Online dating experiences: good and bad

The short answer

Here is what the sources show

In Pew's 2022 survey, 53% of people who had used online dating gave it a positive rating. Forty-six percent gave it a negative rating. Ratings differed across groups. The survey does not show why.

53%: positive overall
46%: negative overall
57% vs. 48%: positive among men vs. women

Research articleUpdated Jul 21, 20264 min readBy The Pool Report Research Desk

See what U.S. adults said in Pew's 2022 survey. Compare good and bad ratings by group.

The national split is close

Fourteen percent of users said their experience was very positive. The total positive share was 53%. Forty-six percent described it as very or somewhat negative.

The split is close. It is more accurate than saying online dating simply works or fails. Both reactions were common in the same national survey.

Experiences differ across groups

Men were more likely than women to report a positive experience, 57% versus 48%. LGB users were also more likely than straight users to report a positive experience, 61% versus 53%.

These are descriptive survey differences. They do not establish that gender or orientation caused the experience rating.

Positive and harmful experiences can coexist

A user can report an overall positive experience and still have encountered harassment, unwanted messages, or a suspected scammer. The questionnaire measured those experiences separately.

That is why a responsible overview shows experience ratings beside, not instead of, safety and harassment findings.

Where this comes from

Sources we checked

Read the original sources behind these numbers. They show the group, date, and measure used.

01
Pew Research Center
From Looking for Love to Swiping the Field
National survey designed to represent U.S. adults: 6,034 people surveyed July 5–17, 2022, with definitions and tables for smaller groups.
Checked July 22, 2026
Read the original source ↗

Common questions

Are these numbers current dating-app user counts?

No. They are survey estimates from Pew’s July 2022 survey, published in 2023. They measure what U.S. adults reported, not live accounts or monthly active users.

Are men happier with dating apps than women?

In Pew’s survey, 57% of male users and 48% of female users rated their overall experience positively. That is an association, not proof of why the difference exists.

Can an experience be positive even without a relationship?

Yes. The question asked for an overall rating, not whether the user found a long-term partner.