Do dating algorithms really work? What the science says

How does a dating algorithm work?

A dating algorithm ranks profiles using what you declare and what you do in the app. It optimises what it can measure — not love.

• Age, distance and the preferences you enter in your profile
• The profiles you like or reject
• Time spent in the app and the replies you receive

That sorting saves time. But it relies on a few lines you wrote about yourself before meeting anyone.

What does the research say about predicting attraction?

A landmark study concluded that attraction between two specific people cannot be predicted before they meet.

• Researchers Samantha Joel, Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel had participants fill in a questionnaire covering more than 100 traits and preferences, then meet in speed-dating sessions
• Machine-learning algorithms tried to predict who would desire whom
• They predicted how much someone is liked in general fairly well, but not the unique chemistry of each pair

Source: Association for Psychological Science, press release of 30 August 2017 on the article published in Psychological Science.

What do users think of the apps?

In the United States, 53% of users call their experience positive and 46% negative; one partnered adult in ten met their partner on a dating site or app. Only 48% consider online dating safe, down from 53% in 2019 (Pew Research Center, 2022 survey). These are US figures: no equivalent official survey exists for Luxembourg.

Why Luxembourg is a special case

In Luxembourg, 47.0% of the population holds a foreign nationality and 33% of adults are single, so compatibility depends on far more than a profile. (STATEC, 1 January 2025.)

• Language: French, English, German, Luxembourgish, Portuguese — an algorithm cannot tell which one you really live in
• Life stage: arriving for a job, settled with children, post-divorce
• Work rhythm: long hours, cross-border commuting, frequent travel
• Discretion: public profiles are risky in a small, closely connected country

Algorithm or matchmaker: what changes?

The algorithm starts from the profile and offers a lot; the matchmaker starts from the person and offers little, but better chosen.

• At Easys, a one-hour private interview comes before any introduction
• Selection is done by hand, on compatibility and on the wish to build something lasting
• Each meeting is followed by a debrief that refines the next one

See also matchmaking agency or dating app in Luxembourg and the complete guide to alternatives to dating apps.

Curious how it works for you? The first private interview at Easys is complimentary and without commitment: about an hour with Nathalie Teston to understand your journey, at our Gasperich office or by arrangement.