Tinder predicts a new era of dating based on clarity and strong opinions

Online dating app juggernaut Tinder has revealed what singles are searching for in love matches, with a “low-key lover ... who keeps it chill, avoids drama and brings the vibes” sought by many.

Tinder has revealed the dating trends that will dominate love lives in 2026.

The online dating app, with 1 million weekly active users in Australia, released its Tinder Year In Swipe 2025 report on Wednesday.

It said dating trends for 2026 show singles want clarity, confidence and strong opinions.

“The year may be ending, but clarity is just beginning,” the Tinder report said. “Young singles (will) hit reset on romance by ditching confusion, decoding intentions and rediscovering the fun in connection.

“If 2024 was about intentional dating, 2025 became the calm after the plot,” the report added. “Singles slowed down, showed up, and started saying what they meant. According to Tinder, young singles are heading into 2026 more open, honest, and emotionally fluent than ever, making it the year of no mixed signals.”

Tinder’s Year In Swipe 2025 report was released on Wednesday, revealing the direction of modern dating.

Tinder said the dating trends that will define 2026 include:

Clear-Coding: “Young singles are done decoding,” the report says.

“They’re clear-coding their intentions, saying exactly what they’re looking for — whether it’s a proper date, a situationship-free fling or a serious relationship.

Hot-Take Dating: “Attraction does come with opinions. Standing for something is definitely a major deal for young singles,” the report said.

“This isn’t about being divisive, it’s about being authentic. Daters are proudly matching on principles, from equality to empathy.

The top deal breakers were racial justice, family views and LGBTQ rights.

Friendfluence: “The real matchmakers of 2026? The group chat,” the report says. “Friends have officially become the emotional co-pilots of modern dating.”

Emotional Vibe Coding: “Emotional availability is hit and emotional buffering is not,” the report said. “Daters in 2026 will be balancing talking and feeling, showing they want meaningful chemistry without emotional overcomplication. In short, hope is hot, and singles aren’t afraid to show it.”

Top deal breakers these days include a potential partner’s views on racial justice issues, family and LGBTQ rights not aligning.

In terms of first dates, Tinder said singles are trending towards “playful and low-pressure ... like a walk or a coffee.” Meanwhile, 35 per cent of Tinder users are searching for a “low-key lover ... who keeps it chill, avoids drama, and brings the vibes.”

Tinder’s chief marketing officer, Melissa Hobley, said 2026 dating trends are about honesty and openness:

“We’ve all got enough going on and dating shouldn’t feel like another deadline,” she said.

Singles are looking for a connection that feels easy, honest and a little bit fun. They’re done overthinking every message and overanalysing every match.”

The most common names on Tinder in 2025 were Alex, Daniel, David, Michael and Lucas, and for ladies, Julia, Maria, Anna, Ana and Sarah.

The most attractive star signs for Tinder users were, to men, Cancer, Pisces, and Aries, and to women, Aquarius, Cancer, and Capricorn.