Dating Apps Add £11.5B To British GDP. Here's How Couples Are Spending That Money.

Loved-up couples boost the UK economy by £14.5B each year, with dating apps accounting for £11.7B, according to new research by TSB.

About 14% of the population use dating apps. Tinder is the most popular (55% of Brits have used it) followed by Plenty of Fish (41%). But other, more offbeat, apps are eating into the market share of mainstream apps as daters look for partners who can appreciate them for their more unique characteristics.

Hater is an app that matches people based on mutual peeves. Couples can bond over their hatred of selfies, bullies and politics by swiping through a list of topics, and then share a date moaning about their vexes. Bumble challenges women to make the first move. Coffee Meets Bagel, described as the “anti-Tinder,” offers a single match every day based on information users have given on tastes, preferences and hobbies. If your match is not quite what you are looking for, you have to wait until tomorrow for another shot at love.

Hipsters have Tastebuds, an app that matches potential couples based on musical tastes. Spark is a must-have for Londoners: It aims to connect lonely hearts on the Tube.

All these apps are creating a lot of dates. TSB manager Nicola Forsyth said that whilst apps may not always lead to true love, the dating scene is definitely doing its bit to boost the UK economy, with bars and restaurants being the biggest beneficiaries.

Research from TBS shows that the most popular first date — 28% — involves heading out for a few drinks — data borne out by OKCupid, whose data shows that a drink or beverage was proposed in nine out of 10,000 messages. Tea or coffee was proposed four out of 10,000 times, wine or beer was proposed in four out of 10,000 messages, a meal or a bite was proposed an average of 1.7 times out of 10,000 messages, lunch was proposed an average of 1.1 out of 10,000 messages, and dinner was proposed an average of 0.7 out of 10,000 messages.

Forty-nine percent of Match.com’s daters, however, said they like to “do something cultural” on a first date.

Clover, an app similar to Tinder, said the most common first date spot in the UK is chicken chain Nando's.

Nicola Forsyth said that some of the best dates from apps include being whisked off your feet with a helicopter ride, treated to a weekend in Paris, floated out to sea on a yacht, hot air balloon rides and bungee jumping. However, daters who were more unlunky in love complained of dates in McDonald’s and even being taken to a strip club.

For those who have a first date on Valentine’s Day, the pressure is high, but daters don’t have to be creative. Dinner and a movie is the most common date. 

According to foot traffic data from Foursquare, movie theatres see a 255% lift in foot traffic on Valentine’s Day compared to the week before. Sixty-four percent of Valentine’s Day moviegoers visit restaurants before or after the show whilst only 23% visit nightlife spots.

On Valentine’s Day, 43% of moviegoers choose to dine out before the movie and 36% choose to dine out after the movie.