Save
How much more are older Australians paying for Tinder Premium?
Older Australians swiping for love are paying up to five times more for the privilege, a consumer advocacy group has warned.

How much more are older Australians paying for Tinder Premium?
Older Australians swiping for love are paying up to five times more for the privilege, a consumer advocacy group has warned.

A 60-person mystery shop investigation by consumer group Choice has found that prices change for different uses of Tinder’s premium service.
The difference between the lowest and the highest price was huge. A straight male over 50 in a metropolitan area was given the price of $34.37 for one month – almost five times as much as a queer female under 30 in a metropolitan area, who was offered the same service for $6.99, Choice found.
On average, people over the age of 30 were offered prices that were more than double those given to people under 30, as in the US.
There were also large price variations within these age groups, ranging from $6.99 to $16.71 in the under-30 cohort and $14.99 to $34.37 in the over-30 one. Choice said it didn’t see a pattern that could explain these differences.
“Without letting customers know, Tinder charges wildly different prices to different groups of people,” Choice director of campaigns Erin Turner said.
“We can’t say for certain with our sample size of 60 Tinder users, but prices could also be affected by any of the other data points we know Tinder has: your sexuality, gender, where you went to school, location or your personal interests.
“This heavily personalised pricing approach is great for companies as they maximise how much they can encourage someone to spend. But it’s terrible for customers,” Ms Turner noted.
Choice has since made a formal complaint to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, asking the regulator to investigate the dating app for potential breaches of consumer law.
In a reply, Tinder confirmed price changes based on a variety of factors, highlighting that it is free for the majority of its members.
“However, we do offer a variety of subscription options and paid a la carte features designed to help our members stand out and match with new people more efficiently,” A Tinder spokesperson told nestegg.
“Tinder operates a global business, and our pricing varies by a number of factors. We frequently offer promotional rates, which can vary based on region, length of subscription, bundle size and more. We also regularly test new features and payment options.”
About the author

About the author


Expenses
Insurance prices rise despite payout falls
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen insurer payouts fall by $500 million, but Australian consumers are continuing to pay more, the consumer watchdog has revealed. ...Read more

Expenses
CBA cops civil proceedings for overcharged interest
ASIC has commenced civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court against the Commonwealth Bank over the bank charging an interest rate on business overdraft accounts that was substantially higher tha...Read more

Expenses
What are the top 10 most expensive cities in the world?
Logistical issues and currency fluctuations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the most expensive cities in the world drastically change, new research has revealed. ...Read more

Expenses
Sydney adviser pleads guilty to misappropriating $2.9m
A Sydney financial adviser has pleaded guilty to misappropriating $2.9 million in his clients’ funds. ...Read more

Expenses
Telstra set to refund 10,000 customers
Ten thousand past and present Telstra customers are entitled to a refund due to being overcharged a total of $2.5 million. ...Read more

Expenses
iSelect in hot water for energy plan comparisons
Comparison tool iSelect has been ordered to pay $8.5 million in penalties for making false and misleading representations about its electricity comparison service. ...Read more

Expenses
Pandemic puts stopper in big spending
Two-thirds of Australians have seen their finances impacted by COVID-19, according to new research – and it’s affecting everything from holidays to houses and careers. ...Read more

Expenses
The financial products giving Australians the most grief during COVID-19
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has received 7,420 complaints about financial products since the onset of the pandemic. ...Read more

Expenses
Insurance prices rise despite payout falls
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen insurer payouts fall by $500 million, but Australian consumers are continuing to pay more, the consumer watchdog has revealed. ...Read more

Expenses
CBA cops civil proceedings for overcharged interest
ASIC has commenced civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court against the Commonwealth Bank over the bank charging an interest rate on business overdraft accounts that was substantially higher tha...Read more

Expenses
What are the top 10 most expensive cities in the world?
Logistical issues and currency fluctuations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the most expensive cities in the world drastically change, new research has revealed. ...Read more

Expenses
Sydney adviser pleads guilty to misappropriating $2.9m
A Sydney financial adviser has pleaded guilty to misappropriating $2.9 million in his clients’ funds. ...Read more

Expenses
Telstra set to refund 10,000 customers
Ten thousand past and present Telstra customers are entitled to a refund due to being overcharged a total of $2.5 million. ...Read more

Expenses
iSelect in hot water for energy plan comparisons
Comparison tool iSelect has been ordered to pay $8.5 million in penalties for making false and misleading representations about its electricity comparison service. ...Read more

Expenses
Pandemic puts stopper in big spending
Two-thirds of Australians have seen their finances impacted by COVID-19, according to new research – and it’s affecting everything from holidays to houses and careers. ...Read more

Expenses
The financial products giving Australians the most grief during COVID-19
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has received 7,420 complaints about financial products since the onset of the pandemic. ...Read more