Friends first, then love: Survey shows how Gen Alpha views relationships

The oldest members of so-called Generation Alpha are taking their time with romance. According to a survey of 823 US teens aged 13 to 15 published on Oct. 20, 2026, by dating company Match Group (Tinder, Hinge), only one in five (20%) has ever been in a relationship. In earlier company data, 56% of Generation Z said they had a relationship as teenagers. Match Group said the survey was nationally representative and that parents gave consent; it followed interviews and focus groups with 14- to 19-year-olds.

Some 79% of respondents are not currently in a relationship, but about three-quarters of them are open to one. Of those, 48% want a friendship that could become more, 44% mainly want to talk or flirt and 30% want something committed. Some 64% believe people should be friends before becoming a couple, and 66% consider dating several people at once disrespectful. Ninety-two percent are happy with their social lives, and 84% see a good future ahead.

Some 51% are open to using dating apps when they turn 18. "That sense of optimism has returned for this generation, which we hadn't seen in our Gen Z data," Match executive Chine Mmegwa told Fast Company. The survey, however, comes from a company that profits from dating apps, and it did not publish fieldwork dates or a margin of error.