By Naraway
In this article
Hinge entered India in 2015 and grew there mostly without marketing. By 2026, India had become its second-largest market by downloads and registrations, behind only the United States, and its parent Match Group plans to spend more there.
The wider market tells the same story. Indians downloaded about 205 million dating apps in 2025. The rules for running one, though, are not the rules of London or Austin.
Sources: Global Dating Insights; Inc42; Grand View Research via Inc42.
A Paying Market, Not Only a Large One
The clearest evidence that Indians pay for dating is in company filings. Aisle, bought by Info Edge (owner of Naukri and Jeevansathi) in March 2022, more than quadrupled its revenue in four years:
Info Edge has since invested a total of Rs 121 crore and raised its stake to 92.83%. The subscription model works; the cost of growth is the question.
The Rules a Dating App Meets
IT Rules 2021
A dating app is an intermediary. Grievance officer named in the app, complaints acknowledged in 24 hours and resolved in 15 days. Above 50 lakh users, three officers resident in India.
DPDP Act 2023
Consent notices, security safeguards and breach reporting, fully in force by May 2027. Verifiable parental consent for anyone under 18. Penalties up to Rs 250 crore.
Payments
Subscriptions run on RBI e-mandates: first payment authenticated, later debits automatic only up to Rs 15,000.
Content and safety
Fast takedown of impersonation, intimate images and harassment reported by users, under the IT Rules' complaint timelines.
Dating apps carry more of this weight than most apps. They hold photos, location, sexual orientation and private messages, which is exactly the data the DPDP Act and user complaints focus on.
What Changes in the Product
Indian dating apps differ from global ones in visible ways: more languages, family-oriented positioning in some segments, verification features, and pricing built around UPI and monthly plans. Aisle positions itself on serious relationships; Hinge leans on its prompts. The ones growing fastest built for Indian users rather than localising a Western app.
Why Now
India has 1.11 billion internet subscribers and the fastest projected growth of any major economy in 2026. Global dating app installs fell 13% between January 2023 and December 2024, while India kept growing. For a dating brand, that combination is rare.
What a dating app needs before launch in India, from the grievance officer and age checks to consent flows, payment setup and the build itself, depends on whether it starts small or launches nationally. Each of those choices is easier to get right in the first version than in the fifth.
Part of Naraway's research series India Market Entry in 2026.
In short
Dating apps are legal in India. They are intermediaries under the IT Rules 2021, so they must name a grievance officer and answer complaints within 24 hours and resolve them within 15 days, with India-resident officers above 50 lakh users. The DPDP Act adds consent and children's-data duties, with full compliance due by May 2027. The market is large and growing: India recorded about 205 million dating app downloads in 2025 and is Hinge's second-largest market by downloads and registrations.
- About 205 million dating app downloads in India in 2025.
- India is Hinge's second-largest market by downloads and registrations.
- Aisle, owned by Info Edge, grew revenue from Rs 7.61 crore (FY20) to Rs 34.80 crore (FY24).
- Dating apps are intermediaries: grievance officer, 24-hour acknowledgement, 15-day resolution.
- Recurring subscription payments above Rs 15,000 need authentication each time.
Sources
- Hinge: India second-largest market, Global Dating Insights
- The Info Edge effect: how dating app Aisle's revenue soared 146% after acquisition, Inc42
- The role, obligations and liability of grievance officers under India's DPDP Act and DPDP Rules, 2025, Mondaq
- Govt notifies Digital Personal Data Protection Rules 2025, YourStory
- RBI tightens e-mandate rules for recurring payments above Rs 15,000, IANS
Frequently Asked Questions
Are dating apps legal in India?
Yes. Dating apps operate legally in India as intermediaries under the IT Rules 2021, subject to grievance, content and data protection duties.
How big is the dating app market in India?
About 205 million dating app downloads were recorded in India in 2025. Grand View Research valued the market at US$547.9 million in 2023 and projects about US$1 billion by 2030.
Which rules apply to dating apps in India?
The IT Rules 2021 (grievance officer, complaint timelines, India-resident officers above 50 lakh users), the DPDP Act 2023 and its 2025 Rules, and RBI's rules for recurring payments.
Do dating apps need age verification in India?
The DPDP Act requires verifiable parental consent before processing data of anyone under 18, so apps for adults need a reliable way to keep minors out.
How do Indian dating apps earn?
Mostly through subscriptions. Aisle, for example, charged Rs 1,500 a month in 2025.
