SINGLES people hunting a last-minute Valentine’s date should text their crush on two key days, when dating apps say everyone is online and answering
With swipes and messages surging in early February, your note is more likely to get seen and less likely to be ghosted.
The CBS News Data Team asked top dating apps what their numbers showed ahead of Valentine’s Day.
On Hinge, February 4 was the busiest day for likes and messages in the run-up to February 14 last year.
And February 13 saw a jump in Voice Notes, a sign users got more personal right before the holiday.
Hinge said activity climbed in the two weeks before Valentine’s Day 2024 compared with the same stretch in 2023.
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The app’s “We Met” data showed likes sent were up 28%, while matches and dates both rose 17%.
Tinder also saw users go into overdrive on the day itself.
On Valentine’s Day last year, Tinder recorded 3.6 million additional likes, 2.8 million more messages, and 78 million extra swipes in 24 hours, the platform said.
Tinder said 69% of singles on the app are looking for something serious, based on a company survey.
That included 41% seeking “Marriage Material,” 39% playing the “Long Game,” and 27% prioritizing an “Intentionship.”
Not everyone is chasing a one-on-one setup, Tinder’s data suggested.
The company said 14% of users who list a relationship type identify with consensual non-monogamy, and 22% are open to alternative relationship structures.
Across peak season, January 1 to February 14, Tinder users sent 2.1 million more messages per day.
The app also logged 486 bio edits per minute during that stretch.
Bumble said users are more active in the lead-up to February 14 than at any other time of year.
Its 2024 Dating Trends report found nearly 72% of users globally are searching for long-term partners.
Bumble said downloads and time spent in the app increased in the weeks around the holiday, with Gen Z refreshing profiles with new photos and Interest Badges.
“In 2024, there were increases in both downloads and user activity in the Bumble app in the weeks around Valentine’s Day. In the week leading up to Valentine’s Day in 2024, there was an increase in ‘right swipes’ on Bumble. This increase lasted throughout February,” said Michael Affronti, chief product officer at Bumble.
Bumble also said about a quarter of US respondents would go on a date on Feb. 14, no matter the relationship stage.
On OkCupid, the company said coffee dates are king.
OkCupid found 84% of its users love coffee dates, which is why it partnered with La Colombe for singles happy hours around Valentine’s Day.
“As with most products and services, activity and engagement on OkCupid ebbs and flows throughout the year. We see notable spikes in downloads, matches and messages early on in the year, especially during the beginning of January leading into Valentine’s Day,” said OkCupid spokesperson Michael Kaye.
“Last year there was an increase in daters saying they are absolutely ready to settle down and get married after Valentine’s Day, and this year we’re expecting a rise in activity and engagement on our platform.”
Put together, the data points to February 4 and February 13 as the two days when singles were most active, and when a message is most likely to be noticed.
date:2026-02-08 20:04:00
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