Photo: Match Group
On Monday, Match launched a new service called Stir, aiming to remove some barriers to dating as a single parent.
Match explained that Stir focuses on meeting the specific dating needs of single parents typically not addressed on mainstream dating apps. For example, through Stir, single parents can compare their schedules and ensure that they’re not matching with someone who doesn’t have the same free time. They can also use questions about their personality and values to match with other people.
Stir’s parent company Match Group owns Tinder, Match, Hinge, OKCupid and other dating services.
“Every year, we survey and interview singles, and every year, we find the same recurring theme: single parents are having a hard time dating,” Dinh Thi Bui, vice president of new verticals at Match Group, told CNN Business. “They felt stigmatized in the dating world, like it is a turn-off to disclose they have children. We also saw that single parents naturally gravitate towards other single parents because they didn’t have to explain their constraints as they were in the same stage of life.”
Bui added that the app was partly inspired by his sister, who has two kids and didn’t feel comfortable signing up for a dating service after hearing about the challenges single parents face online. Match Group said that their study found that most single parents were “ghosted” after the first date on mainstream apps.
“I saw these challenges she faced getting back into the dating world, and I wanted to build a supportive community that catered to single parents like her and make it easier for them to connect without fear of judgment,” he said. “[These] members don’t have to second guess if it will be an issue to disclose they have kids, or that they might have to cancel a date because they couldn’t find a babysitter.”
The app was launched on National Single Parent Day and is available for download at the Apple App Store and Google Play. The service is free to download and use, but a premium membership costs $89.99 for three months, which includes “boosting” (promoting your profile in a local area) and “super likes,” which is marketed as a tool to show someone you’re really into them.
The new app is consistent with Match Group’s goal to diversify its dating app portfolio to appeal to more customers.
Match Group also continues to roll out new features across its properties, including a new background check tool on Tinder to help people surface red flags about potential dates. In November, the company also unveiled its long-term vision for some of its brands, including plans to launch virtual dating experiences in the “Metaverse.”
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