One in five Saudis look for their Valentine on dating apps

Alamy via Reuters

• Numbers up fourfold in five years
• Mena dating app market worth $650m
• Almost half Mena over-60s use apps

Saudi Arabia tops a survey of four Arab countries in the share of people using online dating sites to find love, with 21 percent of respondents surveyed by the market researcher Euromonitor International saying they use a dating website as much as twice a week. 

The UAE came in second, at 19 percent, Egypt third at 18 percent and Morocco fourth at 13 percent. 

A similar survey in 2019 found that only 5 percent of respondents used online dating.

Since then the share across the four countries has quadrupled to 20 percent over the past five years, with the Middle East and North Africa dating app market now worth more than $650 million. 

There is always a spike in users in the run-up to Valentine’s Day on February 14,  said Shahzad Younas, founder and CEO of Muzz, the world’s largest Muslim marriage app by user count. 

“In the weeks leading up to this period, we consistently see an uptick in new sign-ups and increased app traffic,” Younas said.

“This suggests a seasonal influence on user acquisition, though it’s worth noting this may be part of broader seasonal patterns rather than directly tied to the holiday itself.”

The Mena online dating app industry generated revenue of around $655 million in 2023. The research company Horizon Grand View Research said it expected that number to grow by 6 percent annually and hit close to $1 billion in 2030.

Customers in Saudi Arabia show a greater willingness to pay for premium services, which costs UK customers £30 ($37.45) per month, while in Egypt premium adoption is lower, Younas said.

The Euromonitor survey found men were more likely to use dating apps more regularly than women, at 22 percent against 17 percent. In addition, older people are taking to them in growing numbers.

While 72 percent of people aged over 60 globally report never using dating apps, the number in the Mena region is only 52 percent

Aiste Kriauciunaite, consumer insights consultant at Euromonitor, said: “Dating apps are becoming a practical solution for seeking connections among older adults in the region.”