Bumble is testing a future built around group meetups and faster conversations rather than endless profile swiping. Early results from Plans arrive as the dating company works to reverse falling revenue and paying user numbers.
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Plans gives users a lower-pressure way to meet people through small community events. Participants can join group dinners or drinks, then continue talking through Bumble without exchanging phone numbers or matching through swipes.
Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd said early testing had produced promising results. The company now plans to invest further in real-world social experiences aimed at younger users.
“I am a firm believer that the future of meeting people in groups will become more important. People love to come together in groups and see who they naturally share chemistry with once they have met,” Wolfe Herd said.
Bumble sees the format as a bridge between friendship, social activity and dating. The company already tested platonic connections through BFF, while Plans places the first meeting at the centre of the product rather than a long period of messaging.
Tinder is following a similar route. Match Group has introduced an Events feature built around local activities as dating apps try to address lower engagement and swipe fatigue among younger users.
Bumble also plans to replace the swipe with a system designed around fewer and more deliberate actions.
“The core idea is a shift away from optimizing for swipe speed and velocity towards something more intentional, fewer, better, more considered signals,” Wolfe Herd said.
She did not disclose the new format. However, Bumble expects it to create quicker conversations and reduce the delay between finding a profile and meeting in person. The company will introduce the change gradually rather than remove swiping in one update.
Artificial intelligence will support recommendations, safety and product personalization behind the scenes. Bumble does not plan to turn the main experience into conversations with AI.
The product work comes during a difficult financial period. Q2 revenue fell 15.2% year on year to $210.5 million, while the company forecast Q3 revenue of $205 million to $213 million. The midpoint fell below the $215.1 million analyst estimate, sending shares down about 5% in extended trading.
Paying user declines remain a central problem. Bumble entered Q2 after total paying users fell 21.1% to 3.17 million during the first quarter. Management is rebuilding the core platform as an AI-enabled service with a more curated and less transactional format.