10 Best Online Dating Sites and Apps
Try one of these tried-and-true dating sites
Do you still find the idea of online dating a bit daunting? If so, here are 10 of the best sites for you to try out.
And remember, there’s absolutely no need to be embarrassed by looking for love – or at least a date – online. More than one in five people between 25 and 34 have used a site or mobile app, according to the Pew Research Center, and a majority consider it a good way to meet someone. There are literally thousands of sites out there, so we’ve culled it down to the 10 best to consider.
If price matters, be aware that nearly every site offers staggered pricing depending on whether you join for one month, six months or longer. A rule of thumb is that the longer you sign up for, the cheaper the monthly cost. For smart shoppers, note that if you log in and don’t join, after a few days or weeks you will likely get discount offers from whichever site you visited. And if you poke around online, you can sometimes find discount coupons to save significant bucks on your membership. Use key words such as “online coupon code” paired with the name of the site you’re interested in to find the biggest discounts.
And with no further ado, here are the top 10 sites to visit, based on the number of unique monthly visitors, which is the best way to measure a site's popularity, as well as the features offered.
1. Match
Match is the granddaddy of online dating sites and for good reason. There are nearly 35 million unique monthly visitors and that gives you a huge potential dating pool no matter where you live. It works in the traditional way – you create an online profile, post a few photos, and message with those people you find most appealing.
2. eHarmony
Another longtimer in the online dating game is eHarmony, with 7.1 million unique monthly visitors. To join, you fill out a questionnaire to help the site’s algorithms find you the best match. This is a lengthier process than some other sites. You’ll have to answer several questions and fill in the blanks before your profile will go live on the site. You’ll also get fewer matches than on other sites such as Match, that allow you to sift through all the profiles and pick your own dates. Each day, eHarmony will send a few matches – if any – to your inbox for you to review.
3. OKCupid
This site is now owned by Match.com, but has retained it’s quirky appeal. Members answer dozens (or thousands) of questions about themselves, everything from their favorite music to their views on politics and race. If someone is honest in their answers, you’ll get a quick take on their personalities and see if you’re a potential match. The site is completely free, but there is a premium membership that you can pay for each month if you want more access. With 10 million unique monthly visitors, you’ll have a large dating pool to swim in.
4. Tinder
Everyone has heard about Tinder by now, and bemoaned its tendency to be a hookup site. But the service is so simple that it can’t be ignored. Add the mobile app to your smartphone and, within minutes, you’ll be able to swipe left or right to see everyone on Tinder who is in your immediate area. You can instantly message anyone who appeals to you, if they like your photo as well. The best part? You can say “yes” to the hunky athlete you might be embarrassed to approach at a bar, and unless he picks your photo as well, he’ll never know you were interested.
5. PlentyOfFish
Members report that this free site has many of the same members as Match and OKCupid.com. There are 23 million unique monthly visitors at this busy site. Just like with OKCupid and Match, you create a basic profile, add a few photos, and start browsing through profiles of the demographic you find most appealing. This site does tend to have more inactive profiles than other sites, so sometimes it can be more difficult to get a response.
6. Zoosk
This dating site aims for a younger demographic, ages 21-35, than some other dating sites. It has 11.5 million unique visitors. It offers the option for users to browse quickly through the app to find a date, or spend more time searching out their soulmate. If you don’t want to fill out a profile, you don’t have to. This makes it stand out from many of the other popular dating sites. It also serves as a social networking site by matching you with others on Facebook if you share mutual friends, if you opt to turn on this feature.
7. Badoo
With more than 6 million unique monthly visitors, this site is definitely popular. It began life as an app for your smartphone, but unlike other apps such as Tinder, it is also accessible on your computer.
8. SpeedDate
You can meets someone fast on this speed dating site and app, hence the name. You can quickly move to video chats with your favorite matches, and while initial membership is free, there are add-ons that you can pay to access. With 850,000 million unique monthly visitors, it’s smaller than some of the other sites but still active enough to help you score a date.
9. DateHookup
This site is completely free, but you have to create a quick profile before you can view the bulk of the site’s profiles. With 3 million unique monthly visitors, there are members around the U.S. to choose from.
10. HowAboutWe
Suggest a date idea, post a photo, and see if someone is interested. That’s the premise behind HowAboutWe.com. With 1 million unique monthly users, there are plenty of date options to consider. This is a site that requires a membership in order to talk to other members. Ideas are as simple as “go to the farmer’s market to buy fresh vegetables” or as elaborate as “take a plane to Miami for dinner.”
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