If you’ve ever opened the App Store or Google Play searching for “sugar daddy apps” or “apps for sugar daddy”, you’ve probably noticed something puzzling: there aren’t any. Literally zero results. And it’s not because nobody uses them or because interest has dropped. Quite the opposite: according to a Grand View Research study, the global online dating app market reached $9.71 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8.3% through 2030.
The problem is that Apple and Google decided to ban them explicitly and definitively a few years ago, and that policy hasn’t changed. The question is: why did they make this decision and what happened to that entire industry?
The golden era of sugar dating in app stores (2012-2018)
There was a time when sugar dating apps operated without problems in official stores. Seeking Arrangement, the most famous of them all, had millions of downloads and operated peacefully on both iOS and Android for years. In fact, according to Business of Apps, dating applications generate more than $5 billion in annual revenue in the United States alone.
The model was transparent: connecting people willing to offer financial support with others seeking that type of relationship. There were income filters, sections to negotiate monthly allowances, profile verification, all very professional and within the legal framework.
During those years, these platforms defended themselves with an argument that, technically, made sense: “We only connect adults seeking consensual and mutually beneficial relationships.” There was no talk of prostitution or direct exchange of sex for money. It was about “relationships of convenience”, “mentorships”, “companionship”. Language mattered, and as long as they maintained that careful ambiguity, Apple and Google seemed willing to look the other way.
The turning point: media pressure and scandals (2018-2020)
Everything changed when the media began investigating more deeply. Between 2017 and 2018, several reports were published that focused on the darker aspects of these platforms:
Cases of underage users who managed to bypass verification systems and accessed the platforms. Stories of extortion and blackmail. Accusations that, in practice, some apps functioned as disguised storefronts for prostitution where softened terminology served only as legal cover.
The pressure grew when child protection organizations and activist groups began publicly pointing at Apple and Google for allowing these apps in their stores. The headlines weren’t favorable: “How does Apple allow apps that facilitate prostitution?” or “Google accused of profiting from sexual exploitation platforms.”
For companies that obsessively care about their public image, this was unsustainable.
Apple opens fire: the 2020 purge
Apple was the first to act. In 2018, it quietly began removing applications that, in their words, “facilitated compensated sexual encounters.” There was no public announcement. Emails simply started arriving to developers indicating that their apps violated section 1.1.4 of the App Store Review Guidelines.
That section states verbatim: “Apps may not include content that facilitates prostitution or human trafficking, or sexual encounters in exchange for compensation.”
The biggest blow came in June 2020, when Seeking Arrangement was expelled from the App Store without prior notice. The app had been operating without problems for years, had passed hundreds of reviews, had millions of active users, and suddenly disappeared. Developers tried everything: appeal, modify content, change terminology, remove explicit income filters… nothing worked.
Apple had drawn a line in the sand and wasn’t going to back down. For them, any app that made the economic component an explicit part of the relationship model was unacceptable, regardless of how it was worded.
Google follows suit in 2021
Although Google has historically been more permissive than Apple regarding adult content, it wasn’t far behind. In June 2021, it publicly announced that, starting September 1 of that same year, it would completely ban “sugar dating apps.”
The update to its Sexual Content policy was direct and straightforward: “Apps that promote sexual services in exchange for compensation, including sugar dating arrangements, are not allowed.”
Since that moment, any attempt to upload an app with those characteristics is automatically rejected on Google Play. It doesn’t matter how you word it, what euphemisms you use, or how many layers of moderation you add. If your app puts the economic component at the center of the relationship, it’s out.
And with that, the market for sugar dating apps in official stores was officially closed.
Why do Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge remain without problems?
The difference lies in how the application is designed, not in what people end up doing with it.
Allowed Apps
No income filters. Don’t mention money in their interface. Economic transactions remain outside the platform, in private.
Banned Apps
Include “annual income” filters. Have “monthly allowance” or “expected lifestyle” sections. Money is an explicit part of the service.
The Difference
It doesn’t matter what users do with the app. What matters is whether the platform explicitly facilitates economic exchanges in its design.
This is the question everyone asks. After all, on Tinder there are also people seeking financial benefits. On Bumble, you can find profiles of people who clearly expect you to pay for dinners, trips, or even rent. What’s really the difference?
That difference, though it may seem subtle or even hypocritical to some, is the absolute red line for Apple and Google. And it doesn’t seem like they’re going to move it.
Data about the sugar dating market that will surprise you
Despite the ban in stores, the sugar dating market didn’t just survive, it continues to grow. Some interesting data:
- According to SeekingArrangement reported in 2019, there were more than 3 million college sugar babies registered on their platform alone, many seeking help with student loans.
- A Journal of Sex Research study found that approximately 6-7% of young adults in Western countries have considered or participated in some form of sugar dating.
- Business Insider reported that 42% of sugar babies use the money received to pay for college or student debt.
- According to Statista data on dating applications, the number of dating app users worldwide is expected to reach 440 million by 2027, with projected revenues of more than $3.2 billion.
- A Pew Research report indicates that 30% of American adults have used a dating app, and that number rises to 48% among people aged 18-29.
These numbers demonstrate that the ban in stores did not eliminate demand. It simply forced the industry to find another way to operate.
The great migration: from app store to webapps
When store doors closed, serious platforms had two options: die or reinvent themselves. Most chose the latter, and the solution was surprisingly effective: webapps.
A webapp is a website so optimized for mobile that it works exactly like a native app. The key difference is that you don’t need to download it from any store. Simply:
- Enter from your browser (Safari or Chrome)
- The site suggests “Add to home screen”
- An icon appears on your mobile like any other app
- You get push notifications, it works in full screen, loads quickly
For the average user, the experience is indistinguishable from a traditional app. You can browse profiles, send messages, receive notifications, upload photos, all the same as before. The only difference is that it doesn’t take up space on your phone and doesn’t depend on Apple or Google taking it away tomorrow.
Seeking was one of the first to fully adapt to this format after its expulsion. Other platforms like SugarDaddyMeet and WhatsYourPrice did the same. And newer platforms like SugarDaddyPlanet have emerged that were born directly as webapps, optimized from scratch for this format without the burden of having been native apps.
Unexpected advantages of the webapp format
The ironic thing is that the ban ended up being, for many platforms, a blessing in disguise. Webapps have real advantages over store apps:
They don’t take up space. A typical native dating app weighs between 100-300 MB. A webapp uses just a few MB of cache.
Automatic and invisible updates. You don’t have to download anything manually. Every time you open the webapp, you’re already using the latest version.
No commissions. Apple and Google charge 30% commission on all subscriptions within apps. Webapps completely skip that toll, which allows for lower prices or more free features.
Greater control and privacy. Native apps ask for tons of permissions: contacts, background location, photos, microphone. A webapp only accesses what you explicitly authorize each time.
Impossible to censor. Apple or Google can’t wake up one day and decide to delete your webapp. The platform controls its own destiny.
The cultural impact: normalization without official apps
Something curious has happened in recent years. Despite apps disappearing from official stores, sugar dating has become culturally normalized more than ever.
Part of this has to do with generational changes. For Gen Z and young millennials, traditional relationships are being replaced by more flexible and transparent arrangements. According to a YouGov survey, 55% of people under 30 consider it acceptable to have relationships where roles and economic expectations are clearly defined from the start.
Social media has also played a role. Influencers and content creators openly talk about sugar dating on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. What was once taboo is now discussed naturally, especially among college students facing increasingly large educational debts.
The fact that apps aren’t in official stores hasn’t slowed this trend. If anything, it’s made it more underground and, for some, more interesting.
Is it safe to use these platforms outside of stores?
It’s a valid concern. Without Apple or Google’s security filter, how do you know a webapp is legitimate and not a fraudulent site?
The reality is that serious platforms have had to become even more professional precisely because they operate outside stores. They can’t afford to have a bad reputation.
Most established platforms now offer:
- Mandatory identity verification with official documents
- 24/7 human moderation against fake profiles and bots
- End-to-end encryption in private messages
- Private photos that you only see with explicit approval
- Incognito mode to browse without appearing in searches
- Easy reporting and quick response to suspicious behavior
That said, common sense remains your best tool:
- First date always in a public place
- Never send money in advance
- Be wary of profiles that are too perfect
- Check reviews and forums before registering on a new platform
- If something feels wrong, trust your instinct
Will apps ever return to stores?
Probably not. And there are several reasons to think so.
First, Apple and Google have doubled down on content moderation in recent years. Not just with sugar dating, but with everything related to adult content, gambling, cryptocurrencies, and anything that could cause them legal or public relations problems.
Second, both companies have positioned themselves as “family-friendly” and “safe” brands. Apple especially has built its entire corporate identity around privacy and protection. Allowing sugar dating apps would go completely against that carefully constructed narrative over years.
Third, there’s no significant pressure to change. Platforms have found their way outside stores and are doing well. Users adapted quickly. There’s no large social movement asking for these apps to return. The industry simply evolved and moved forward.
Unless there are significant legislative changes that force Apple and Google to be more permissive (which doesn’t seem likely), these policies will remain for many more years.
The future of sugar dating: decentralized and direct
What’s interesting is that Apple and Google’s ban may have accelerated a trend that was happening anyway: the decentralization of dating platforms.
More and more people prefer platforms that:
- Don’t depend on giant intermediaries
- Don’t charge absurd commissions
- Don’t arbitrarily censor content
- Give more control to users
Webapps meet all those requirements. And with technologies like web push notifications, progressive web apps (PWA), and advanced local storage, the gap between a webapp and a native app has practically disappeared.
In 2025, most users don’t even distinguish between the two. They simply use what works.
Conclusion: stores closed, but the industry prospered
Apple and Google decided in 2020-2021 that explicit sugar dating has no place in their official stores. It was a decision based on media pressure, reputational risk, and corporate policies rather than strict legality, because sugar dating between consenting adults is perfectly legal in most countries.
The result wasn’t the death of the industry, but its evolution toward a more independent model. Webapps proved to be an equally effective solution, in many cases better, than traditional apps.
Today in 2025, if someone searches for “sugar daddy apps” in the App Store or Google Play, they won’t find anything. But if they search for “sugar daddy” on Google, they’ll find dozens of active and prosperous platforms operating as webapps: Seeking, SugarDaddyPlanet, WhatsYourPrice, SecretBenefits, and many more.
The industry didn’t die. It simply stopped needing permission from Apple and Google to exist. And in retrospect, that may have been the best thing that could have happened to it.
