Key takeaways
- Astrology-based apps offer an alternative to mindless swiping
- They make users feel intricate and unique
- They create birth charts based on a wealth of data
Valued at approx. $3 billion in 2024, the astrology app market size is predicted to reach $9 billion by 2030, up 20% a year on average. Part of that market is made up of apps focused on meeting people for romantic relationships based on zodiac signs. Apps like The Pattern, Karma, and Ilios as well as NUiT, which is in development, show matches’ full birth charts and compatibility with one another or lack thereof.
Astrology-based apps offer an alternative to mindless swiping. They communicate the view that users need a tool taking into account their intricate and unique nature. In a world of choice paralysis, transactional interactions, and boring conversations, they claim to be breathing life into dating by harnessing astrology’s ancient power.
Exploring birth charts
Some believe that birth charts provide an understanding of people’s challenges, strengths, and overall life path. They can be a detailed map of what people want from relationships. Astrology-based apps can allow users to date with intention and awareness of how they relate to matches and what they are really looking for.
Dating app algorithms create customized, interactive birth charts and profiles showcasing users’ energy and essence while communicating their needs and values. The apps claim to track current planetary positions so users are aware of the timing around dating. They are gaining traction precisely because the world is data-driven. Birth charts are based on a wealth of information: the position of the planets when people were born, their star, rising, and moon signs. Apps use all of this data instead of perpetuating surface-level stereotypes, ex., dating a Taurus is worth it because they’re good with money. They provide users with a detailed and nuanced analysis of dynamics by underscoring the strongest connection points between charts.
Why people believe in astrology
People believe star charts reveal romantic compatibility because they interpret planetary alignments at birth as influencing personality, emotions, and relationship tendencies. Astrology suggests that elements like the Moon (emotions), Venus (love and attraction), and Mars (passion and drive) shape how individuals express affection and handle relationships. Synastry, a practice comparing two people’s charts, is thought to highlight strengths and challenges in a romantic connection based on planetary aspects and zodiac placements. While skeptics view astrology as pseudoscience, many find it a meaningful tool for understanding relationship dynamics and potential compatibility.
The global astrology app market is expected to reach $20 billion in 2031, up from $2 billion a decade earlier. In 2023, the horoscope app Co-Star announced it had tripled its users since 2020, reaching approximately 30 million worldwide. The company launched an AI-powered astrological reading exhibition that year.
FAQ
Why is astrology suddenly so popular?
The rise of social media is one factor behind astrology’s popularity. Astrological content is widely shared and talked about, and a lot of people enjoy reading daily horoscopes for fun, guidance, or self-reflection, even if they don’t fully believe in astrology’s predictive nature. It’s especially popular among Gen Z, who inherited a highly individualistic, data-driven culture marked by economic instability. For many, astrology offers purpose and structure in a world that is fracturing, even according to Baby Boomers.
Is there any truth behind astrology?
There’s no scientific evidence to suggest astrology can explain personality differences and emotional states based on the alignment of planets and stars. However, its emotional pull has power, as does its role in helping people make sense of their lives.