Dating Applications versus Meeting Face-to-Face: What Is Better for Romantic Relationship Quality?

The use of dating applications has increased over time, as recent data illustrate that meeting online is one of the most popular ways for couples to meet in the United States. Yet, the perceptions of using dating applications and how the applications were developed may hinder the quality of relationships that form using dating applications. The goal of this study is to examine the difference in relationship quality based on whether a relationship is initiated in person or using a dating application. Data for this study come from 233 college students who completed an online survey. Of the coupled participants (n = 120), 34 met their current partner through a dating application, and of the participants who had previous dating experience (n = 169), 29 met their last partner on a dating application. Conducting independent-samples t-tests, the means of relationship quality were not significantly different for those who met their current or former partner online compared to in person. Although previously stigmatized, the results of this study illustrate that forming relationships on dating applications may be similar in quality to those that are formed in person.