Bumble Bids Goodbye To 'Ladies First', Lets Either Match Make The First Move
Bumble has changed its women-first messaging policy, allowing either person in a heterosexual match to send the first message. The dating app said trials showed higher chat initiation rates and fewer expired matches. It has also extended the response window from 24 to 72 hours as it seeks to improve engagement and address user fatigue with swipe-based dating platforms.
Bumble Bids Goodbye To 'Ladies First', Lets Either Match Make The First Move | X - bumble
Bumble is rewriting one of the rules that made it stand out in the crowded dating-app world. The platform will now allow either person in a match to send the first message, ending its signature women-first approach more than a decade after its launch.
Since Bumble debuted in 2014, only women could initiate conversations in heterosexual matches, setting the app apart from rivals such as Tinder, where either person can make the first move.
The change comes as dating-app companies contend with user fatigue over traditional swipe-based platforms and slowing growth. Bumble and Tinder-owner Match Group are among companies introducing new features and artificial intelligence-powered tools to boost engagement, The Guardian reports.
No More Waiting For Her To Say Hello
Bumble said trials of the new approach in Canada produced higher chat initiation rates, fewer conversations that expired and more instances in which both people participated in chats.
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The change effectively removes one of Bumble's defining features, giving either person the option to break the ice after a match.
It comes as dating platforms look for ways to keep users engaged and turn matches into conversations rather than letting them disappear without a word.
Matches Get More Time To Find A Spark
Bumble is also giving users longer to respond. The company is extending the reply window for a match from 24 hours to 72 hours in an effort to encourage more conversations and reduce the number of matches that expire without any interaction.
The two changes give users both more freedom over who starts a conversation and more time to decide whether to respond.
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Bumble Says Users Want Less Pressure
Founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd said the changes were driven by users seeking “more flexibility, less pressure, and more opportunities to create real, meaningful connections”.
The overhaul marks a significant shift for Bumble, whose women-first messaging rule had been central to its identity since its inception.
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