Why dating apps really CAN help you find the one

THEY have a bad reputation, blamed for fuelling casual sex and turning courtship into an impersonal process.

But it turns out that you can find real, lasting love through dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble and Plenty of Fish.

Researchers found that couples who meet through the smartphone apps are more likely to stay together than those who first set eyes on each other in more traditional settings such as in the pub or at work – because online daters were more likely to be looking for a long-term relationship.

The apps also helped people cast the net wider in their search for a partner, increasing their chances of finding Mr or Mrs Right.

The study looked at more than 3,000 men and women in Switzerland who had met their partner in the past ten years. It assessed their intentions to start a family and satisfaction with their relationship.

Those who did their matchmaking on apps were far more committed to sharing a home and having children – and more likely to view their relationship ‘as a trial period prior to marriage’. Psychologist Gina Potarca, author of the University of Geneva study, said dating apps were becoming an accepted, ‘normal’ way of meeting others, particularly among the under-40s.

She added: ‘The internet is profoundly transforming the dynamics of how people meet. It provides an unprecedented abundance of meeting opportunities.’

A previous study in the US found couples who meet online tend to communicate better and have happier relationships, and are 25 per cent less likely to break up.