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Five Compelling Facts About Online Dating

Most people know what online dating is. In fact, 30-40% of singles have tried online dating at one point or another (exact statistics depend on who you ask!). Granted, considering the popularity of online matchmaking and searching for love on the Internet in modern culture, from books to movies, that number actually seems rather low. Surely there are other interesting online dating facts? As it turns out, there are! Whether you currently use a matchmaking platform or simply want to learn the cold, hard facts, you’re sure to find the list below enlightening. Here are five must-know facts when it comes to modern online dating!

The More You Know!

Most People Who Try Online Dating Enjoy It

For most people, signing up for a flirting site will provide them with a positive experience. That said, the term “most” is somewhat misleading, as the “positive people” only make up 57% of those surveyed. Out of that 57%, 14% had a great experience, whereas 43% had a “somewhat positive” experience. On the other hand, around one out of ten people who try online courting will have a negative experience, so that’s always something to consider. Surprisingly, these statistics remain fairly consistent across all genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, and races.

Some People Spend Big Bucks for Their Online Dating Activities

While the idea of a “free dating site” is pretty popular, if you’ve ever tried one, you’ll know they often work better in principle than in practice. Still, free services are the second most popular option, with 24% of people reporting that they pay absolutely nothing for their online dating escapades! However, it seems that people who are serious about having a positive experience while finding love online are very willing to spend $51 (or more) to meet their next sweetheart, as 27% of those surveyed met or exceeded these spending requirements.

Online Dating Sites Aren’t the Go-to for Cheating on Your S/O

It might seem like the easiest way to cheat on your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or wife would be by using an online service; some even advertise themselves as the exact tools of the trade for cheaters. Surprisingly, only 7% of people report using these services for that purpose (though we suspect the real-world numbers are somewhat higher). Still, since more people use social media than relationship services, it’s possible that these statistics may be accurate after all!

Being “Catfished” Actually Isn’t As Common As You Might Think

While the popular MTV show Catfish might make it seem like people are falling for fake accounts left and right, the actual statistics show a much different story. In fact, only 34% of people have reported having been catfished! Of course, there are likely many people who simply don’t know they’ve been catfished, but nonetheless, the show appears to have at least succeeded in educating people about the dangers of online impersonators.

Online Dating Fears Vary Widely By Gender

For women, the most common online dating fear is meeting a man who turns out to be a serial killer. This makes sense, as dating a serial killer would likely end badly. Alternatively, men seem to be much laxer when it comes to online dating: their biggest concern is meeting a “fat” person. However, this fear seems to have a lot more of a real-world effect than the fear of serial killers. While most men aren’t accused of being a potential serial killers on a regular basis, an American study showed that 71% of “heavier” women reported being fat-shamed when using traditional dating services.

Did You Learn Anything?

Statistics can easily be skewed, and when it comes to analyzing data like catfish rates, the accuracy of reported data is certainly debatable. Still, we hope you’ve found these dating facts to be informative (and, at the least, a bit entertaining). Check back next year for the latest & most up-to-date dating statistics and facts.

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