In 2025, something unusual is happening: people are treating the act of switching off not as an act of retreat, but as an act of privilege. The phrase “offline is the new luxury” has begun circulating widely on social media, in lifestyle magazines, in wellness commentary. It isn’t just about taking a vacation from technology; it’s about deliberately choosing not to be constantly connected, and signalling that choice as part of one’s identity.
Once, “luxury” meant a big house, a fast car, exotic travel. Now, for some, it means fewer notifications, more presence, less screen time. And for others, the ability to choose when to be online is itself a luxury.
Why the Shift? From “Always Online” to “Authentic Offline”
Several forces underlie this shift:
Digital Fatigue & Algorithm Weariness
For years, social apps promised connection: friends, followers, global reach. But many users now feel the opposite: the feed is relentless, the algorithms opaque, and the content often curated hard-sell rather than authentic. The rise of AI-generated content and attention-economy fatigue has added to the sense that being online equals being consumed.
The Desire for Presence and Real-Life Connection
When a generation spent lockdowns online, limits on in-person gatherings, many emerged craving genuine interaction. Apps that promise connection sometimes deliver distraction instead. So the fallback becomes: go offline and meet face to face. The event becomes the new social currency.
Status, Identity & Privilege
To be able to choose to be offline signals you’re not chained to digital survival or hustling for likes. It says you control your time, your attention, and you value presence over projection. One lifestyle blog put it bluntly: “The more offline you are, the more it implies your career and personal life are at a point where you don’t need to be constantly available.”
This intertwines with wealth and privilege: the ability to step away, unplug, and still be fine financially and socially is part of the luxury. As seen in apps that charge for curated offline events, “exclusive” phone-free experiences attract those willing to invest in intentional connection.
The Business of Being Offline: Apps That Cash In
The paradox is this: as people detach from the digital world, companies are building digital businesses to facilitate the analogue experience. In other words: apps selling offline experiences.
Here are some notable examples:
Curated, Phone-Free Events
An app called 222 charges a curation fee and pairs strangers for real-world dinners. Their billboard once used the slogan “offline is the new luxury.” The founder reports hundreds of thousands of members and thousands of offline events.
Another service called Kanso hosts gatherings where attendees must lock away their phones, meet people in person, and surrender screen time for a few hours. Its founder says these events attract “highly-driven extroverts” who value presence.
Real-World Experience Platforms
Companies like Sofar Sounds (which hosts low-profile concerts in unique venues) have repurposed their offering: events for singles who are tired of app-based dating. The experience: live music, no heavy digital interface, real interaction.
Subscription Models for Offline Life
These services often operate with subscription models monthly fees plus event charges. People are willing to pay for “offline” because it signals scarcity: time away from screen-based life is a limited commodity.
Implication for Social Apps
Meanwhile, traditional social media and dating apps are seeing cracks. With user fatigue, negative perceptions of constant connectivity, and AI-driven content overload, some users are looking away from the screen. The irony: the digital world is powering services to escape the digital world.
What This Means for Culture and Consumer Behavior
Redefining Leisure & Status
The luxury of the 2020s isn’t necessarily extravagance in the traditional sense it’s choice. Choosing to not be connected, or choosing to engage less, becomes a form of social signal. It says: I value undistracted time, I prioritise presence, I can afford to unplug.
Mental Health, Attention & Presence
The trend also has roots in well-being. Constant connectivity is linked to stress, reduced focus, poor sleep, and a sense of always being “on.” Opting out even temporarily is becoming a self-care move and also a social marker.
The Fall of “More Screen = Better Social Life”
For decades, the narrative was: more connection, more reach, more followers = better life. Now we’re seeing pushback. Some people treat a phone-free evening as more meaningful than another livestream. One participant of a phone-free dinner said: “These people are all open to making a new friend. They’re prepared to put the energy and time in to make that work.”
A Two-Tier Digital Society
There’s a potential downside: the trend may deepen gaps. If being offline is the luxury, then those who cannot afford to unplug (financially, socially, or professionally) may feel pressured to stay connected. The choice to disconnect may itself become a marker of privilege.
The Risks and Ironies
Is Offline Truly “Luxury” or Avoidance?
There’s an irony: apps designed to help you disconnect often require you to pay and to engage with another digital system. The act of going offline is sometimes mediated by smartphones and apps. The luxury becomes curated and commercialised.
Pressure to Perform “Offline Style”
Just as social media once created pressure to share the perfect meals and vacations, now there may be pressure to showcase your “offline lifestyle”: the curated photo of you sans-phone or posh weekend of no screen. The status symbol risks becoming another performance.
Accessibility & Equity
Not everyone can afford to go offline: entrepreneurs, freelancers, remote workers, those managing multiple jobs may rely on connectivity as lifeline. The trend could unintentionally marginalise those for whom unplugging isn’t an option.
Sustainable Behavior Change
It’s easier to pay for one offline experience than to permanently reduce screen time. Will this trend last, or is it a boutique luxury for a niche audience? Real behavioural change requires systemic shifts in work culture, social norms, and tech design.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next in Offline Culture
Brands and Tech Will Lean In
Expect more brands to market the “offline luxury” aesthetic: minimalist phones, apps with limited features, phone-free retreats, subscription phone-lock boxes, curated offline events. The notion of “less is more” may dominate next phase of consumer tech.
Work & Life Boundaries Will Shift
If being offline is luxury, the boundary between work and non-work may sharpen. More professionals might choose to log off completely at weekends, or take “digital sabbaths.” Employers may even promote time-away-from-screen as a perk.
New Social Platforms Centered on Physical Presence
As traditional social apps feel saturated, new platforms built around IRL (in real life) connection not feeds, not algorithms will grow. They won’t just be about dating, but about friendship, community, and real-world interaction.
Reflection & Reassessment of Digital Habits
Individuals and societies may reassess their relationship with technology: what is meaningful connection? How much time do we want to spend in digital environments? The trend points to selecting fewer, deeper interactions over many shallow ones.
Disconnect to Reconnect
In a world where attention is currency, choosing to not give your attention is a statement. “Offline is the new luxury” isn’t just a catchy phrase it reflects a deeper shift in how we value connection, time, and presence.
For consumers, it means valuing experiences that aren’t mediated by screens. For companies, it means building services that help people escape their screens, even if paradoxically through screens. For society, it asks: what does real connection mean when our default is digital?
Logging off isn’t falling behind it may be stepping ahead. Because the most meaningful connections might not come through WiFi, but through presence.
