Dating Sunday: The Biggest Day for Online Dating

Every year, the first Sunday in January turns into the busiest day on dating apps. It even has a name: Dating Sunday. In 2027, it falls on Sunday, January 3.

Why it happens

It’s a perfect storm, and it rolls in every year:

• New year, new plans. “Find someone” lands on a lot of resolution lists.
• Holiday fatigue. After weeks of family asking “So, are you seeing anyone?”, plenty of singles are ready to do something about it.
• The calendar. The holidays are over and Valentine’s Day is about 6 weeks away.

Sundays are busy on dating apps in general, and activity tends to peak in the evening. On Dating Sunday, everything is turned up: more new profiles, more people coming back to old ones, more matches and more messages. The rush usually carries through January and into Valentine’s season.

Scan Season

At swaGGerscan®, we call the stretch from Dating Sunday to Valentine’s Day Scan Season: the time of year when the most people are looking, and the best time to lead with honesty instead of guesswork.

3 ways to make it count

1. Refresh your profileNew photos that actually look like you, and a bio that says what you’re looking for. If getting tested matters to you, say so, simply and without oversharing. The right people will appreciate it. (More ideas in our 40 dating hacks.)
2. Keep the chat realThe rush brings out the best and the worst of online dating. Watch for the red flags, and don’t let the volume talk you into ignoring them.
3. Get your own house in orderThe start of the year is a good time to book a routine checkup and get tested, for your own peace of mind. It’s completely optional, but it means you can talk about it honestly when it comes up.

Then warm up in the swaGGerscan® Arcade before your first date of the year. It’s free, there’s no sign-up, and it’s practice before it counts for real.