Parship
Hinge
Spark Networks
MeetMe
Match Group
EliteSingles
Tinder
Lovoo
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Germany's dating app market has two halves. One is a German group, ParshipMeet, which runs Parship, ElitePartner and LOVOO alongside eharmony and MeetMe [3]. ProSiebenSat.1 became its sole owner in 2025 [4], and ProSieben's new controlling shareholder wants dating sold, though not yet [5][6]. The other half is the US apps, with Match Group's Hinge expanding fast in Germany and other European markets [12]. In between, Berlin's Spark Networks, the company that grew out of eDarling and EliteSingles, saw its operating company enter insolvency in January 2026 [9][10]. All of them work under the EU Digital Services Act, which has applied to every online platform since 17 February 2024 [13].
Germany has no public audience survey for dating apps like Ofcom's in the UK that we could open and cite, so this guide relies on company reports and regulators.
Who runs dating apps in Germany
| Group | Brands relevant to Germany | Owner | What changed recently |
|---|---|---|---|
| ParshipMeet Group | Parship, ElitePartner, LOVOO, plus eharmony, MeetMe, Tagged, Skout | ProSiebenSat.1, sole owner | Sold GROWLr in October 2026; dating revenue under pressure |
| Match Group | Tinder, Hinge, plus Match Group's other brands | Public, US listed | Hinge expanding in Germany and other European markets |
| Bumble Inc | Bumble, Badoo | Agreed to go private | Ithaca Holdings deal agreed October 2026 |
| Spark Networks | Formerly EliteSingles, Zoosk and others | MGG Investment Group since 2024 | Operating company insolvent since January 2026 |
Source: The Meet Group [3], ProSiebenSat.1 [1][4], Global Dating Insights [8][9], Match Group [12], Jones Day [17].
ParshipMeet: a German group waiting for a buyer
ParshipMeet Group was formed in September 2020 when Parship Group, owner of eharmony, Parship and ElitePartner, bought The Meet Group, owner of MeetMe, LOVOO, Tagged, Skout and GROWLr, for $6.30 a share, an enterprise value of about $500 million [3]. At the time it employed more than 1,100 people in eight offices [3].
Its ownership has been in play ever since.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 4 Sep 2020 | ParshipMeet formed, jointly owned by ProSiebenSat.1 and General Atlantic [3] |
| 28 Mar 2023 | ProSiebenSat.1 says dating is "no longer part of the core business" and looks for an owner [7] |
| 20 Mar 2025 | ProSiebenSat.1 agrees to buy General Atlantic's stake and become sole owner, paying €10m in cash, shares and a €50m payment on exit [4] |
| 23 Oct 2025 | MFE-MediaForEurope holds over 75% of ProSiebenSat.1 and plans to sell side businesses, including dating [5] |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Sources tell Reuters ParshipMeet will be kept for now, partly because of its depressed valuation [6] |
| 6 Aug 2026 | ProSiebenSat.1 says dating was hit by consumer restraint in Germany and the US [1] |
| 6 Oct 2026 | GROWLr sold to Perry Street Software [8] |
Source: company statements and reporting as cited [1][3][4][5][6][7][8].
ProSiebenSat.1 does not publish ParshipMeet's revenue in its quarterly release. It reports dating inside a Commerce & Dating segment with the beauty retailer flaconi [2]. That segment's revenue was €269 million in the three months to June 2026, down 16% as reported, or up 3% after removing currency and portfolio effects [2]. ProSieben said its Dating & Video portfolio was "significantly impacted" by consumer restraint in Germany and the US and by strong competition, with video social dating much weaker than a year earlier, and that flaconi drove the segment's growth [1][2].
Spark Networks: the Berlin story
Spark Networks has deep German roots. Its predecessor Affinitas launched eDarling in Germany in 2009, and EliteSingles in the UK, Canada and Australia in 2013 [10]. Affinitas merged with the US company Spark Networks in November 2017 to form Spark Networks SE, which bought Zoosk in July 2019 [10].
The decline came in two steps. In January 2024 a Berlin restructuring court confirmed a plan under Germany's StaRUG law that dealt with over $100 million of funded debt and left lender MGG Investment Group as sole owner [17]. Then on 16 January 2026 the Charlottenburg local court placed Spark Networks Services GmbH, which ran key operations for its brands, under preliminary insolvency administration [9]. EliteSingles closed on 30 April 2026 [11]. We cover what followed in relaunching a dating brand and the wider list of deals in our deals tracker.
The US apps: Tinder and a fast-growing Hinge
Match Group does not publish German figures, but its second quarter 2026 letter lists Germany among Hinge's European expansion markets [12]. Across those markets, Hinge's direct revenue grew 86% on a year earlier, and Hinge was the most downloaded dating app in aggregate [12]. Bumble, the other big US group, is being taken private by Ithaca Holdings and does not split out German revenue in its results.
For a German operator, Hinge's push matters most. It competes directly with Parship and ElitePartner for members who want a relationship, but with a free entry point.
Rules: the DSA, German enforcement and app store terms
The EU Digital Services Act has applied to all online platforms since 17 February 2024, with fines of up to 6% of a provider's global annual turnover [13]. For dating apps, the main duties are:
- Notice and action. Members must be able to flag illegal content, and platforms must respond and offer appeals [14].
- Protecting minors. Platforms must take measures to keep minors safe, and targeted advertising to children is banned [14].
- Advertising transparency. Ads must be labelled [14].
National Digital Services Coordinators supervise platforms established in their country, while the European Commission handles the largest platforms [14]. In Germany, the Bundesnetzagentur said it would take on the coordinator role once the German Digital Services Act (Digitale-Dienste-Gesetz) came into force [15].
App store terms are also changing. Apple moved every developer distributing apps in the EU to a single set of business terms from 1 October 2026, including a 5% Core Technology Commission on digital sales in apps distributed outside the App Store, and allows alternative payments alongside Apple's in-app purchase [16]. Check the current rates for your own setup before modelling margins.
Questions
Who owns Parship and ElitePartner?
ParshipMeet Group, which also owns eharmony, MeetMe, LOVOO, Tagged and Skout. ProSiebenSat.1 agreed in March 2025 to buy out General Atlantic and become its sole owner.
Is ParshipMeet for sale?
Eventually. MFE, which controls ProSiebenSat.1, wants side businesses including dating sold, but in March 2026 sources told Reuters ProSieben would keep ParshipMeet for now, partly because of its depressed valuation.
What happened to Spark Networks in Germany?
Its Berlin operating company, Spark Networks Services GmbH, was placed in preliminary insolvency by the Charlottenburg court on 16 January 2026. EliteSingles, which began as a product of Berlin's Affinitas, closed on 30 April 2026.
Which EU rules apply to dating apps in Germany?
The Digital Services Act, which has applied to all online platforms since 17 February 2024 and allows fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover. It requires notice and action systems and measures to protect minors.
