Upward targets young singles with marriage-focused features

Match Group has redesigned Upward, a dating platform originally launched for Christian users in 2020, to attract a wider audience of young adults who value traditional relationships. The app now requires users to specify when they hope to get married and introduces a mode that prompts men to send the first message. This shift follows data from the 2026 Singles in America study, which reported that 72 percent of Gen Z respondents said they want to marry.

The company cited a separate finding from the same survey, noting that one in four singles aged 18 to 34 identify with traditional values regarding family and community. Lauren DeFord, director of brand marketing at Match, explained that the change welcomes people who share these goals without requiring a faith-first approach. She described the move as a brand shift but maintained that Christian singles remain central to the app’s mission.

Upward operates similarly to Tinder, using left and right swipes, but includes a tiered subscription model. New features include Chivalry Mode, which nudges men to message first, and Marriage Timeline, allowing users to display their target wedding date. Users are also encouraged to add a Faith Statement. The promotional campaign uses Western-style imagery, featuring a video of a man in a cowboy hat giving flowers and opening a car door under the text "chivalrymaxxing."

Daniel Cox, director of the Survey Center on American Life, argues that Gen Z faces a less clear set of relational priorities than previous generations. He suggests the trend toward traditional dating is a reaction to a lack of social norms, providing a script for those who want one. An American Institute for Boys and Men survey found that 44 percent of Gen Z men had no romantic relationship experience during their teenage years, double the rate of older men.

Other data presents a mixed picture for the app’s premise. A 2023 Pew Research study found that only 23 percent of adults considered marriage extremely or very important for a fulfilling life, compared to 61 percent who valued close friendships. The share of high school seniors expecting to marry dropped from 80 percent in 1993 to 67 percent in 2023. Cox noted that Match’s survey may be skewed by age, as older respondents might already be married or divorced. Match stated its survey of 5,000 unmarried US singles is demographically representative of the Census.

User feedback has been varied since the relaunch. Adreanna Pulliam, a 25-year-old opera singer in Indiana, described encountering users with conservative values but also noted confusing features, such as options for body types and relationship statuses like "it's complicated." Tauti, a social work student in California, quit the app within two days. Match Group did not share active user numbers for the platform.

The app has received complaints since its launch regarding functionality and user support. One App Store reviewer described the experience as "janky as hell." Pulliam suggested the app might find a niche among students at Christian private universities but added that it may appeal primarily to those with a narrower mindset.