Online dating in Russia - statistics & facts
Russia is one of the largest dating services markets worldwide, with its revenue estimated at over 38 million U.S. dollars in 2022. The country's large population, together with high internet and smartphone penetration rates, offer favorable conditions to the industry, though several dating platforms exited the market in response to the war in Ukraine. Generally, online dating is less popular in Russia than in many other countries. In 2021, only four percent of Russian singles used dating services, compared to 22 percent in Brazil and 20 percent in India. The number of dating users in Russia reached approximately 11 million in 2022, representing nearly eight percent of all residents.
In the 2010s, users started using dating apps from their mobile devices; however, desktop platforms have not lost popularity. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic accelerated the market growth in 2020 and 2021, with two in 10 dating app users reporting that they started using such products due to social distancing. Matchmaking was the largest market segment, followed by online dating and casual dating.
How has online dating in Russia developed over the past 20 years?
Online dating in Russia first developed hand-in-hand with social media platforms. When networks like OK (Odnoklassniki) and VK (Vkontakte) first appeared in the 2000s, their users utilized them to connect with friends and search for partners. At that time, there were no smartphones in the country, so Russians mostly used these platforms from desktop devices. Besides social networks, dating portals like Loveplanet and Mamba emerged in that decade.In the 2010s, users started using dating apps from their mobile devices; however, desktop platforms have not lost popularity. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic accelerated the market growth in 2020 and 2021, with two in 10 dating app users reporting that they started using such products due to social distancing. Matchmaking was the largest market segment, followed by online dating and casual dating.
