Jacob Lund/Shutterstock Almost 84% of millennials prefer to find love in real life, according to a 2018 survey by The Tylt.
- Dating apps are now a common way to meet people, though there are many who prefer not to use them.
- People have various reasons for not using them, from saying they're a waste of time to preferring natural, in-person chemistry.
- Here, 21 people reveal why they don't use dating apps - and how they meet people instead.
Though dating apps are a common way to meet people these days, there are still many people who prefer to meet romantic prospects in real life for the first time.
According to a 2017 report by Statista, 61% of Americans aged 18-29 and 44% of Americans 30-59 are currently using a dating site/app or have used one in the past. However, a 2018 survey by polling platform The Tylt found that almost 84% of millennials would rather find love "in real life" than online.
"Meeting people 'in the wild' makes conversations more organic and easygoing," Maria Avgitidis, founder of Agape Match, a matchmaking service based in NYC, told Business Insider in an email.
Avgitidis said that meeting in person provides an opportunity for exploration, curiosity, and a different kind of sexual tension. "More significantly, you're not hiding behind a screen and turning a soulmate into a pen pal," she said.
Here, 21 people reveal why they don't use dating apps - and how they meet people instead. The answers have been condensed and edited for clarity.