Feeld Releases State of Dating Vol. IV: Crafting Your Digital Self

Feeld, the dating app for the curious, has released State of Dating Vol. IV in partnership with its print magazine, AFM (A F*cking/Feeld Magazine). This data-driven dating insight report explores how people craft their digital selves in search of connection.

Created together with Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Mona Chalabi and employing her signature illustrations, the report examines how Feeld members shape their profiles and search settings to find meaningful connections. Surveying over 2,500 members, Chalabi identified common behaviors and organized them into four archetypes—each representing a distinct way people engage with dating apps.

State of Dating Vol. IV reframes dating apps as spaces of self-discovery rather than destination, showing how intimacy, technology, and identity intersect in the search for love, desire, and understanding.

A New Vocabulary for Modern Dating

Nearly 90% of members update their bios and 92% adjust their search settings—small acts of self-editing that reveal how people evolve through dating, not just within it.

The report introduces four archetypes that mirror how people explore love and intimacy:

• The Cartographer – Constantly adjusts distance settings.
• The Fine Tuner – Makes occasional, subtle profile tweaks.
• The Gardener – Patiently and intentionally cultivates their profile.
• The Acrobat – Constantly experiments with different search settings.

Each archetype reflects a broader truth: dating apps aren't static tools for finding love, but dynamic mirrors that evolve with us.

"At Feeld, we’re always exploring how technology can support self-discovery and growth" says L Nichols, Feeld Data Analyst. This report shows that our members aren’t just connecting with others, they’re also learning about themselves and evolving along the way. Almost everyone is making some sort of change, which shows how open people are to transformation and new ways of seeing themselves.”

The Gender Gap That Wasn’t 

Chilabi's report revealed a clear through-line: the most significant demographic split was gender-based. The data shows that women and gender-expansive members tend to refine their profiles for self-expression, while men are more likely to adjust their search parameters to expand their reach. Yet Chilabi argues that even within this gender divide, the underlying reasons may be more nuanced than hackneyed cultural scripts suggest.

"Data rarely tells the full story at first glance, Chalabi says. A deeper dive reveals that women may be more confident in what they want, or their lives shift more dramatically over time, and those changes appear in how they describe themselves”

Feeld’s Ongoing Exploration

State of Dating Vol. IV appears in the second issue of AFM (A F*cking/Feeld Magazine), Feeld's print magazine exploring intimacy, identity, and culture through data and storytelling. Mona Chalabi is one of many iconic contributors to Issue 2, alongside Nan Goldin, Kelsey Lu, Puja Patel, Jamie Hood, and Kesha. Together, the report and magazine reinforce Feeld's position as a thought leader in modern intimacy, using data to reveal how technology and culture shape the ways people connect today.

Review the full report here.
Press Contact: [email protected]

Related Articles

The State of Dating: Volume 3

by Ruby Rare x Feeld