> Ownership and markets: dating app guides and data | Dating API: https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/ownership-and-markets

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# Ownership and markets. Who owns what, and where the money is.

Which groups own which dating apps, the deals that changed the map, and how the biggest national markets work: apps, owners, rules and payments.

Articles

6

Companies

20

Reading time

34 min

Datasets

2

Updated

18 Oct 2026

## Companies covered

-   [Match Group](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/who-owns-dating-apps)
-   [Bumble](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/dating-app-deals-tracker)
-   Hinge
-   [Tinder](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/dating-app-market-uk)
-   [Grindr](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/dating-app-market-us)
-   [Parship](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/dating-app-market-germany)
-   Spark Networks
-   [happn](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/dating-app-market-france)
-   EliteSingles
-   Meetic
-   MeetMe
-   Match

[Dating App Index](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/dating-app-data) [Ownership and markets](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/ownership-and-markets) [Build, buy or rebuild](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/build-buy-or-rebuild) [Trust, safety and compliance](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/trust-safety-and-compliance) [Growth and money](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/growth-and-money) [Analysis](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/analysis) [App profiles](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/app-profiles) [Glossary](https://www.datingapi.io/glossary)

## Latest

6 articles

[Ownership and markets

### French dating app market 2026: top apps, owners and rules

France's dating app market is led by Match Group, which owns Hinge, Tinder, Meetic and DisonsDemain. happn, the best-known French-founded app, now belongs to China's Hello Group, and Fruitz is back with its founders. Operators face EU platform rules enforced by Arcom, three-click cancellation and tighter age checks.

happn, Match Group, Meetic, Bumble, Tinder, Hinge, Fruitz, Badoo 18 October 2026 · 7 min read](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/dating-app-market-france)[Ownership and markets Bumble, Spark Networks, EliteSingles, Grindr, Parship, Match Group, Zoosk, JDate

### Dating app deals tracker: sales, closures, insolvencies 2024 to 2026

Between 2024 and October 2026 the dating industry saw a take-private of Bumble, the insolvency of Spark Networks' operating company, the closure and relaunch of EliteSingles, failed and successful buyouts, and a run of small app closures. Big groups are pruning brands, while specialists buy niche apps cheaply.

16 October 2026 · 7 min read](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/dating-app-deals-tracker)[Ownership and markets Parship, Hinge, Spark Networks, MeetMe, Match Group, EliteSingles, Tinder, Lovoo

### The German dating app market in 2026: ParshipMeet, Hinge and Spark

Germany's dating market is shaped by a home-grown group, ParshipMeet, now wholly owned by ProSiebenSat.1 and up for eventual sale, and by US apps led by Tinder and a fast-expanding Hinge. Berlin-based Spark Networks' operating company went insolvent in 2026. The EU Digital Services Act and new Apple terms set the rules.

16 October 2026 · 5 min read](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/dating-app-market-germany)[Ownership and markets Tinder, Bumble, Match Group, Hinge, Grindr, Badoo, Plenty of Fish, Match

### The UK dating app market in 2026: apps, owners, rules and payments

About 11% of UK online adults visited a dating service in May 2025, a share that has barely moved in four years. Hinge has caught Tinder, both reaching 3.1%. Match Group and Bumble Inc own most of the top ten. The Online Safety Act now sets risk, reporting and age check duties, with fines up to 10% of worldwide revenue.

16 October 2026 · 6 min read](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/dating-app-market-uk)[Ownership and markets Grindr, Match Group, Bumble, Hinge, Match, Tinder, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish

### The US dating app market in 2026: owners, numbers and new laws

The US is the world's biggest dating app market and home to Match Group, Bumble and Grindr. Only Grindr splits out US revenue: $78.8 million in the second quarter of 2026, up 30%. App age laws in Texas, Utah and Louisiana, an FTC settlement with Match and a Senate scam report are reshaping the rules.

16 October 2026 · 5 min read](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/dating-app-market-us)[Ownership and markets Match Group, Bumble, Tinder, Hinge, Parship, Grindr, Spark Networks, happn, eharmony, Zoosk

### Who owns which dating app? The 2026 ownership map

Most big dating apps belong to a handful of groups. Match Group owns Tinder, Hinge and over a dozen other brands. Bumble Inc owns Bumble and Badoo and agreed in October 2026 to be taken private by Ithaca Holdings. ParshipMeet runs eharmony and MeetMe, Hello Group owns happn, and Black Cap now runs Zoosk and Christian Mingle.

16 October 2026 · 4 min read](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/who-owns-dating-apps)

## More topics

[Dating App Index](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/dating-app-data) [Build, buy or rebuild](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/build-buy-or-rebuild) [Trust, safety and compliance](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/trust-safety-and-compliance) [Growth and money](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/growth-and-money) [Analysis](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/analysis) [App profiles](https://www.datingapi.io/insights/topics/app-profiles) [Glossary](https://www.datingapi.io/glossary)
