Young Singles Desperate for Love Are Turning to Facebook

Dating apps are becoming so frustrating that Gen Z and millennials are turning to Facebook to find love.

Apps like Hinge, Tinder, and Bumble used to be go-to platforms for seeking romance and intimacy. However, in recent years, many of these same applications have implemented paid features and algorithms that make finding matches feel like a sick game—or something you have to “earn.”

I’ve had many conversations with friends about the pains of dating apps today, how they’ve made us feel more discouraged than hopeful, and how having access to this many options at once can’t be good for your brain.

It seems we’re not alone in the dating app fatigue—because, somewhat surprisingly, young adults are now starting to use Facebook Dating.

“Daily Facebook Dating conversations among 18- to 29-year-old users jumped 24 percent over the last year,” Axios reported. That’s a pretty major leap.

And while Facebook might just seem like a place for your parents to keep tabs on their high school friends, there’s actually compelling evidence that it’s become a useful dating application—particularly for women. On average, 72 percent of women’s likes end in a match (compared to only 11 percent for men).

Still, both women and men (55 percent and 56 percent, respectively) return to Facebook Dating each month.

Facebook Dating has a simple setup process and even connects you with individuals interested in similar groups and events as you. And don’t worry—your activity isn’t shown on your actual Facebook profile, as the two are completely separate.

A major part of its success might be that all of Facebook Dating’s features are completely free—unlike many other popular dating sites. You know what they say: you can’t buy love.