes, but it is a fundamentally different, more respectful, more intentional approach to one of life's most important pursuits.

Love is too important to leave to an algorithm that also shows you ads for pizza.

Sources & References

1. Match Group — Singles in America Study 2025 (5,001 US adults surveyed). matchgroup.com

2. Forbes Health — Dating App Burnout Survey, May 2025. forbes.com/health

3. Pew Research Center — The Virtues and Downsides of Online Dating & 2025 Online Dating Safety Study. pewresearch.org

4. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — Consumer Sentinel Romance Scam Report 2025. ftc.gov

5. McAfee — Valentine's Day Research Report 2026: Romance Scam Statistics. mcafee.com/blogs

6. ACCC / Scamwatch — Targeting Scams Report 2025, National Anti-Scam Centre. scamwatch.gov.au · accc.gov.au (published March 2026)

7. ACCC / AFP — Romance Scam Fusion Cell Final Report, March 2026. nasc.gov.au

8. Coffee Meets Bagel / YouGov — Dating Realness Report: Australian Singles 2026 (n=1,063 AU respondents). coffeemeetsbagel.com (February 2026)

9. IBISWorld — Dating Services in Australia Industry Report. ibisworld.com (November 2025)

10. IBISWorld — Dating Services in the US Industry Report. ibisworld.com (December 2025)

11. Statista — Online Dating User Penetration, Worldwide & Australia 2026. statista.com

12. Cloudwards — 35+ Online Dating Statistics 2026. cloudwards.net

13. Monash University — Swipe fatigue study (cited in IBISWorld / dev.to, 2025)

14. Psychology Today Australia — Are Dating Apps Training Us to See People as Replaceable? May 2026. psychologytoday.com/au

15. Sharabi, Von Feldt & Ha — Burnt Out and Still Single: Susceptibility to Dating App Burnout Over Time. Sage Journals, 2026

16. Tawkify Matchmaking — Matchmaking Success Stories & Client Outcomes 2026. tawkify.com

17. LUMA Matchmaking — Matchmaker Success Rate Industry Report 2025. lumasearch.com

18. Selective Search — Research: Demand for Human-Led Matchmaking, May 2026. globenewswire.com

19. Verified Market Research — Premium Matchmaking Service Market Report 2023–2031. verifiedmarketresearch.com

20. Data Insights Market — Premium Matchmaking Service Market 2025–2033. datainsightsmarket.com

21. ConsumerAffairs — Best Matchmaking Services Guide 2026. consumeraffairs.com

22. Medill Reports Northwestern — The Bumble Burnout, 2025. news.medill.northwestern.edu

23. VIDA Select — Top 5 Australian Matchmakers Guide 2026. vidaselect.com

24. Fashion Weekly Australia — Dating Trends 2026. fashionweekly.com.au