Tea, a dating-related app, has recently shot to the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Apple App Store. Although it launched in 2023, the app has gained massive traction in recent weeks. According to analytics firm Sensor Tower, downloads surged by 185% in the first 20 days of July compared to the same period in June.
The app was created by Sean Cook, a former executive at Salesforce and Shutterfly, inspired by his mother’s disturbing experience with online dating, she was catfished and unknowingly interacted with men who had criminal histories.
While the concept isn’t entirely new, it’s tapping into familiar territory. Online communities like “Are We Dating the Same Guy?” on Facebook, which emerged in 2022, have encouraged women to exchange experiences about men they’ve dated. Even earlier, the app Lulu allowed women to rate men.
Tea’s popularity comes during a wave of swiping fatigue, where both legacy dating apps and new platforms are trying to reshape the online dating experience.
How the Tea App Works:
When users open Tea, they’re greeted with a feed of photos of men, uploaded by anonymous users with screen names. Some posts request gossip or “tea” on a man, while others include detailed reviews. Screenshots are disabled, trying to take one results in a black screen.
To make a post, users must provide the man’s first name, estimated age, and location, along with optional photos and captions. They must also confirm by checking a box that states, “All statements are true.”
Users can comment, react with red or green flags (representing negative or positive traits), and engage in discussions in a text-based forum.
Many features are locked behind a paywall. Users are allowed only five free searches per month; beyond that, they must either subscribe for $15/month or invite friends to gain access to unlimited searches. Premium features such as background checks, phone number lookups, and reverse image searches also require a subscription.
Tea claims it donates 10% of its profits to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
The app is clearly gaining momentum. The company recently shared on Instagram that it had received over 900,000 sign-up requests in a single week. With more than 60,000 reviews and a 4.7-star rating on the App Store, Tea is enjoying a very positive reception so far.
