How Much Does Dating Cost?

What dating apps cost

Every app on our best dating apps list is free to download and free to start matching. Plenty of people meet someone without ever paying. Premium subscriptions exist on every major app and typically cost $10–40 per month, with the price dropping if you buy three or six months up front.

Our advice: fix your photos and bio before you pay for anything. They are free to improve and move your results far more than any subscription. Pay only when you are consistently matching and the bottleneck is genuinely volume.

What an average date costs (US averages)

First dates skew to the cheap end on purpose: a coffee or a walk keeps the stakes low, the conversation central, and the exit easy if there is no spark. Save the bigger spend for when mutual interest is clearly established. For city-specific date plans at every budget, see our city date-idea guides.

A realistic monthly dating budget

Here is what a month of active dating actually looks like at three spend levels. "Active" means roughly two to four first or second dates in the month.

How dating cost varies by city

Geography is the biggest swing factor. The same drinks-and-dinner date that runs $90 in a mid-size metro can hit $150–200+ in New York or San Francisco, where a single cocktail often costs $16–20. In more affordable cities, you can do a full evening out for what a coffee-and-dessert costs on the coasts. We break down typical date costs and the best low-cost date ideas city by city — start with our guides for New York, Austin, or your city.

Who should pay on a date?

Norms vary, but a safe, modern default works well: whoever did the asking offers to pay, and the other person makes a genuine offer to split or to cover the next round. The point is the gesture and the grace, not a rigid rule. Reading your date and being generous in spirit matters more than who taps the card — and "let me get the coffee, you get the next one" is a low-stakes way to signal you want a next one.

How to date well on a budget

• →Lean on free app tiers — fix your photos and bio instead of paying.
• →Default to daytime and outdoor first dates: coffee, walks, farmers markets, free museum hours, local events.
• →Make the first date short and cheap; invest more only once there is mutual interest.
• →Split costs once it is mutual — most people respect it, and it sets a healthy precedent.
• →Do not stack premium subscriptions across three apps; run one primary plus one secondary.

The hidden costs people forget

Beyond apps and dates, three quieter costs add up: grooming and wardrobe (haircuts, an outfit you feel good in), transport (rideshares to and from dates, especially if you do not drive), and time — the hours spent swiping, messaging and meeting. Treating your time as a real cost is the best argument for dating deliberately: one or two well-chosen apps and faster moves to in-person beat endless low-effort swiping that never converts.

Cost of dating — FAQ