Farmer wants a wife: New rural dating app Howdy arrives in NZ

A dating app designed for people outside the big cities is officially launching in New Zealand.

Howdy, created by 24-year-old farmer and university student Mia Ryan, aims to connect rural Kiwis with each other and create a few sparks along the way.

The app first launched over in Australia in March 2024 and has quickly seen over 30,000 people join the app.

“Dating is tough let alone in rural and regional areas,” Ryan wrote on the Howdy website. “We have created a platform that helps to combat loneliness and bring back a sense of community and human connect.”

It’s not just for the rural crowd either. City singles keen on meeting themselves a farmer are more than welcome too.

The app keeps things simple with a scrolling feed-style layout that feels a bit like social media, rather than your typical swiping.

Like other dating apps, you’ll need a mutual “Go For It” before you can start chatting.

The app has no distance limits either, so you’re not just matching with your neighbours. Users can search nationwide - or even across the ditch - to find a match.

According to Howdy, around 80% of successful couples who’ve met through the app live more than 300km apart, proving distance isn’t exactly a dealbreaker.

It even features rural-themed “Would You Rather” icebreaker prompts to skip the awkward small talk and get conversations started straight away.

You can even search people directly by name - which is handy if you’ve heard whispers of someone special out and about.

“Howdy isn’t just about dating; it’s about building a network where every anyone in rural [areas] can find their match, share stories, and create a stronger community,” Ryan says.

So with its official NZ launch, the playing field just got a whole lot bigger... The rural world (or at least Australasia) is now your oyster.