A Dating App for ‘Next-Gen Traditionalists’
Match Group thinks young people want to date using old scripts.
In 1950s, a dating app would likely resemble Upward, noted for its "chivalry mode," allowing the man to message first in a pairing. Users could also set a timeline for marriage, as shown in promotional images featuring a man leaning against a car, suggesting he can change a tire but retain feelings, and a woman in a cowboy hat labelled "wifey material."
Upward, formerly a Christian dating app, is now a general dating platform for those seeking a traditional approach to relationships. The company emphasizes getting married and starting a family soon rather than eventually. About 10 months ago, Match Group analyzed its apps' audiences and found the audience for Upward to be notably different, with singles wanting to get married and have children soon.
Despite marriage rates falling, many Gen Z participants in a recent study desired marriage, with 72% of respondents in the 2026 "Singles in America" study saying they want to get married. Upward encourages traditional gender roles, such as men opening doors and being pursuers, through its "chivalrymaxxing" concept and promoting values like women being primary caregivers.
The app's goal is to help users achieve their desires by providing clear rules and goals in relationships.
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