- Best Dating App For Active Seniors
- What's The Best Dating Site For A 60 Year Old Woman
- Online Dating For Old People
- Most Popular Dating Site For Seniors
- Not to mention, this is the best senior dating site for senior singles and pretty much affordable as well. On the flip side, if you are looking for committed, long-term and serious relationships.
- Laurie Davis, founder and CEO of dating coach service eFlirt Expert, says much of her work involves helping people - often older active adults - figure out which dating sites to join. Davis recommends that 50-plus singles join one large, general site, such as Match.com or eHarmony, for sheer volume, plus one smaller niche site targeted to.
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Being an older dater can seem scary. After all, most people your age seem to be married or taken. This is NOT the case! There are tons of people out there looking to have a good time just like you and they’re in your age range.
And even though the pandemic is finally getting under control and we can start going out and socializing again, most of us are still taking it slow and using the Internet to find people to meet.
This is where we come in – we are going to show off the best senior dating sites for senior singles so you can find someone who wants what you want, whether it’s just for fun or a serious relationship.
Top 10 Best Senior Dating Sites:
- eHarmony – Most Popular Senior Dating App with Best Algorithm
- SilverSingles – Exclusive Senior Dating Site for 50+ Singles
- Ashley Madison – Best Hookup Site For Seniors
- MILFinder – Best For Meeting & Dating Local Moms
- Match.com – Best Dating Site With Female to Male Ratio
- OurTime – Best Online Dating Site For Men & Women Over 50
- Love Begins At – Best Online Chatroom For People Above 40
- SeniorMatch – Most Effective Dating Site For Seniors & Baby Boomers
- Plenty of Fish – Most Popular Canadian Dating App
- Coffee Meets Bagel – Best For Meaningful Online Dating
#1. eHarmony – Most Popular Senior Dating App with Best Algorithm
Brand Overview
eHarmony has 29 million members from all around the world.
Members are mostly aged in the 25 to 44 year range, so you have a wide variety of people to meet, with outliers on each side. It’s good news because most people are in the market for settling down and getting married, and usually, the older you get, the more stable your life will be.
Males are more prevalent on the site than females, outweighing the female count by about 6%. Those odds aren’t terrible, and thanks to the match quiz you take at first, it’s easy to help you find someone to chat with.
The 70-question quiz itself is a bit tedious at first but really helps. It helps build a personality profile others can use to match with you. Your personality profile shows off the quiz information in comparison to people looking at your profile.
If you want to download the eHarmony app, you can do so and chat with your matches on the go. You will get all the features that you normally get on the desktop site, which is great. The app isn’t hard to learn, and the ads are minimal.
The bottom line? This website is pretty great at finding serious and long-term relationships. It’s good for people who are 30 and up and don’t want to play around anymore. The membership pricing is probably the only part we’re not wild about, with memberships costing $40 a month in some cases. But, you do get what you pay for AND the membership pricing weeds out catfish.
Pros
- #1 best dating site suitable for people above 25
- Fairly even split among the genders
- Minimal fake accounts and bots/catfish
- Many success stories, some of which resulted in marriage
- Detailed profiles
Cons
- Must answer 70 questions during signup
- Expensive
#2. SilverSingles – Exclusive Senior Dating Site for 50+ Singles
Brand Overview
You will go through a very detailed questionnaire when signing up for SilverSingles. There are 125 personality questions, followed by 7 open-ended queries.
It will take about 1 hour to complete this process, but you can save it and come back to it if you don’t want to do it all in one go. Just take your time and be honest in your responses so that you get the best quality matches.
The matches are simply great on this senior dating site. If you’re 50 and up, this is the place to go for a chat and the chance to meet someone great. You will find plenty of interesting men and women to chat with, and it’s likely you will create a lasting and special relationship.
The site also does a great job of figuring out who has been active recently and who hasn’t. They filter them out, so you don’t have to waste your time on them.
The website uses a sophisticated algorithm to match the results of your personality quiz and the preferences you listed in order to deliver the best matches to you. You won’t have to worry about sifting through thousands of profiles.
You can dismiss any matches that you aren’t interested in. Alternatively, you can send a smiley face to matches you like and strike up a conversation with them.
The bottom line? You are going to find a match that is close enough to you but different enough so you keep things interesting. This is the place to be if you’re 50 and up and looking for friendship, a serious relationship, or even marriage.
Pros
- User interface is easy to navigate
- Can get a professional to help you write a profile for a fee
- Will get matches sent to you each day
Cons
- Questionnaire at first is very long but helps match you
- Cannot see photos of other users unless you have a paid membership
#3. Ashley Madison – Best Hookup Site For Seniors
Brand Overview
Ashley Madison is the one of the best hookup sites that’s devoted to, well, having an affair. A while back, their slogan was, “Life is short. Have an affair.” The site began in 2001, and it is devoted to cheating. (We don’t condone such behavior).
You can browse discreetly because, on every page, you can click the “panic button” in the corner which takes you to another benign website (such as Google or a news website).
The user base of this dating site is NOT just cheaters, however. People of all types are on this dating site, so look high and low for somebody that matches your lifestyle. Some people are here because they want something serious or long-term, others are in polygamous relationships (colloquially called “swingers”), and others are just looking for hookups.
Signing up takes just a few minutes to get done. You will have to create an account first by selecting your sexual preference then fill out the profile with all the usual information: age, height, body type, and a small bio if you like. A photo is not needed, but it’s recommended as you will surely get more hits that way.
You will have to verify your email, but that’s the case for anything you sign up for online. The signup process itself takes just a few minutes to complete. Women will get the features of the site for free, but men have to pay.
You will need to purchase credits in order to contact other people on the site for hookups/dating. Credit prices range from $49 to $149 to $249. The mid-range is the best value in our opinion.
Sending messages is free for women which is something of an advantage as it takes the pressure off the guys. But men will need to pay to send messages back and make connections. This credit system is both good and bad; it’s good because it weeds out catfish, but not for those of us who don’t have heaps of extra money lying around.
The bottom line? This isn’t for folks seeking anything serious, but it can be fun. It’s also good for discreet affairs. So, why not take a chance on Ashley Madison and see what you can find?
Pros
- Free for the ladies
- Can pay anonymously
- Panic button feature
- Interface is clean and easy to use
Cons
- No automatic matches
- Not ideal for those seeking serious relationships
#4. MILFinder – Best For Meeting & Dating Local Moms
Brand Overview
Ever wanted to hook up with somebody older but you were not sure where to look? Or perhaps you are looking for somebody a bit older because you are of that age group. No matter why you seek MILF dating, there’s no better place to check it out than MILFinder.
The advantage of dating somebody this age is that they don’t play games anymore. They’re just like you, looking for a good time and maybe something serious (but no promises).
You will love that MILFinder is free to join, and you can select what you’re looking for. They even have options for couples, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Online dating sites can be very difficult for the average woman/man who doesn’t get many responses back, but when it comes to MILFinder, you can virtually kiss that goodbye. The women on this site are very open and receptive to the guys, and the response rate is off the charts.
It’s much different than other senior dating sites in that the women aren’t always looking for men to make the first move. These women are experienced and definitely know that it takes two to tango.
So, if you’re ready to have a little fun, go ahead and sign up for MILFinder. It’s fun, it’s free, and the women are plentiful.
Pros
- Older women only, no younger ladies
- Great for men and women alike
- Signup is free
Cons
- Difficult to find reviews of the website from other users
#5. Match.com – Best Dating Site With Female to Male Ratio
Brand Overview
Did you know Match.com is the first online dating site ever? It’s true – this site was launched back in 1993 before most of us were even using the internet. You can use this website in over 25 different countries, too, so get ready to meet people around the world.
The site is certainly a paid place to meet, but this is to ensure the quality of matches and safety of its members. It also makes for a smoother experience overall. For example, part of your membership price goes to organizing safe and fun events for singles to meet.
Imagine meeting your person in a crowd of others. It’s safe, and if things go south, you can lose yourself in the sea of people and get out of there, and possibly meet someone new.
We liked the matching algorithm. You start your experience by filling out a personality quiz, your education, and what you expect out of a relationship. The features of the site are also plentiful. There are features that will have you matching in no time. All profiles are checked by moderators before they are posted, which helps weed out catfish.
There is an app available to users as well. It’s easy to stay in touch on the go and see what your crush is up to by using your smartphone.
The bottom line? This is one of the best dating sites out there. It has millions of members and uses an algorithm that helps people have an easier time getting paired up with people they can relate to. The interface also makes it rather fun to log on each day and see who’s been matched with you. This is one you’ve got to check out.
Pros
- Match.com prides itself on its algorithm which brings out great matches
- They have events planned worldwide for singles to meet
- You get 7 matches each day
Cons
- Contact is limited unless you opt for the paid version
#6. OurTime.com – Best Dating Site For Men & Women Over 50
Best Dating App For Active Seniors
Brand Overview
To even start with OurTime, you must download the app on Google Play or the Apple App Store. This is fine, but we know that some senior folks don’t use smartphones and instead prefer tablets or desktop computers. So keep this in mind if you’d like to chat with your matches on the go.
Anyway, setting up a profile is very easy. You customize it and enter in the match criteria, and then you hit search. From there you will see the senior singles that meet your criteria. You can “heart” profiles to show interest.
Paid subscriptions are necessary in order to send messages to fellow members and see when the messages were read. With the free version, you can reply to messages, but it will cost the other person.
We noticed that the memberships were a bit pricey. Tiers of memberships are $30 for one month, $70 for 3 months, and $90 for 6 months. Not terrible, but not cheap, either.
And while we sort of balked at the membership prices at first, rest assured there is a 14-day trial. Plus, the paid membership does let you narrow down your matches by very specific criteria.
You can find exactly what you’re looking for because you can filter by:
- Religion
- Ethnicity
- Children
- Body type
- Photos/no photos
- Zodiac symbol
- Age
- Smoker/non-smoker
OurTime also has a cool video chat feature which is very helpful in these times when it’s not always safe to go out. Plus, you can meet somebody and get a feel for their personality and make a plan to meet in real life for a movie, a meal, or just a walk around the city.
The bottom line? OurTime is a great app for people looking to connect with other individuals for dating or fun.
Pros
- App interfaces are simple to learn/use
- Free trial available
- Matches are curated
Cons
- Monthly subscriptions are a bit spendy
- Only available as an app
#7. Love Begins At – Best Online Chatroom For People Above 40
Brand Overview
This is a community devoted to daters aged 40 and up. It is exciting to meet with people who are around your age and share the same station in life. You can connect with men and women from around the world on this website for senior dating.
Pricing is pretty fair; you can start with the free option and upgrade to the paid membership if you’d like. This is the way to enjoy all the best features, after all. It’s pretty easy to set up your profile, too.
You will begin by making a profile – you can make it as detailed as you like. At the least, it will take about 10 minutes to set up, but if you’d like to spend more time, you are welcome to do that. You’ll add a photo of yourself, and then you can start browsing.
Sending messages will require you to purchase a subscription. But you can definitely participate in the chat rooms if you like. It’s a great way to get your feet wet and see who’s online. Upgrading your membership will also allow you to video chat with another site member for senior dating.
This site is so welcoming to people who are brand new to online senior dating sites or who are just getting back into the dating world or senior dating world as well. They have helpful blogs that are fun to read and offer advice about dating.
You can read the success stories of other members as well. Plus, they host events in major US cities, so consider going to one of those once it becomes OK to gather again.
The bottom line? The easy-to-use interface, age range of people, and welcoming environment make this site a winner.
Pros
- Mobile app available
- Profiles kept private
- Easy to report fake profiles
- Live chat available
Cons
- No ability to pay anonymously
- No method of identity verification
#8. SeniorMatch – Most Effective Dating Site For Seniors & Baby Boomers
Brand Overview
If you’ve ever heard of SuccessfulMatch, an Ontario, Canada-based company, this is part of their network. They provide specific groups of people a safe and exciting way to meet like-minded adults. For example, one of their dating sites is MillionaireMatch.
This dating site for seniors is perfect for those who are looking to start a romantic relationship. Whether you are seeking a man or woman, this site can help. Plus, you can get results from the other dating sites associated with SeniorMatch to broaden your horizons.
It’s easy to get started. First, you will build your profile and then enter the criteria you’re looking for. After that, you can see your matches and send messages once you get a paid membership going. A paid membership is worth it because you can sort by other criteria such as body type, height, and religion.
Plus, they make it easy for everyone to strike up a conversation. You can send a “wink” to get things started, and it’s a fun and easy way to say you’re interested without fumbling over what to say.
Free memberships are good but limited. You can comment on profiles, post date ideas, send winks, and search matches by gender, state, and age. You can also add private and public photo albums.
But you will want the paid membership. You can browse anonymously, see when someone was last active, read more helpful articles about senior dating or dating in general, see matches you’re most compatible with, narrow down your searches using more specific criteria, and much more.
The bottom line? This site offers much more than other senior dating sites with free memberships, and the matches you get are plentiful. You will quickly see why getting a paid membership is worth it.
Pros
- Big affiliate network means greater matches
- Free profiles available
- Plenty of communication choices
- Just for ages 45 and up
Cons
- Search results include inactive members
- Must use paid membership to sort out inactive accounts
#9. Plenty of Fish – Most Popular Canadian Dating App
Brand Overview
One of the most well-known dating sites out there is Plenty of Fish, and it’s been around for over a decade. There you will find features that most people look for in a dating service, such as the ability to send messages, take a free personality assessment that can help you find a good match, and install a mobile app that you can use right on your tablet or phone.
There are 78 million members on the site, but only 2 million logins each day. One thing to note is that the highest percentage of ages comes from the 25 to 34 range, but you can search by age to filter out people too young for your taste.
It’s very easy to sign up and is also free to do so. You will not have to link your other social media accounts to register. You can also create a profile in just under 10 minutes, and you only have to answer 20 basic questions to get started getting matches.
It’s free to send messages, and it works a lot like text messaging. You can use “priority message” to put your favorite contact at the top of the list. We also thought it was cool that you could record a voice message and send it using your phone. This is a nice way to feel comfortable with somebody until you feel OK giving out your phone number.
Profiles are detailed. You will have an easy time getting the first impression thanks to how much detail they have. Plus, you can upload many pics for free, which helps you show off all your good sides and see others too. To see an extended profile, you will need a premium membership.
The bottom line? This is a site with a little bit of everything to offer- you have people seeking long-term and short-term relationships, people of many ages, and millions of profiles to browse. It’s not as selective as other dating sites, but still worth checking out.
Pros
- Men cannot send pictures due to reports of nudity, thus it is more inviting to women
- Can find people looking for fun or something serious
- Has many users located around the world; likely to find someone near you
Cons
- Users complained about running into fake profiles and catfish
- Not able to filter by age, height, or ethnicity unless you have a premium membership
#10. Coffee Meets Bagel – Best For Meaningful Online Dating
Brand Overview
Would you like a fresh bagel at noon? That’s what you get with Coffee Meets Bagel – matches delivered every day at noon, called “bagels.” It’s an app that is just for folks serious about dating.
When male users get their list of “suggested bagels,” they can “Like, Pass, or Priority Like.” By Liking or Priority Liking a profile, you can send a message to that person. For women, bagels are shown that meet the criteria they’ve set up AND who have already sent them a “like.”
Your bagels are screened using criteria such as gender, distance, religion, ethnicity, and age/height. Once you are presented with your bagel, you have 24 hours to “pass” or “like” them, and if both parties hit “like” you can start a chat with one another. But you only have 7 days to text, so exchange emails/contact info sooner than later.
As far as paid options go, you will find that you can buy more “beans” which are used to send “Priority Likes” as well as extend your chat window and open up expired conversations, and more. You can earn the beans for free just by using the platform, also.
You will appreciate the demographics of this site too. Current stats suggest the average user age is 30 to 49. This is an older age compared to dating sites like Bumble or Tinder. Profile creation is easy – you can use your Facebook profile to start. You can also enter a mobile number. Be sure to take the time to set up your profile because that will ensure more bagels will come to you.
Pros
- Not overwhelming with messages and matches, therefore it’s easier to get responses back from quality matches
- More women than men – great for the guys
- Matches are sent directly to you so you don’t need to waste time clicking through profiles
Cons
- Matches are based on just five criteria, so you may get matches that aren’t what you seek
- Still relatively new, so the matches near you could be very limited unless you live in a big city
Staying Safe on These Online Dating Sites
It’s important to be safe when dating online. With the pandemic finally getting under control, we are so excited to see and meet new and old friends alike. However, you should use caution when chatting and meeting with people on online dating sites.
Here are a few safety tips you can use to stay safe:
- Only go if you feel comfortable. Some folks will try to be very pushy about the meeting. Their profiles might say “Not interested in chatting,” or “Not looking for a texting buddy.” Sure, it’s important to meet somebody if you care to. But NEVER give in to pressure to meet unless you feel 100% ready to do so. And don’t feel bad about saying no; a true friend will not fault you for waiting.
- Do some research. It’s OK to look up your online date ahead of time. You can use social media to do this to ensure you are meeting a real human and not a catfish.
- Tell somebody. Let a friend or family member know where you’re headed and when you will be back.
- Meet in a public area during normal hours. Meet at a coffee shop, restaurant, or park, and stay in public during the entire first date. Don’t go back to their home just yet.
- Have a ride ready. Whether it’s your car, an UBER, or a friend, be ready to leave if things go south. It’s nice to be picked up, but for the first date, have your ride.
- Don’t drink. It’s nice to unwind with a beer or cocktail but stick with tea or soda so you can stay in control of your surroundings and avoid putting yourself in a risky situation.
- If you feel uncomfortable, simply leave. If at any point during the date you feel uncomfortable, simply excuse yourself and go. You don’t have to make excuses. You are an adult, and if something doesn’t feel right, go with your gut.
FAQs About Senior Dating Sites
Here we will discuss common questions related to online dating or the best senior dating sites for senior singles:
Q. I’ve heard a lot about online dating site scams. How can I avoid them?
- It’s as simple as recognizing the signs. Here are four things that are considered red flags in online dating:
- The person you’re chatting with on a dating site professes their love to you in a short period of time, but you’ve never met. Once they’ve earned your confidence, they will get you to give out personal information including answers you use for those “security questions” associated with your internet passwords/accounts. If somebody says they love you and you’ve never met, it’s best that you block them and report the profile.
- They say they need money for travel, medical expenses, or emergencies. Normal people know they cannot ask strangers for money, so you shouldn’t entertain such requests. They may play it up and tug at your heartstrings, but don’t fall for it.
- They plan to visit you, but then an “emergency” happens. If you’ve made plans to meet but every single time, they always bail because of family emergencies, illness, or business reasons, be very suspicious. They often follow up these cancellations with requests for money. Don’t give in.
Not sure if the person you’re talking to is a scammer? Run your conversations with a friend or family member to see what they think. A fresh pair of eyes can shed new light on a situation.
Q. I haven’t dated in a while. What are some dos and don’ts for online romance?
- No worries. We all can use a refresher about what to do to make a good first impression. Here are some tips:
Do…
- Your research. Make sure that before you meet somebody you look them up on social media to verify that they are a real person. You can even search LinkedIn for a work profile.
- Discuss your hobbies. Hobbies are a fun way to get to know somebody and it’s not too personal. Talk about things you’re interested in, things you’d like to try, and things you perhaps didn’t care for but were glad to have tried. This helps you and your online friend connect and view each other as real humans!
- Include a variety of photos. Take a funny one, a smiling one, a handsome/beautiful one, and one of you doing something you love. Pets are always a winner, too. Don’t Photoshop – be your true and authentic self.
Don’t…
- Pretend to be somebody else. Don’t post pictures of yourself from a decade ago. Don’t post a person that’s not you. Don’t lie about your age. Eventually, you will have to show an online friend who you are, and lying to someone only hurts them. So, just be honest and don’t be afraid to be yourself.
- Give up. The problem with online dating is that we look at people not as humans, but as photographs. Just remember that you have to cast a wide net and reach out to get a response. And if they don’t write you back, don’t take it personally. Just try again.
Conclusion: Which Dating Site Is Best For Seniors?
Online dating is a wonderful way to meet new people, no matter how old you are. And with these ten best dating sites for seniors, you are sure to find somebody you will enjoy chatting with or just meeting for some casual fun. Our top two picks for best senior dating sites are eHarmony and SilverSingles.
No matter why you’re using these senior dating sites, just make sure you stay safe, keep your wits about you and trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Enjoy your dates, have fun, and remember to be yourself every step of the way.
What's The Best Dating Site For A 60 Year Old Woman
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It's never been easy to find a partner, and challenges from COVID-19 has made dating even more complicated. Luckily, even if you're not getting out as much as you used to, online dating sites and mobile dating apps can help you make connections that lead to a long-term relationship (or even a fun fling!). Yes, the internet is a wonderful thing.
But where to start? There are lots of good dating websites and apps, whether you're looking to meet new people, try casual dating, find others with similar interests or finally find your ideal match for a long term relationship. I took into consideration everything from each online dating service's dating pool to whether it provides daily matches to whether it's a free dating app or a paid service. A new person that fits your exact dating profile is sure to be out there!
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Here's an overview of the best dating sites on the market. My recommendations are based primarily on my own experiences in the online dating platform arena as a woman, with some word-of-mouth impressions from friends thrown in for good measure.
So what are you waiting for? Sign up for these top dating sites or apps, start chatting and maximize your chances of meeting your perfect match. We'll update this list periodically.
Bumble is basically Tinder for women... and on a timer. Bumble is a free dating app that requires women to message first. If the guy doesn't message back within 24 hours, he loses the potential dates. Because that's the one thing my love life was really missing: Arbitrary time limits.
The timer is designed to encourage contact and some people really do appreciate that feature. But if you're someone who procrastinates, Bumble may not be for you. Because women must message first, Bumble tends to weed out the more insecure males from the dating pool. However, the rate of overly confident men tends to be higher than I've seen on other apps. Bumble also has a BFF feature to help you meet new people, but that's really not our focus, so I'll save it for another time.
Whether you're looking for a casual hookup, potential date, friendship or an LTR (long term relationship), Tinder has you covered. It's basically the first stop for those entering the dating world. If you want to play the odds when it comes to online dating, you need to be swiping where everyone's swiping.
On the upside, the profiles are brief, which helps you to make decisions quickly. The downside is that a short dating profile makes it harder to figure out what a lot of people are looking for. Knowing very little about a person can also make initial messaging a lot more challenging. You'll need to wade through a sea of profiles, which makes it easy to pass over people you might have given a chance under different circumstances.
OkCupid, how you confuse me. I have friends who've met their ideal match and even spouses through OkCupid. My last serious relationship came from the OkCupid dating service. In fact, I've been on OkCupid on and off, for roughly the last 11 years. Profiles are a lot more in-depth than most online dating sites and if you answer a seemingly endless series of questions (much like a personality test), they will spit out a reasonable Match/Enemy percentage ratio on profiles to help you gauge compatibility based on interests.
Changes in the last few years have made OkCupid a bit more like Tinder (both owned by the same company), focusing more on swiping and eliminating the ability to message a user without matching with them first. Online daters can still send a message -- it just won't show up in the recipient's inbox unless you match. Because who doesn't enjoy sending a thoughtful message to someone who might never see it? However, OkCupid has pointed out that these changes did help lower the number of offensive messages and fake profiles people received, which might be a worthwhile trade-off. Unfortunately in my experience OkCupid has become a bit of an online dating app ghost town.
HingeHinge finally won me over, becoming my favorite dating app last year. Originally the app focused on common connections and mutual friends that you and a potential partner shared on Facebook, which was a gimmick I was never sold on. But it has since pivoted away from this model. Hinge has designed the app to make user profiles more engaging (and helpful) than on apps like Tinder. You have the option of displaying a lot of useful information that could be deal breakers: Your political leanings, your religion, your alcohol consumption frequency or even your interest level in having children someday. The prompts provided by Hinge make it easy to create more engaging profiles. Hinge's current slogan is 'designed to be deleted,' so if a potential match for a serious relationship is what you're looking for, this is the dating app I would recommend.
Coffee Meets Bagel hopes to offer people better-quality matches by sending curated daily matches, or 'bagels,' each day at noon. They suggest ice-breakers for first messages and the profiles are more in-depth than Tinder. For people who like a little extra hand-holding, CMB isn't the worst option. However, I found the app confusing to use, with too many features and a lot of gimmicks. I shouldn't have to look up online tutorials to figure out how to use a dating app. Plus why call matches Bagels?
I was also disappointed in the notifications, which I found too pushy. CMB was constantly 'gently' reminding me to message people I'd matched with. I eventually disabled the app after receiving the following notification: 'Show [match name] who's boss and break the ice today!' Should a potential future relationship be rooted in a hierarchical power dynamic? At the end of the day, I have friends who've had the perfect match on CMB, but it isn't one of my favorite online dating apps.
Happn matches you with people who are located nearby. It's a cool concept and helpful for people who want to meet someone in a more organic manner. That said, I've never met a single person who actually uses the app.
After signing up, Happn showed me 68 people it said I'd crossed paths with in the preceding 3 hours, though I hadn't left my apartment all day. This might be helpful if you're looking to date your immediate neighbors (or Uber drivers), but I don't see the attraction when competitors like Tinder already show the distance between you and other users. Frankly, if I saw an attractive guy in a coffee shop, I'd just approach him rather than check to see if he's on Happn. The app seems designed for people who don't want to use online dating sites but also don't want to approach people in real life. Pick a lane.
The League is an 'elite dating app' that requires you to apply -- and supply your job title, college and LinkedIn profile. Big cities tend to have long waiting lists, so you might find yourself twiddling your thumbs as your application to be one of the elite singles on the app is reviewed. (Of course, you can pay to expedite the process.) The exclusivity can be a draw for some and a turnoff for others, but I'll let you in on a secret: I've seen most of the profiles I come across on The League on other dating apps, too. So at the end of the day, you'll probably see the same faces for potential dates on Tinder, if you aren't deemed elite enough for The League.
Most dating apps are fairly LGBTQ inclusive. Still, it's nice to have an app to call your own. Her is tailored to lesbian, bisexual and queer women. It's a worthy notion -- but the app has some bugs and glitches that made it frustrating to use. Most of my queer female friends have told me they found the app 'just OK' and not perfect and that they usually end up back on Tinder or Bumble. Still I checked it regularly for some time and had a few pleasant conversations with actual human beings. Isn't that all we're really looking for in a dating app?
Clover tried to be the on-demand version of online dating sites, letting you order a date much like you would a pizza. It also provides numeric match predictions based on compatibility and interests, though it isn't entirely clear how those numbers are calculated.
I was on Clover for quite some time, but had since forgotten it existed until I started to compile this list. It strikes me as a less-successful hybrid of OkCupid and Tinder with a relatively small user base, even though I live in an urban area with plenty of people who use a wide variety of dating apps. Clover says it has nearly 6 million users, 85% of whom are between the ages of 18 and 30.
Plenty of Fish launched in 2003 -- and it shows. The problem I come across over and over again is that POF is filled with bots and scams, even though it may have the most users of any dating app. POF's issues don't mean you won't be able to find love on it, but the odds might be stacked against you. Unless you're into dating bots.
Match.com has a free version, but the general consensus is that you'll need a paid subscription to have any luck. That's a hangover from the early days of online dating sites, when a paid basic membership to a site meant you were serious about settling down. But my friends and I have long since come to the conclusion that you might be a little too eager to find a significant other or the perfect partner if you pay to get dates, particularly given the abundance of free dating apps. There are definitely paid features on some dating apps that are worth the price, but I've yet to be able to justify shelling out cash for love.
eHarmony/AppleOnline Dating For Old People
eHarmony was one of the pioneers among online dating site options, and -- while I haven't personally used this one -- we all remember the pitch for online daters, thanks to years of TV commercials: The service matches couples based on '29 dimensions' of compatibility and interests (as determined by a thorough relationship questionnaire and personality test). While you can review the profiles of your prospective matches for free, you'll need to pay to unlock the full features of the service. There's a three-month plan and a six-month plan, and they come with a guarantee: If, after three months of paid membership and communicating with at least five members, you're not satisfied, eHarmony will refund your money. Despite a rocky road that eventually involved a high-profile lawsuit, the site finally added same-sex dating in 2013. I have mixed feelings about using the site myself, but it's at least technically more inclusive now.
Have you had a good (or bad) experience with one of these services? Do you have any other online dating sites you'd recommend? Share your experiences in the comments or on social media.