Stretching the truth! 1 in 5 men lie about their height on dating apps to beat the algorithm and get foot in the door

Published: 11:55, 19 July 2026 | Updated: 12:00, 19 July 2026 A fifth of men stretch the truth about their height to get a foot in the door on online dating, a new study has revealed. Research by the UK dating app Hily, shows that many men add an inch or two to their height to find partners on online dating apps such as Hinge, Tinder and Bumble. Men do this because dating apps have selection criteria or ‘filters’ which allows users to rule out candidates under 6ft. Those who fall below 6ft will not register on the profiles of women who want their boyfriend to be over that height. Despite their obvious shortfall when they meet a woman in person for a drink for example, some men have admitted to adding as much as five inches to their height. To a lesser extent women also lie about their height and attempt to seem smaller than they really are in the belief petite women are more attractive. According to the survey out of the 20 per cent of men who lied about their height, a third of that number lied by increasing their size by one or two inches. The desire for a tall male partner has sparked a craze of 'prompts' or opening lines on female dating app profiles such as ‘I’m looking for a partner to reach the top shelf’. Research by the UK dating app Hily shows one in five men lie about their height to secure dates Experts believe men lie about their height and other aspects of their character or physique out of fear of rejection rather than vanity. Eric Resnick, an online dating coach and profile writer, explained more than a third of his male clients under 5ft 8 lie about their height. Mr Resnick told The Times: ‘There is no logic in trying to lie about something you will be caught on the second you meet. ‘It is one of the stupidest lies, but many men justify it as the only way they can get a foot in the door.’ The emphasis dating apps place on filters such as physical traits, income and education has replaced the traditional concept of taking time to get to know the character of a person. Equally, honesty about height is now seen as a vulnerability amongst dating app users who see telling the truth as a tactical misstep or self-sabotage. Height remains an attractive quality because of its association with protection and higher social status. Roughly 25 per cent of men are 6ft by the age of 18 when males are usually fully grown. The average height for a man in the UK is 5ft 9 and only 8 per cent of men make it to 6ft 2 or over. The average height for a woman in the UK is 5ft 4.