Bumble has scrapped the trademark rule requiring women to send the first message, reversing a policy that defined the app since its 2014 launch and once positioned it as a feminist alternative to Tinder. The reversal reflects wider strain across the dating app industry, where user engagement is declining and companies are being forced to rethink their offerings to survive; Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe-Herd has previously said niche apps struggle with long-term viability, and Bumble itself is privately owned and reportedly weighing a sale.

Alongside removing the women-first rule, Bumble has extended the window for matches to respond from 24 to 72 hours, and the company says internal testing showed the change increased chat initiation. It cites a survey finding that 66% of women on the app actually prefer men to message first. The move has drawn criticism online, with users dubbing it "Yellow Tinder" and warning it could expose women to more unwanted messages, echoing similar pivots at other niche apps such as Feeld and Grindr, which have broadened their offerings and introduced paid tiers to boost growth. Meanwhile, Match Group data shows Tinder's daily active users down 4% year-on-year, while Hinge's monthly active users rose 13% over the same period.