Avito is considering launching a dating service integrated into the platform’s main application. Kommersant reported this, citing the company and sources familiar with the project.
The company said the final decision will depend on market analysis, a review of comparable services, and an assessment of current user demand. Avito representatives declined to provide further details.
According to the newspaper’s sources, the service is expected to be free. Its main distinction from rivals would be a focus on safety, including a three-stage moderation system, secure communication channels, and verification tools, potentially through integration with external services such as Gosuslugi.
Sources also said Avito plans to use recommendation technologies in the new product that it has already developed for its main classifieds catalog.
Veronika Yakovleva, co-founder of the dating app Twinby, said Avito appears to be trying to increase the time users spend in the app, add another usage scenario, and test engagement.
At the same time, she argued that as a standalone business this market is too small for a company of Avito’s scale. Fintech Lab accelerator analyst Sergey Vilyanov, by contrast, said the service could have a strong future if Avito manages to build a large profile base and comfortable conditions for communication.
After the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, several international dating services left the Russian market, including Bumble, Badoo, and Tinder. Other Russian platforms, including Odnoklassniki, had previously announced plans to create their own dating services.