Upward Overhauls Features to Push Young Users Toward Traditional Courtship

Match Group has relaunched Upward, a dating application originally designed for Christian users, with a new set of features intended to guide young adults toward marriage. The platform, which began in 2020, now targets a wider demographic of singles who prioritize traditional values, regardless of their specific religious background.

The redesign follows a 2026 Singles in America study conducted by Match Group. The survey found that 72 percent of Gen Z respondents expressed a desire to marry. Additionally, one in four singles between the ages of 18 and 34 identified with a combination of traditional values regarding family, faith, and community. Lauren DeFord, director of brand marketing at Match, described the change as a brand shift meant to welcome people with similar goals who may not lead with a faith-first mindset. She stated that Christian singles remain central to the app’s mission.

The new interface introduces Chivalry Mode, which encourages male users to initiate conversations, a format similar to the original structure of Bumble. A second feature, Marriage Timeline, allows users to indicate when they hope to wed. The app retains its swipe mechanism and optional Faith Statement field. Marketing materials for the relaunch use Western-style imagery, including a campaign titled Wanted: For Life. One promotional video features a man in a cowboy hat performing traditional romantic gestures, accompanied by the phrase chivalrymaxxing.

Experts offer a more cautious view of the strategy. Daniel Cox, director of the Survey Center on American Life, noted that Gen Z is entering adulthood with less clarity regarding relational priorities. He suggested that the trend toward traditional dating is a reaction to a lack of cultural norms around courtship. Cox pointed to a survey by the American Institute for Boys and Men, which found that 44 percent of Gen Z men had no romantic relationship experience during their teenage years, a rate double that of older generations.

Other data presents a contrasting picture. A 2023 Pew Research study reported that only 23 percent of adults considered marriage extremely or very important to a fulfilling life, compared to 61 percent who valued close friendships. The percentage of high school seniors expecting to marry someday dropped from 80 percent in 1993 to 67 percent in 2023. Cox added that older generations may skew Match’s statistics because they have already completed the life stage.

User reactions to the relaunch have been varied. Adreanna Pulliam, a 25-year-old opera singer in Bloomington, Indiana, said she encountered men with conservative political views and unusual profile choices. She questioned why the app allows users to list specific body types and permits married individuals to join. Tauti, a social work student in California, left the platform within 48 hours, stating the experience discouraged her from Christian dating. Heidi Marais, a teacher and single mother, asked why agnostics are admitted to the service. Upward has not released current active user counts, though it has faced complaints about technical issues and filtering since its inception. Pulliam suggested the app might find a niche within Christian private university communities, but added it may only work for users with a narrower mindset.