Key facts
- Bumble has removed its long-standing rule requiring women to send the first message to a match.
- The change aims to increase user engagement and provide more flexibility in initiating conversations.
- A trial indicated higher engagement with the new approach, and a survey showed 66% of women prefer men to message first.
- The time limit for initiating a conversation after matching has been extended from 24 hours to three days.
- The decision has led to mixed reactions from users, with some questioning Bumble's differentiation from other dating apps.
Dating app Bumble has announced a significant change to its core feature, removing the rule that mandated women to send the first message to a match. This move, which had long distinguished Bumble from competitors like Tinder since its 2014 launch, aims to boost user engagement and offer more flexibility.
According to Bumble, the decision was influenced by a trial that demonstrated increased engagement and a user survey indicating that 66% of women prefer men to initiate conversations. The app is also extending the time limit for users to start a conversation after matching from 24 hours to three days.
Whitney Wolfe Herd, Bumble's founder, stated that while 'women making the first move was a radical idea,' the platform's focus has always been on facilitating meaningful connections. She added that the community is now seeking 'more flexibility, less pressure.'
However, the change has sparked division among users, particularly on platforms like Reddit's r/Bumble community. Many users expressed concern that the update makes Bumble indistinguishable from other dating apps, with some valuing the original 'women-first' approach for signaling genuine interest. Others noted that features like 'Opening Moves' had already diluted the original concept.
Some women supported the change, citing frustration with initiating conversations that were often left unanswered. Professional matchmaker Sarah Louise Ryan commented that the signature feature had 'run its course,' suggesting that while initially empowering, its novelty had worn off and the app needed to adapt to the evolving dating landscape.
The rule change occurs amidst a broader stagnation in the UK online dating market, with Bumble's user base in the UK declining from 1.5 million monthly users in 2023 to 1.1 million in 2025, though Tinder also saw a significant user drop over the same period.