It is difficult to know reliably how many users currently make use of dating apps, due to the secrecy of the developer companies.
In the last decade, the popularization of the Internet and the use of the smartphone and the emergence of real-time location-based dating apps (e.g., Tinder, Grindr) have transformed traditional pathways of socialization and promoted new ways of meeting and relating to potential romantic and/or sexual partners. The limitations of the literature consulted are discussed, as well as the practical implications of the results obtained, highlighting the relevance of dating apps, which have become a tool widely used by millions of people around the world. The most relevant data (author/s and year, sample size and characteristics, methodology) and their findings were extracted from each study and grouped into four blocks: user dating apps characteristics, usage characteristics, motives for use, and benefits and risks of use. After screening titles and abstracts and examining articles in detail, 70 studies were included in the review. A search was conducted in different databases, and we identified 502 articles in our initial search. Therefore, the objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the empirical research of the psychosocial content published in the last five years (2016–2020) on dating apps. However, due to the recency of the phenomenon, some gaps in the existing research can be expected. In parallel with the increased use of these applications, a remarkable scientific literature has developed.
The emergence and popularization of dating apps have changed the way people meet and interact with potential romantic and sexual partners.