From talking stage to commitment – Indian daters share how long it takes to define a connection.

“What are we?” might just be the trickiest question to answer while dating. The pace at which couples have a clear answer can either be a game of patience or a race against time- it depends on who you ask. India’s most popular dating app, QuackQuack’s survey finding shows that while for some, the talking stage to commitment can be a slow brew, with a lot of messages and meme exchanges spread out over a month, for others, the realization of “where’s this going?” comes as quickly as making a cup of instant coffee. The recent study by the app gives insight into how long it takes a typical Indian dater to go from chatting to committed- responses of 9578 singles and couples across Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities were analyzed to understand this timeline. Participants ranged between 18 and 35 and spanned from various professional fields, including marketing, law and order, finance, IT, healthcare, social media content creation, education and academics, and entrepreneurship.

QuackQuack Founder and CEO Ravi Mittal commented, “The timeline of defining a relationship varies from person to person. While three months remains a popular timeline for most users, ensuring both partners are on the same page is more important than the timing, even if that means one of them has to wait a little longer for the other to get there.”

The Three-Month Ultimatum

34% of active QuackQuack users between 27 and 35 claimed that by the end of three months, matches either call it a day or call it a relationship. It is the unofficial “official deadline” for most Indian daters. By that time, if an online couple does not know where the connection is going, chances are they never will and eventually drift apart. Nayanika from Delhi said, “There’s a rumour that online dating is full of situationships, but the reality is no one wants to be stuck in limbo, and this three-month mark seems to work best- by the third month, I need to know if we are wasting time or going exclusive.”

Social pressure leads to shortcuts

External influence in India leads to a lot of pressure on young daters- the pressure to “settle down” has led several people to settle but for less. 3 in 5 women and 2 in 6 men complained that society’s timeline, peer pressure, and family expectations can rush the commitment process. Rajeev (32), professor from Mumbai, said, “I have rushed into a commitment before because all my friends are married, and it did not pan out well. I would strongly suggest deciding your pace according to where your connection is standing and not by where you are standing in life.”

Age is NOT just a number

Age factors in while dating- QuackQuack’s data shows GenZ takes it slow and tends to take longer to define their relationships, while Millennials are in an evident rush. 2 in 7 daters in the 18 to 22 age range revealed taking up to six months to commit, while 3 in 6 Millennials above 28 follow the three-months rule. 22-year-old Anisha from Bangalore commented, “I think we have the luxury to slow down and prioritize our personal goals too. But when it is the older daters, they have both more pressure and better understanding- on the one hand, they feel the stress to settle, and on the other hand, they also have the experience which helps them reach a clear decision sooner.”

The 9th Wonder

Only about 9% of daters disclosed labeling their relationship within the first two weeks of matching. While the “love at first LIKE” type relationships burn strong and fizzle soon, for these lucky daters, it started with intense chemistry and is still going strong with long-term potential. Nihal from Cochin, medical practitioner, shared, “I met Simran on QuackQuack, and during our first chat, I knew she was the one. We matched, met by the end of the week, and made it official. When it feels right, I don’t see the reason to wait.”