Market Size & Growth
$5.6B
Global dating market segment (2026 est.)
Market analysis
46M
Seeking registered users worldwide
Seeking.com
22M
US adults who have tried intentional dating
Survey data, 2026
61%
of US adults are aware of intentional dating
National survey
4:1
Attractive to successful member ratio
Platform data
~2M
Active sugar daddies in the US
Industry estimate
~8M
Active sugar babies in the US
Industry estimate
Demographics
Sugar Daddies
42
Average age
Platform data
$250K
Average annual income
Survey data
35-40%
Are married
Forum surveys
15%
Use pseudonyms
r/sugarlifestyleforum
Top industries
| Industry | % of Sugar Daddies |
|---|---|
| Tech / Software | 18% |
| Finance / Banking | 15% |
| Business Owner / Entrepreneur | 14% |
| Medicine / Healthcare | 12% |
| Law | 10% |
| Real Estate | 8% |
| Engineering | 7% |
Sugar Babies
25
Average age
Platform data
44%
Are university students
WifiTalents 2026
65%
Value companionship equally with money
Survey
60%
Prioritize chemistry over allowance
Survey
How sugar babies spend support
| Category | % of Sugar Babies |
|---|---|
| Credit card debt | 50% |
| Tuition / student loans | 36% |
| Rent / housing | 20% |
| Savings | 18% |
| Shopping / lifestyle | 15% |
Relationship preferences
| Preference | % of Sugar Babies |
|---|---|
| Meet twice per week | 55% |
| Want exclusivity (one SD) | 33% |
| Dinner and events only | 18% |
| Platonic connections | 10% |
| Prefer PPM for first month | 45% |
Allowances by City
$2,800–$3,500
National average monthly allowance
Aggregated survey data
$300–$600
Most common PPM range
r/sugarlifestyleforum polls
10-15%
Recommended % of after-tax income
Reddit community guideline
| City | PPM Range | Monthly Range | CPI Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | $500–$1,000 | $4,000–$8,000 | 136.4 |
| San Francisco | $500–$1,000 | $4,000–$7,000 | 132.1 |
| Los Angeles | $400–$800 | $3,500–$6,000 | 123.5 |
| Miami | $400–$800 | $3,000–$6,000 | 121.8 |
| Washington DC | $400–$700 | $3,000–$5,500 | 119.7 |
| Chicago | $300–$700 | $2,400–$5,500 | 110.2 |
| Houston | $300–$600 | $2,500–$5,000 | 94.4 |
| Dallas | $300–$600 | $2,000–$4,500 | 96.8 |
| Atlanta | $300–$600 | $2,000–$4,000 | 101.3 |
| Las Vegas | $300–$600 | $2,000–$4,500 | 103.1 |
| Denver | $300–$600 | $2,000–$4,000 | 107.5 |
| Austin | $250–$500 | $1,800–$4,000 | 102.6 |
| Phoenix | $250–$500 | $1,800–$3,500 | 100.2 |
| Nashville | $250–$500 | $1,500–$3,500 | 98.4 |
| Charlotte | $200–$500 | $1,500–$3,000 | 96.2 |
PPM distribution (national)
| PPM Range | Classification | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|
| Under $200 | Below market ("Splenda") | ~15% |
| $200–$400 | Entry / mid-size cities | ~30% |
| $400–$600 | Standard in major metros | ~35% |
| $600–$1,000 | Premium / coastal cities | ~15% |
| $1,000+ | Rare / exclusive arrangements | ~5% |
Platform Reviews & Ratings
| Platform | Score | Reviews | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seeking — PissedConsumer | 1.7 / 5 | 773 | 9% recommend |
| Seeking — Sitejabber | 1.4 / 5 | 394 | 74% are 1-star |
| Seeking — BBB | D− | N/A | Not accredited |
| Seeking — Google Play | 3.8 / 5 | 50K+ | No iOS app since 2020 |
| Secret Benefits — avg. | 4.2 / 5 | Multiple | Credit-based pricing |
$150/mo
Seeking Premium (Jan 2026 price)
Seeking.com
$375/mo
Seeking Diamond (Jan 2026 price)
Seeking.com
36%
Seeking price increase (Jan 2026)
Seeking.com
~40%
Est. non-genuine profiles on Seeking
Independent testing
380K
Est. active US Seeking users
Independent estimate
2020
Year Apple removed Seeking from iOS
App Store records
Seeking — top complaints from reviews
| Complaint | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Account banned without explanation | Most common |
| No refund after ban | Most common |
| Fake / stolen photo profiles with verification badges | Very common |
| Messages go unanswered (inactive profiles) | Common |
| Price increase without product improvement | Common |
| Customer support unresponsive | Common |
Scam & Safety Data
$5.3B
Romance scam losses since 2020
FTC
311K
Romance scam cases since 2020
FTC
$1.16B
Romance scam losses in 2023 alone
FTC
5%
Profiles flagged as fraudulent monthly
Platform data
48%
of members video-call before meeting
Survey
60%
Use encrypted messaging (Signal/WhatsApp)
Survey
Most common scam types
| Scam Type | Target | Typical Loss |
|---|---|---|
| Advance-fee ("gas money" before meeting) | Sugar daddies | $50–$500 |
| Overpayment / fake receipt | Sugar daddies | $200–$2,000 |
| Fraudulent check / bounced payment | Sugar babies | $500–$5,000 |
| Inheritance / emergency scheme | Sugar daddies | $1,000–$54,000+ |
| Fake verification site (data harvesting) | Both | Identity theft |
| Emotional manipulation / long con | Sugar daddies | $5,000–$100,000+ |
Millionaire concentration by city
| City | Millionaires | Notable Industries |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | 340,000+ | Finance, law, real estate, media |
| Los Angeles | 212,000+ | Entertainment, tech, real estate |
| Chicago | 127,100 | Derivatives trading, law, corporate HQs |
| San Francisco | 125,000+ | Tech, venture capital, biotech |
| Houston | 81,800 | Energy, healthcare, real estate |
| Dallas | 68,000+ | Finance, telecom, real estate |
| Washington DC | 65,000+ | Government, law, consulting, defense |
| Miami | 55,000+ | Real estate, finance, international trade |
2026 Trends
Seeking raised prices 36% in January 2026, pushing users to alternatives
Dating app activity increases 30% during winter months in cold-weather cities
LGBTQ+ intentional dating grew 64% year-over-year
Video verification reduces fake profiles by ~70% on platforms that require it
IRS gift tax exemption per recipient per year
See the data in action.
Arranged offers photo verification on every profile. No fakes, no inflated user counts.
Create free profile →Methodology & Sources
Data on this page is compiled from: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPI indices), the Federal Trade Commission (scam and fraud reports), Henley & Partners Wealthiest Cities Report 2025, Forbes billionaire data, Reddit polls and discussions on r/sugarlifestyleforum, PissedConsumer (773 reviews), Sitejabber (394 reviews), Better Business Bureau complaints, Google Play Store reviews, WifiTalents 2026 dating report, SugarChairman survey (n=1,247), and independent platform testing. Ranges represent self-reported data from forum communities and surveys — actual amounts vary by individual relationship. This page is maintained by Arranged and updated as new data becomes available. Last updated: July 2026.
Disclosure: Arranged is a verified dating platform. We compete with some platforms mentioned in this data. We have sourced all statistics from independent, publicly available sources and have noted where estimates are our own.