Spring 2020 became a unique landmark around the world, primarily due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus COVID-19 and subsequent lockdown measures. Millions of people were literally trapped within four walls, forced to study, work, and play at home. Of course, all this had a major impact on the statistics for online dating.
Tinder has been particularly active in collecting statistics. Company representatives noted that in regions with more cases of the disease, the number of active users was higher. By mid-March, the number of messages sent via Tinder in the United States increased by 10-15%. In Italy and Spain, which became leaders in the spread of coronavirus, the increase was more than 25%. At the same time, chat duration itself also increased by an average of 20-30%.
There was not only a surge in the activity of the existing audience but also an increase in the number of users. The app was joined by categories of people who had not even considered online dating before:
- Those who did not have enough time for dating on the Internet, let alone in-person dating. Now they had time to do it.
- Those who devoted all their time to their careers. Many workaholics have been temporarily unemployed or their work volume has declined significantly. Accordingly, they got more freedom to date.
- Extroverts who lost the opportunity to communicate in the real world. For them, dating websites and video chats have become real salvation and a place where they can recover their energy.
Almost all popular dating websites and anonymous webcam chats noted an increase in user activity. Nevertheless, there are those that took a lead especially rapidly during the spring of 2020. We will talk about them below.
The most popular dating websites and apps in early 2021
- Match.com. Is a very popular website in the USA and 23 other countries around the world. It has been operating since 1995 and has gathered a large, loyal audience. During non-lockdown times, the website was visited by over 35 million people per month. During the coronavirus pandemic, this number increased. The only drawback that users note in reviews is the limited functionality in the free version. You must subscribe to a paid subscription to reply to messages.
- Tinder. This world-renowned dating website and app launched in 2012. Tinder’s active audience includes hundreds of millions and continues to grow. In reviews, many people talk about the unique dating format – you just like people’s photos, and if later they’re interested in you too, Tinder will let you contact each other.
- OkCupid. This is a popular dating website among US users. About 10 million people use the website per month. Its most interesting feature is its date search algorithms, which are based on mathematical equations, and partners are selected based on questions and answers. Surprisingly, the system works very accurately, which is constantly mentioned in reviews.
- Badoo. This website resembles Tinder a little but has some unique features and differences. The website and the application operate in more than 190 countries, and the number of registered users exceeds 250 million.
- eHarmony. This dating resource has existed since 2000 and regularly takes first place in popularity polls. According to the website developer, Neil Clark Warren, eHarmony has a constant active audience of over 50 million users. And 4% of marriages in the United States result from using the website.
Anonymous webcam chat: popularity during a pandemic
People around the world have a lot of free time due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Sometimes too much. However, not everyone is ready to spend it on dating websites. Firstly, you need to register, fill out a profile, upload photos. Not everyone wants to do this. Secondly, many features are only available with a paid subscription. And thirdly, even on the most popular websites, there are many fake accounts.
Random chats have become a real escape from boredom for many people. Here, as a rule, you do not need to register, fill out a profile, or pay for basic functions. A surge in popularity has been seen across all major video chats.
- Omegle. This chat roulette service was extremely popular even before the pandemic, being the first of its kind. And even despite rather basic functionality, Omegle takes first place in all kinds of popularity polls for anonymous video chat. There are more than 20 thousand people at any time of the day. Users in reviews note the simplicity and convenience of the website, but at the same time talk about the lack of many useful functions that competitors have.
- ChatRoulette. It used to be one of the leaders among webcam chats, but due to poor moderation, the website quickly lost its audience. And yet, during the pandemic, interest in ChatRoulette has increased significantly. This is quite possibly the beginning of a new chapter for this video chat app.
- CooMeet. This website was very popular even before the pandemic. First of all, thanks to the ability to easily and quickly meet girls, for millions of men around the world, it has become a real find. This has been talked about many times and continues to be said in reviews about CooMeet.
- ChatRandom. This is a more functional analog of Omegle, offering several useful functions: a gender filter, search for chat partners by location, and chat rooms by interest. This is a good choice if Omegle’s functionality is not enough for you.
Will the popularity of anonymous video chats and dating websites decline after the coronavirus pandemic ends? It is difficult to say with complete certainty. Indeed even now, when many countries are easing quarantine, there is still an increase in the number of users. More and more people are realizing that online dating is not just necessary at these times, but also a very enjoyable experience, not just for those who want to brighten up their leisure time, but also for those who really want to find true love.
