$60.5M Tinder Plus and Gold Age Discrimination Settlement, Who Is Eligible and How to Get Paid

Tinder has agreed to a $60.5 million class action settlement to resolve allegations that the dating app unlawfully charged subscribers age 30 and over more for advanced features than younger users. The settlement was preliminarily approved by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Laura A. Seigle on January 13, 2026, ending a decade-long litigation. No claim form is required — eligible California subscribers simply need to select their preferred payment method at TinderCALClassAction.com by August 18, 2026.

Quick Facts

Current Status and What Happens Next

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge preliminarily approved the $60.5 million settlement on January 13, 2026, resolving claims that Tinder charged California users aged 30 and older significantly more than younger subscribers for premium services.

Here is where the case stands right now:

• Preliminary approval: Granted January 13, 2026
• Settlement website: Live at TinderCALClassAction.com
• No claim form required: Eligible class members who received a notice are automatically included
• Payment selection deadline: August 18, 2026 — complete to choose how you receive payment
• Opt-out / exclusion deadline: April 8, 2026
• Final approval hearing: May 20, 2026
• Payment distribution: Approximately 90 days after final court approval

If you opt out, you will not receive payment but you keep your right to sue Tinder separately. If you do nothing, you will still be bound by the settlement and will give up your right to sue Tinder for the same issues.

What the Lawsuit Alleges

Age-Based Pricing on the Same Product

In March 2015, Tinder implemented a pricing structure in California that charged users 30 and older nearly double what users under 30 paid for Tinder Plus. Younger users (under 30) paid approximately $9.99 per month, while users 30 and older were charged $19.99 monthly for the exact same features. Tinder later lowered the age threshold from 30 to 29.

The lawsuit argued that charging more based solely on a user’s age — for an identical product — violates California civil rights protections. The Unruh Act states all persons in California are “entitled to full and equal accommodations in all business establishments,” which courts have interpreted to prohibit arbitrary price discrimination based on protected characteristics including age.

A Decade of Litigation

The case has a long history. The class action lawsuit is a long-running legal saga dating back to May 2015. The case was filed, fought, appealed, and finally settled — during all that time, Tinder kept collecting higher fees from older users.

Parties agreed to the $60.5 million settlement amount at a mediation on September 10, 2025. In a revised class notice, Tinder stated that it “denies that it did anything wrong or violated any law or that any class members were injured by its age-based pricing policy.” Tinder agreed to settle to remove the uncertainty and expense of continued litigation.

The Scale of the Overpayment

The class collectively overpaid approximately $16.144 million for Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold due to age-based pricing. According to class counsel Kimberly Kralowec of Kralowec Law P.C., the Tinder settlement covers between 160% and 376% of the economic harm suffered by the class, depending on how the deal is calculated.

Who Could Be Included

The deal covers anyone who purchased Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold in California on or after March 2, 2015, when they were over the age of 29, or at any time after March 2, 2016, when they were over the age of 28.

Approximately 268,000 California users are covered by the Tinder settlement, court documents state.

In plain terms, you may be eligible if:

• You purchased Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold (not just the free app)
• Your purchase took place in California through the App Store, Google Play, or Tinder’s website
• You were over age 29 at any time on or after March 2, 2015, OR over age 28 at any time on or after March 2, 2016
• The purchase fell within the class period ending February 10, 2019

What matters is that you were a California resident at the time you purchased your Tinder Plus or Gold subscription during the covered period. Where you live now does not affect your eligibility.

Not sure if you subscribed? Check your Apple App Store or Google Play purchase history. Credit card and bank statements from the covered period may also show Tinder charges.

Related article: Premium Mortgage Corporation Data Breach Settlement 2023, Who Is Eligible and How to File a Claim

Settlement Details

Total Fund and Net Distribution

After attorneys’ fees, litigation, and other administrative costs are deducted, around $39.72 million will be shared among Tinder subscribers who were affected.

The following will be deducted from the $60.5 million fund before distribution: attorney fees (up to one third, approximately $20.6 million plus accrued interest), litigation costs and expenses (up to $300,000), administration and notice costs (up to $350,000), and a $20,000 service award to the class representative.

How Payments Are Calculated

Payments are pro rata — meaning the more you paid Tinder, the more you receive. Class members covered under the Unruh Civil Rights Act will receive a share equal to 70% of the net settlement fund divided equally among all class members. Members covered under the Unfair Competition Law will receive a share equal to 30% of the net settlement fund proportional to their individual payments to Tinder.

No Claim Form Required

Tinder settlement class members do not need to do anything to automatically receive a one-time cash payment from the net settlement fund after the payment of attorneys’ fees, litigation expenses, lead plaintiff service awards, and the cost of settlement administration.

However, completing the payment selection form is strongly recommended. The settlement administrator recommends that class members complete the payment selection form on the settlement site to ensure that payment reaches them and is made via the correct method. To complete the payment selection form, class members can head to TinderCALClassAction.com and enter the claim ID and PIN listed on their received copy of the settlement notice.

Payment Methods Available

Distribution of cash payments to settlement class members will be automatic if the settlement administrator has a valid class member email address or phone number that matches an available third-party payment platform (i.e., PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or other payment accounts). If a class member does not have an available payment account, the settlement administrator will mail them a check.

If You Did Not Receive a Notice

Individuals who did not receive a settlement notice but believe they are class members must submit a verification form online or use the same link to print a PDF form to mail to the settlement administrator.

Mail verification forms to: Candelore v. Tinder Inc. Settlement Administrator P.O. Box 301172 Los Angeles, CA 90030-1172

Phone: 1-888-808-8994 Email: [email protected] Website: TinderCALClassAction.com

Payment Timeline

The settlement administrator will issue payments to eligible class members approximately 90 days after the court grants final approval of the settlement. The final approval hearing is scheduled for May 20, 2026.

Prior Cases and Industry Context

The Tinder case is part of a broader pattern of legal scrutiny aimed at dating apps and subscription services over pricing practices.

Tinder’s competitor Bumble faced similar auto-renewal litigation resulting in $22.5 million settlements. Bumble also faced a $40 million biometric privacy settlement.

The FTC and state attorneys general are intensifying enforcement of consumer protection laws against subscription services, particularly around transparent pricing and easy cancellation.

California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act has proven to be a particularly powerful tool for consumers in these cases. Unlike federal age discrimination laws that primarily cover employment, the Unruh Act broadly covers business establishments and does not require proof of intent — only that a discriminatory pricing policy existed and was applied.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a class action lawsuit? 

Yes. Allan Candelore v. Tinder, Inc., Case No. BC583162, has been litigated as a class action in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, since 2015. The settlement resolves claims that Tinder unlawfully charged users aged 30 and older more than younger subscribers, ending a decade-long litigation.

Has the settlement been approved? 

The Tinder class action settlement received preliminary court approval on January 13, 2026. The final approval hearing is scheduled for May 20, 2026. Payments will not be distributed until the court grants final approval and any appeals are resolved.

Who may be eligible?

 Anyone who purchased Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold in California on or after March 2, 2015, when they were over the age of 29, or at any time after March 2, 2016, when they were over the age of 28. Approximately 268,000 California users are covered.

Do I need to file a claim form? 

Tinder settlement class members do not need to do anything to automatically receive a one-time cash payment from the net settlement fund. However, you should complete the payment selection form at TinderCALClassAction.com by August 18, 2026, to ensure payment reaches you via your preferred method.

What is the official settlement website?

 The court-approved settlement website is TinderCALClassAction.com. This is the only authorized source for payment selection forms, eligibility verification, and settlement updates. You can also contact the administrator at 1-888-808-8994 or [email protected].

What is the payment selection deadline? 

The deadline to submit a verification form and/or payment selection form is August 18, 2026. Missing this deadline means the settlement administrator will attempt to pay you automatically via any payment account on file, or by mailed check — but completing the form ensures you receive payment through your preferred method.

What were the legal violations alleged? 

The Tinder age discrimination class action lawsuit claimed that the popular dating app charged older users more than younger users for premium subscription services such as Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold, in violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law.

How much will I receive? 

Individual payment amounts depend on how much you paid for Tinder Plus or Gold during the class period and the total number of participating class members. The settlement administrator will determine the payment amount by the amount class members paid for Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold and the total number of participating class members. Class members who paid more to Tinder will receive a higher payment.

Last Updated: March 4, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.

About the Author

Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
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