It’s not easy being single. But it is important to remember that you’re not alone! In fact, there are millions of other people out there who are single, too.
And we know what you’re thinking: “Great, but how do I meet them?” We’ve got some ideas for you.
If you’re looking for a great app to help you find single people in your area, check out Tinder. It’s a super-popular dating app that makes it easy to connect with other singles who might be interested in meeting up with you.
But if you’re looking for something more serious or long-term than just a fling, then check out eHarmony or Match. These sites are specifically designed to help people find their soulmate—someone they’ll want to spend the rest of their life with!
Best Apps For Singles
Technology has revolutionized the way we find love. You don’t have to set foot within 100 miles of a bar these days to find what you’re looking for. The best dating apps connect like-minded singles from all over the globe together with the swipe of a finger or the touch of a button! But with so many dating apps out there how do you know which ones are actually worth your time?
That’s where we come in. Our team has cultivated a list of the absolute best apps for dating out there. We’re here to help you avoid the duds, find the studs, and get closer to what you’re looking for.
Want more information? Maybe more options? Whatever it is you’re looking for, we guarantee there’s a dating app built to meet your needs. We’ll use the remainder of this page to explore the 32 top dating apps and what makes them good for users.
Elite Singles
Elite Singles Screenshot
When it comes to leaders in the online dating app world, Elite Singles is one that almost always (and should) be at the top of the conversation. With almost 400,000 new users every month and 85% of the membership base holding some form of an above-average education, it’s a great place to find high-quality, successful, and educated single men and single women. Elite Singles is a great pick for those looking for a relationship or at least dating that could eventually turn into a relationship with the right person.
Best overall
Biggest Pro: Majority of users are highly educated.
Biggest Con: Interface is intuitive but a tad dated.
Starting Price: $44.95 per month.
Try Elite Singles Free
Zoosk
Zoosk Screenshot
35 million members…3 million messages sent daily…and a decade and a half in the online dating community. These three stats alone should tell you why Zoosk is a must-try for singles in the US and internationally. What’s great about Zoosk is the dating app caters not only to singles looking for serious relationships (like Elite Singles and eHarmony), but it also works for those looking for a little more relaxed and casual dating. If you want the most options out there, try out Zoosk.
Best for options
Biggest Pro: Over 35 million singles in 80 countries.
Biggest Con: Not all members want serious relationships.
Starting Price: $12.49 per month.
Try Zoosk Free
eHarmony
eharmony homepage screenshot
There’s a reason that so many people call eHarmony the best across the board—because it works. To date, over 2 million people have found love through the app, which works out to a new couple about every 14 minutes! By the time you get done reading this article, another couple will have found love. Maybe you’re next? With over 2.3 million messages sent weekly, eHarmony is a must-try for singles looking for committed and serious relationships.
Best for real relationships and marriage
Biggest Pro: Someone finds love every 14 mins.
Biggest Con: More costly than some lower quality apps.
Starting Price: $35.90 per month.
Try eHarmony Free
Christian Mingle
Christian Mingle Screenshot
Christian Mingle has been around for over two decades and boasts an impressive 15 million members. Focused solely on faith-based dating (Christian), the app is perfect if you’re a “Church five days a week” guy or gal or you’re a “just get there on the major holidays” type of person. As the leader in Christian dating apps, it’s a must-try if your faith is something important to you in a potential partner. And as you might expect, not a great site for casual dating, but awesome for committed relationships.
Best for Christian singles
Biggest Pro: All singles will share your faith and values.
Biggest Con: Not good for casual Christian dating.
Starting Price: $24.99 per month
Try Christian Mingle Free
SilverSingles
SilverSingles Homepage Screenshot
Dating apps don’t just cater to the young and tech-savvy anymore. SilverSingles, part of the prominent Spark Network brand of sites, is exclusively for singles 50 years and older. What’s great is that users report the site is filled with “young at heart” singles and is a great place to find single men and women who are in the same season of life as you. Whether you are looking for friends, casual dating, or to find the love of your life—SilverSingles is amazing for the 50+ community.
Best for singles over 50
Biggest Pro: All users dating with this app are 50 or older.
Biggest Con: Look elsewhere if you want to find younger singles.
Starting Price: $19.95 per month
Try SilverSingles Free
The League
The League Screenshot
One of the newest dating apps out there is The League (founded in 2014, so not that new). It’s a unique spin on online dating where prospective singles have to join a waiting list and get voted onto the app. The idea is a higher caliber of singles, specifically those who have excelled in life and their field of choice. The League has caught some flack for being too “elitist” and not being open to everyone, but it’s hard to deny that the quality of singles (at least by these metrics) is quite high. If you’re curious, hop on the waiting list!
Best for professionals
Biggest Pro: Like you, this dating app has high standards.
Biggest Con: Approval screening process can take some time.
Starting Price: $67 per month
Try The League Free
Jdate
Jdate Screenshot
While Jewish singles can have a lot of luck on more traditional dating apps, why not go to where men and women of the faith have been meeting for over 20 years. Jdate is hands-down the undisputed leader for Jewish dating apps. With robust profiles, an active userbase, and unique features to search, match, and connect, Jdate is another brand from the Spark network of sites offering a niche experience that’s actually worth your time.
Best for Jewish singles
Biggest Pro: Millions of Jewish singles registered worldwide.
Biggest Con: Though fully functional, app design is a bit underwhelming.
Starting Price: $29.99 per month
Try Jdate Free
Catholic Match
Catholic Match Screenshot
Niche dating apps are either really great or ghost towns that should be avoided. For Catholic Singles, there is good news. Catholic Match is the largest Catholic dating site on the planet and is 100% focused on faith-based relationships. What’s really neat about this app is that it has the endorsement of several Catholic leaders, so you don’t have to worry about stepping outside of the lines of your faith to find other Catholic singles.
Best for Catholic singles
Biggest Pro: Great selection of singles & backed by major Catholic leaders.
Biggest Con: Only geared for active practicing Catholics.
Starting Price: $9.99 per month
Try Catholic Match Free
Bumble
Bumble Screenshot
One of the few successful dating apps operating independently from the two biggest networks is Bumble. The entire premise of this swipe-style app is to put the power in the hands of females. Once a mutual match is created, women are the only ones with the power to send the first message. If they do within the first 24 hours, it unlocks the conversation from both sides. If they don’t, the match expires and no one can send a message. It’s an ideal option for women looking to be in the driver’s seat about who they talk to.
Best for women taking the lead
Biggest Pro: Women aren’t overwhelmed with unwanted messages.
Biggest Con: Matches are lost after 24 hours without communication.
Starting Price: $18.99 per month
Try Bumble Free
Hinge
Hinge Screenshot
Sporting the clever tagline “the dating app designed to be deleted,” Hinge is a dating app built on a Nobel-Prize-winning algorithm. What does that mean for you? It means it’s technology geared up to help you find love faster and more efficiently. The app follows the growing trend of swipe-style dating but offers a few unique ways to interact like the ability to “like” a section of someone’s profile. Hinge is available on iOS or Android, but does not have a web-friendly (desktop) version.
Best for intuitive casual dating
Biggest Pro: Modern and unique features for casual online dating.
Biggest Con: Matchmaking is more about accessibility than compatibility.
Starting Price: $14.99 per month
Try Hinge Free
Our Time
Our Time Screenshot
In addition to SilverSingles, Our Time is another dating app designed for the 50 and over crowd. Available in several markets around the world, Our Time comes as an iOS app, Android app, or a desktop version. The perks of Our Time are that it is easy to use and clearly is designed for people who may not be as fluent in the use of technology. If you’re looking for seasoned singles looking to have fun and enjoy the later years of life, Our Time could be the app you’re looking for.
Best for seniors
Biggest Pro: Available in the US, Canada, UK, and other European countries
Biggest Con: No identity verification to enhance profiles and security
Starting Price: $15.96 per month
Try Our Time Free
HER
HER App Screenshot
Originally known as Dattch, HER is an inclusive dating space specifically designed for lesbian, queer, and bi singles. With over 8 million LGBTQ+ women on the app, it’s an incredible place to meet like-minded ladies looking for love and friendship. What’s really unique and the HER dating app is that the company offers access to a lot of sponsored events in the area in case you want to take the conversations offline. So if you’re lesbian, bi, queer, non-binary, a transgender woman, a transgender man, or gender non-conforming—HER is a welcoming space for you.
Best for lesbians
Biggest Pro: Safe and inclusive online dating app for lesbian women.
Biggest Con: Some features like swipes are limited with free membership.
Starting Price: $7.50 per month.
Try HER Free
OkCupid
OkCupid Screenshot
Undergoing a major rebrand a few years back, the OkCupid dating app has left behind its antiquated shell and moved into the discussion of the top dating apps of today. With an impressive over 91 million connections made every year and 50,000 dates weekly (some good and probably some not so good), OkCupid is a great place to get access to a lot of singles in a short amount of time. Famous for being the first major dating website to launch an app and the first app to introduce 22 gender and 13 orientation options, the community is inclusive no matter what it is you’re looking for.
Best for gender diversity
Biggest Pro: Very inclusive. Select up to 5 genders or sexual orientations.
Biggest Con: There are a substantial amount of bots and fake profiles.
Starting Price: $5.99 per month.
Try OkCupid Free
Badoo
Badoo Screenshot
One of the most international dating apps out there is Badoo, with over 60 million active users in over 190 countries. If you’re US-based, you may not have heard much about this app as it’s most popular in South America and European countries, but does still get some traction in the states. The best two words to describe Badoo would be casual and quirky. With some unique matching features and ways to communicate, it takes a spin on the traditional dating app to something that could be refreshing.
Best for finding singles internationally
Biggest Pro: Millions of members from over 190 countries worldwide.
Biggest Con: Privacy and security issues in the past.
Starting Price: $9.99 per month.
Try Badoo Free
BLK
BLK Dating App Screenshot
Owned by the powerful Match Group (owners of apps like Match.com and Tinder), BLK is a free dating app designed for black singles. Available via iOS and Android, BLK has a fairly large user base designed to help match singles. The app follows a freemium model giving you the basic functionality at no cost but you have the option to buy add-ons to enhance the experience. User reviews do mention a high prevalence of spam/fake profiles, but that’s probably to be expected from a platform that is 100% free to join.
Best for Black singles
Biggest Pro: Safe, unified dating app for black singles.
Biggest Con: BLK membership pricing and structure can be confusing.
Starting Price: $0.29 per credit.
Try BLK Free
Coffee Meets Bagel
Coffee Meets Bagel Screenshot
Making the list of the best dating apps doesn’t always mean you have to overcomplicate things and reinvent the wheel. Coffee Meets Bagel (no, the site has nothing to do with coffee or bagels) takes a casual and modern approach to online dating. According to the CMB staff, over 90% of the people on the site are looking for something a little more serious. Regarding how Coffee Meets Bagel works, the app gives you a few matches a day and lets you choose who you are interested in. Oh, and if you’re a fan of the show Shark Tank, you may have seen Coffee Meets Bagel turning down an offer to sell the entire company for $30 million dollars in their early days!
Best modern option
Biggest Pro: Matches are suggested based on CMB’s compatibility algorithm.
Biggest Con: List of potential matches is limited to 5 per day.
Starting Price: $15.00 per month.
Try CMB Free
Raya
Raya Homepage Screenshot and Logo
One of the most exclusive and elite dating apps out there is Raya. The app got famous as it’s billed as the spot where celebrities and the rich go to meet and find love (and that is, in fact, what it actually is). What’s interesting is the Raya app is extremely inexpensive (under $10 a month), but getting in is the hard part. You sign up, get on the waiting list, and join the other over 100k people waiting to hopefully get approved or invited in by an existing member. Probably not an ideal option for us “normal folk,” but still unique enough to include and take a look at.
Best for exclusivity
Biggest Pro: Extreme exclusivity means only the highest quality singles.
Biggest Con: Less than 10% of applicants are accepted
Starting Price: $9.99 per month
Try Raya Free
Happn
Happn Homepage Screenshot
If you’re old enough to remember the Missed Connections on Craigslist, then you already understand the premise behind Happn. The swipe style app doesn’t just search in a radius around you, but instead, it pulls any members you pass by or physically cross paths with into your queue. If there’s a mutual match, a conversation is unlocked. So if you walk past a cute guy or gal in the grocery store and they happen to be a Happn member, they’ll get added to your list of potential matches. The app has good reviews in heavily populated areas and not so great in more rural areas—for obvious reasons.
Best for casual encounters
Biggest Pro: Provides a fun and unique twist on modern casual dating.
Biggest Con: Personality or compatibility-based matching not available.
Starting Price: $10.00 per month
best apps for meeting singles
Whether you’re looking for a long-term relationship or a quick booty call, there’s a dating app for everyone. From the hyper-specific—FarmersOnly, JDate, 3Fun—to the general ones we review here that cast wider nets, there are many, many options. Bars, nightclubs, and other traditional meeting places may be starting to reopen, but how safe are they? Dating sites and apps are the way to go these days, with new services cropping up all the time. A dating app that only works on Thursday? What a concept! Many even have special video services they’ve introduced specifically to deal with dating in a post-COVID world, as we’ll explain later. With so many choices, how can you find your perfect, loving match?
Getting Started With Our Top 10 Dating Apps
The first thing you need to decide is your commitment level. As in, how much do you want to pay to make your heart go pitter-patter? Some apps, like Plenty of Fish, let you view profiles and send messages for free. Most of the others let you view your potential matches without charging, but they make you pony up and subscribe if you want to actually reach out to them without limits—especially if the interest is one-sided. While the monthly charges for the apps we review here range in price from $10 to more than $40, most offer a discount if you commit to a long-term subscription, such as six months or a year. (You’re not afraid of commitment, are you?)
Then there are all the add-ons. Options—letting you pay to boost your ranking in search results, letting someone know that you are really, really interested in him or her or them, or undoing a dreaded left-swipe that was supposed to be a right-swipe—will cost you extra. While some apps may advertise themselves as free, all of them try to get a buck from you in the end. Only Facebook Dating is totally free, and that’s only if you don’t consider your existing personal Facebook profile data to be currency.
Facebook Dating interface
Selling Yourself
When it comes down to actually putting yourself out there and creating a profile, all apps ask for the basics: name, age, location, a photo, a short blurb about yourself, and (usually) if you can stand a person who smokes. Beyond that, it can be a bit of a crapshoot. Some apps, like Tinder, value photos over personality. Others, like eharmony, make you fill out an endless questionnaire before you can even think about browsing for your match. Still, Zoosk and other, similar apps ask so little that you’re left to wonder what’s being used to actually match you with like-minded love-seekers.
If you don’t fall into the cis-hetero dating pool, you’ll be happy to know that most of the apps reviewed here are inclusive. Even eharmony now finally allows for same-gender couples. However, some are friendlier to the LGBTQ community than others. For example, OkCupid goes beyond forcing users to choose between being a male or female, including options like Hijra, genderfluid, and two-spirit. Other apps target identities beyond gender and sexuality. For example, Kippo’s nerd-friendly features attracts gamers, Vinylly connects matches people through shared love of music, and SilverSingles reskins EliteSingles for a senior audience.
Bumble search
Time to Connect
Once you pick that perfect selfie and write paragraphs to sell all your best attributes to your future digital Valentine, it’s time to start browsing. This is where the big differences between these apps are apparent. For instance, Tinder, with its famous hot-or-not swiping interface, makes it quick and easy to find your next date. Bumble, on the other hand, puts all the power in women’s hands; men can’t even contact a woman unless she’s first expressed interest. Others, like Match and OkCupid, have robust profiles that let you dive deep into a user’s personality (or at least the one he or she has decided to present to you), before you decide to go on the pursuit. Hinge lets users create profiles that are a beautiful blend of visuals and text.
Now that you’ve perused the dating pool and have your eyes on that special someone, it’s time to bite the bullet and actually reach out to them. Each app offers different ways of showing your interest. Match will let you Wink at a fellow member for free, and Plenty of Fish doesn’t charge for messaging. In most dating apps, messaging is typically free when both users like each other. However, free users only get so many likes per day, with Hinge being especially limited. In other instances, you’ll get charged for reaching out. If you’re not ready to express your feelings in words, Bumble lets you send Bumble Coins to prospective matches, for $2 a pop. Zoosk offers the slightly creepy option of buying coins to anonymously browse profiles, as well as reward anyone who views your own profile (for an additional fee, of course).
Hinge like and premium
Staying in Touch
As this is 2021, all of these services, even the decades-old Match, offer both iPhone apps and Android apps. Most also have desktop counterparts for when you’re at work and want to take a break from your spreadsheet to set up a weekend tryst. Just be aware that the functionality can vary substantially between the app and desktop interfaces. For example, there’s no swiping on Tinder’s browser version. Facebook Dating and Hinge are only available as mobile apps.
Once you’ve installed these apps and signed up for the services, get ready for a barrage of notifications and email. Some, like daily match suggestions, are helpful, while others, like alerts that tell you every new “like” you get, can just be annoying. The good thing is you can easily tweak these alerts by drilling down into the settings menus in each of the apps.
Any activity that involves meeting strangers from the internet carries some safety risks. If you find yourself in a toxic situation and need to cut off contact, all of these apps let you block and report users who haven’t taken the hint. These services try to vet their profiles and keep unwanted inappropriate material from appearing. Bumble blurs nudes with AI. Tinder lets you secretly alert emergency services if you’re on a particularly bad date. There are even third-party solutions. UrSafe(Opens in a new window) is a hands-free, voice-activated personal safety app with features for online daters who are looking to meet up with their matches in-person. Not having to use your hands is especially appealing during a viral pandemic, which brings us to our next section.
Dating While Social Distancing
In case dating wasn’t difficult enough, our social lives were upended by the COVID-19 epidemic. Ideally, online dating should lead to meeting up in real life. However, sometimes the responsible thing to do is to stay home, and that created quite a dilemma for dating apps. Fairytrail(Opens in a new window), a dating app for connecting via shared travel destination dreams, saw an bittersweet increase in use. Similarly, Zoosk’s Great Dates feature lets couples virtually tour exciting locales safely at home.
The most straightforward virtual dating solution is video chatting, which lets you at least see each other face to face instead of just texting. Bumble, Clover, eharmony, Hinge, Match, Plenty of Fish, and Tinder all offer video chat. Apps with more specific target audiences are also adopting this feature, including the mobile-only Muslim dating app Muzmatch(Opens in a new window). Snack(Opens in a new window) introduces TikTok-style video functionality to dating profiles.
Even apps without video chat acknowledge the crisis in their own ways. OkCupid added personality questions about how you’re coping with the pandemic. Facebook Dating users can choose to use other Facebook communications apps, such as Messenger or the experimental Tuned and Sparked, apps specifically for quarantined couples and speed dating, respectively. Kippo created an entire online shared social space, a “metaverse,” where matches can connect and play games while communicating over audio chat.
Which Dating App Should You Use?
Dating is hard work, so we did some of the legwork for you by taking a deep dive into 10 of the most popular apps. We weren’t popular enough to get into The League(Opens in a new window), the dating app for celebrities. Everyone’s needs and wants are different, so not every app will be a great fit for you. Match and Tinder are both Editors’ Choice picks because they excel in their respective lanes: lasting relationships and fast hookups. Other apps have strengths, too, and you can learn more by reading our in-depth reviews. If things don’t work out, we a have a handy list of the best breakup apps, too.
For more on dating, check out: How I Ended Up in a Tinder Ad Campaign, Match vs. Tinder: Which Dating Service Deserves Your Everlasting Love?, Best Hookup Apps(Opens in a new window), and Caught in a Sham Romance: How to Spot Online Dating Scams.
Conclusion
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