<p>The widespread use of Tinder among young adults reveals distinct behavioral patterns, where motives for usage are associated with various psychological outcomes. This study examined the pathways through which motives for Tinder use are related to internalizing problems and explored whether these pathways differ by gender. The sample consisted of 204 active Tinder users (51% female), aged 18–35 years (<i>M</i> = 25.98, <i>SD</i> = 3.71). Participants completed the Tinder Use Motivation Scale, the short form of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Problematic Tinder Use Scale, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, and demographic and Tinder use questions. Women reported higher motives for finding love and enhancing self-esteem, whereas men reported higher motives for sex and boredom. No gender differences were found in loneliness, problematic Tinder use, or internalizing problems. Love and sex motives were indirectly associated with increased problematic Tinder use through loneliness, and with higher levels of internalizing problems through loneliness and through a serial pathway involving both loneliness and problematic Tinder use. Love and boredom motives also showed direct positive associations with problematic Tinder use. Multigroup analysis revealed some gender specific associations. Among women, motives were not significantly associated with psychological outcomes, although the differences in path coefficient between genders were not statistically significant. The findings highlight loneliness as a central pathway in the associations between certain Tinder use motives and both problematic use and poorer mental health, emphasizing the importance of addressing emotional vulnerabilities among dating app users.</p>