8 dating trends 2024, as predicted by Bumble relationship experts - from consider dating to 'val-core' dating

If you're heading into the new year looking for love and searching for a new romantic partner, then the chances are you're going to be using a dating app to help you find a connection.

To try and help daters make the best possible matches, Bumble, the women-first dating app, has released its annual dating trends for 2024. Overall, the experts at Bumble have predicted that 2024 is set to be the year of “self” in dating and relationships, with more people looking inwards at what they value and want. This personal prioritisation will see singles rejecting the constant strive for perfection and instead place more value on emotional vulnerability, self-acceptance, and shared priorities. Heading into the new year then, there is an air of optimism and clarity as daters define what they want from their romantic lives.  

Naomi Walkland, Bumble’s Vice-President for Europe said: “We’ve seen that singles are increasingly looking inwards, unpacking expectations around age, perfection, and timelines, and seeking people that are more vulnerable and accepting of who they are. 2024 will bring a year of self, with people more empowered than ever to prioritise what they value and what they will not stand for.”

The popular dating app garnered insights from more than 25,000 singles on Bumble around the world to identify trends that will define dating and relationships in the year to come. Keep reading to find out about all eight dating trend predictions so you can prepare for your year of love.

 Gen(erational)-blend romance

Building on dating beyond your ‘type’, there was an increase in cross-generational relationships in 2023, and that looks set to continue in 2024. Singles on Bumble are increasingly open to connections, both older and younger than them. For two in three (63%) people, age is not a defining factor when dating, with more than half (59%) of women saying they are now more open to dating someone younger than them. 

This is especially true for the UK, with nearly two-thirds (61%) of British women claiming this. The way we view others’ relationships are also changing with more than one in three (35%) women on Bumble stating they have become less judgemental towards generational-gap relationships over the last year. 

'Val-core' dating

Singles today are looking for shared priorities in their relationships and it’s no longer enough to simply care. 'Val-core' refers to the rise of people valuing engagement on issues that matter to them. For one in four (25%) people on Bumble, it is key that their partner actively engages with politics and social causes - in fact it makes them more attractive. When it comes to dating, Bumble’s research shows that women are less open to someone with differing political views and for one in three (33%) women it is a turn-off if someone they are dating is not aware of current societal issues. 

Betterment burnout

There was a rise in people ‘self-optimising’ striving to become a perfect version of themselves in 2023. This led the majority of singles globally (55%) to feel pressure to constantly look for ways to better themselves, leaving over one in four (27%) people in the UK feeling unworthy of a partner. 

Now we're in 2024, singles are rebelling against the constant need for self-improvement, with more than two in three women surveyed (68%) taking active steps to be happier with who they are here and now. Plus, 40% of women will now only date people who will not try to change them.

Intuitive Intimacy

For people today, and particularly women, it seems attraction comes down to one key thing: emotional intimacy. Singles are focused on finding security, safety, and understanding, with a third (32%) of people surveyed on Bumble believing that emotional intimacy is now more important than sex and that it’s actually more attractive than physical connection.

When it comes to dating, more than three in four UK women (80%) say it’s key that their partner has an understanding of both emotional and physical intimacy. In 2024, it’s time to get in your feels. 

Open-Hearted Masculinity

The last year has been filled with global conversations about masculinity and gender roles in fashion, media, music, and film. As a result, when it comes to relationships, one in four (25%) men state that they have actively changed their behaviour, becoming more vulnerable and open with people they are dating than ever before. 

For a quarter of men (25%), this new-found openness has had a positive impact on their mental health - and for one in three (32%) a lack of vulnerability is now a dating dealbreaker. 

Timeline Decline

People, especially women, continue to feel a constant pressure to follow traditional relationship timelines. In 2024, however, we will see the decline of timelines in favour of women choosing to actively build their own path, with one in three (31%) women saying they are no longer focused on adhering to traditional timelines and milestones. 

For nearly a third (31%) of women globally, this means only dating people who have the same perspective on timelines and milestones. And for one in eight (16%) this means actively avoiding friends and family who put pressure on them. 

Most Valuable Partner (MVP)

With a new wave of female sports stars, sports is set to take a front seat in dating this year. For one in three (31%) singles, a shared love of sports has now become a ‘must have’ regardless of if you’re a player or simply a spectator. 

Our obsession with sports is also changing how we date with a quarter of people (24%) stating that attending sports together is important, particularly amongst Gen Z and millennial singles. In the UK, more than half (53%) of profiles on Bumble include a sports interest badge and the top athletics include football , boxing, and rugby.

Consider-date

Last year's prioritisation of self-care and mental health has led to more than half (58%) of singles being more open about their mental health and making a concerted effort to slow down. This looks set to continue in 2024. Single people are reframing how they date to better protect their mental health, with almost one in three (31%) actively ‘slow-dating’ and being considerate about how much they are dating to ensure quality over quantity, even more so amongst women. 

In fact, more than one in three (36%) of women are actively seeking people who value both time and self-care. This is bringing back a trend that Bumble identified during the pandemic in a new way, challenging the 'job-ification' of love, with more than 1 in 4 (29%) people in the UK actively deterred by anyone who treats a date as a checklist exercise. 

To empower singles to make the most of 2024, Bumble also has launched new features including Best Bees, a curated daily set of four compatible profiles to help you find more relevant connections faster. Plus, if you see someone who also shares a passion of yours, you can send them a message with the compliments feature.