Thursday: Tinder and Hinge rival to shut app amid ‘rapidly declining interest’
Thursday, a challenger to the likes of Tinder and Hinge, is to close its app amid “rapidly declining consumer interest”.
The London start-up’s app was launched in 2021 by George Rawlings and operated exclusively on Thursdays.
It was originally designed as a bid to combat ‘dating fatigue’ and limited user activity to one day per week to encourage quick decision-making and in-person meetings.
The company behind the app is instead pivoting to a new focus, Thursday Events, where users can buy tickets – also through an app – to events each week that it plans to hold around the world.
It is also looking to focus more on its trips division, launch in new countries and release a clothing line.
‘It’s time for Thursday to focus on greener pastures’
Writing on Linkedin, co-founder Matthew McNeill Love said: “Today is a really sad day.
We say good bye to our dearly beloved dating app; Thursday.
“You served us well my friend, and the two million users over your lifetime.
“You were responsible for thousands of dates, over 100 marriages (that we know about), 29 babies and for getting our brand to where it is today.
“But with the rapidly declining consumer interest in dating apps it’s time for Thursday to focus on greener pastures and double down on what we really believe; that meeting other singles in the real world is better on every level, than meeting online.
“Personal opinion, but introducing AI is only dragging out the inevitable.”
The move comes a year after Thursday hit the headlines in January 2024 when its boss apologised after he received backlash over a social media post about layoffs at his start-up.
In a now-deleted Linkedin post featuring a picture of the firm’s staff, George Rawlings said: “70 per cent of the people you see in this picture have been made redundant.”
“Here’s the ironic part,” he added, “Thursday has never been stronger.”
The founder later apologised in a follow up post.
In his statement announcing the firm’s decision to kill off its dating app, McNeill Love added: “In 2024 we set the foundations, in 2025 we execute.
“Thursday will continue to cement itself as the biggest in real life dating brand in the world.
“If you’re building your own company don’t worry if you haven’t quite figured it all out yet.
“Everyone’s just making it up as they go along anyway (even if they try to make you think otherwise).”
Thursday raised £2.5m in seed investment a few months after it launched in May 2021.