Bumble announced Wednesday that it will lay off nearly a third of its workforce—approximately 240 employees—as part of a major restructuring aimed at revitalizing the platform and improving user experience.
The move comes amid broader changes in the online dating industry, including overhauls at competitors like Match Group and mounting pressure from activist investors.
CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd, who returned to the helm earlier this year, has pledged to boost performance by prioritizing matchmaking quality over short-term revenue or user growth. Reflecting this shift, Bumble stated that the layoffs are part of a new strategy focused on building a more agile, startup-style organization.
The company expects to incur layoff-related charges of $13 million to $18 million, primarily in the third and fourth quarters of 2025. However, the cuts are projected to generate approximately $40 million in annual cost savings—funds that Bumble plans to reinvest in product and technology development.
Despite industry headwinds, Bumble raised its second-quarter revenue forecast to between $244 million and $249 million, up from its previous guidance of $235 million to $243 million. In May, the company met Wall Street expectations for first-quarter revenue, although it reported a 7% year-over-year decline.
Investors responded positively to the announcement, with Bumble shares jumping 19%. Still, the company’s market value has declined significantly—from a peak of around $15 billion after its 2021 IPO to just over $500 million today, according to LSEG data.
Rival Match Group also recently announced workforce reductions, cutting 13% of its staff as online dating platforms continue to grapple with slowing growth and declining engagement, particularly among Gen Z users.
“The layoffs reflect Bumble’s new strategy of optimizing for user experience rather than short-term metrics,” said M Science analyst Chandler Willison, noting CEO Herd’s push for a leaner and more responsive company structure.
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