Some world-shattering events have made history and shaped the destinies of future generations. The Emancipation Proclamation. The fall of the Berlin Wall. The invention of swiping on dating apps.
Seriously, swiping has revolutionized the way singles meet one another, and that has impacted relationships, families, and even birth rates throughout the world.
For better or worse (and some think it’s decidedly worse), swiping has turned dating into a fast-paced game of “Hot of Not?” And, thus, it has empowered singles to go after the type of dates they find most attractive and ignore the rest. If you’re ready to start swiping, here are some popular dating apps that are also free to try.
Match.com
- Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
- Match System: Browse by location, age, interest, and more
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About the App:
Available via the App Store and Google Play, Match is a fantastic app for dates and relationships. With a user base of 30 million singles, Match is where you’ll have a high chance of success. It’s free to download, create a profile, search for date prospects, and receive compatible matches based on personalized preferences. Free members can also chat with select members and send unlimited likes.
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Launched in 1995, Match predates swiping by about 17 years, but it has been quick to adopt swipe-friendly options for people who like that format.
The Match dating site and app now features a Discover section where you’ll view a recommended profile, complete with a brief bio and match rating, and you can choose to like, skip, or send a message to that person. Match uses a sophisticated algorithm to curate a list of dating profiles that are compatible with who you are and what you want.
In addition to its swiping features, Match offers advanced search filters and a members-only events calendar to help singles explore everything the local dating world has to offer.
eharmony
- Relationships: Long-Term Relationships, Marriages
- Match System: Get daily match suggestions
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About the App:
Responsible for 4% of marriages in the U.S., eharmony is among our top picks for relationship-minded heterosexual singles. To become a member, add the app to your phone (iOS or Android) and then take its 29 Dimensions® of Compatibility Matching Quiz. It’s absolutely free to do both these things — as well as receive matches and communicate during other special events.
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In 2000, a Christian theologian and clinical psychologist named Dr. Neil Clark Warren decided to strengthen the institution of marriage by helping singles find the right partner in the dating scene. He developed a values-driven matchmaking system that became the foundation of eharmony. Today, eharmony is one of the most trusted dating sites in the U.S.
Over 2 million people have found love on eharmony, and the site creates a new match every 14 minutes. Its success stories are truly heartwarming and prove that online dating can lead to loving relationships and families if you go about it the right way.
You won’t be doing much mindless swiping on eharmony. The dating platform takes relationships much more seriously than that, and it recommends profiles based on an in-depth personality assessment and compatibility quiz. If you find someone special in your Matches, you can send a smile, like a photo, or offer an icebreaker quiz for free, but only premium members can send messages to anyone on eharmony.
- Relationships: Dates, Relationships
- Match System: Browse by city, hobbies, age, etc.
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About the App:
Since it was founded in 2002, BlackPeopleMeet has established the largest online dating community for black and biracial singles of all orientations. Every month over 1.4 million daters use this simple and safe platform to connect with African-American singles in their area. You can download the app and create a profile for free to find new friends, hot dates, and love interests online.
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As a black dating site, BlackPeopleMeet has given thousands of black and biracial singles the chance to mingle with people who share similar backgrounds, perspectives, and values.
Swiping is an essential part of the matching process on BlackPeopleMeet. You can like or pass on profiles in the Matches tab, and you’ll receive a notification if and when someone likes or flirts with you in return. Only subscribed members can view their likes and send unlimited messages, but it’s free to browse through local dating profiles using swiping tools and search filters.
BlackPeopleMeet fosters a friendly and safe dating space for singles seeking genuine connections. As the Community Guidelines say, “If you’re honest, kind, and respectful to others, you’ll always be welcome here.”
OurTime.com
- Relationships: Dating and Relationships
- Match System: Search by age as well as zip, gender, more
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About the App:
Made just for single seniors, OurTime is one of the most well-known niche dating apps. It’s a fun and straightforward app with simple swiping features. Once two people swipe right on each other, they can communicate. For more match options, visit the ConnectMe and I’m Interested pages.
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The OurTime dating site delivers premium swiping features to senior singles seeking friendship, love, and romance. It takes less than two minutes to create a free profile on OurTime and start browsing profiles.
You can search for date prospects by age, location, ethnicity, relationship status, or even zodiac sign, and all you have to do is click the heart button to send a virtual flirt. Who knows? That online connection could lead to an OurTime success story.
5. Tinder
Tinder is the original swiping app, and it basically coined the terms “swipe right” and “swipe left.” In 2012, Tinder went viral because its mutual matching system turned dating into a fast-paced game, and millions of singles enjoy having a say over who could slide into their DMs.
Today, the average Tinder user spends 90 minutes a day reviewing matches, sending messages, and swiping on profiles.
The Tinder app excels at keeping singles moving forward and swiping through virtually endless date options. Tinder leads to over 1.5 million dates per week, and many relationships have blossomed as a result.
Hailey met her current boyfriend on Tinder in 2014. They lived in the same Boston neighborhood, but Tinder gave them the opportunity to actually have a conversation and hit it off. “We would have never interacted had it not been for Tinder. He’s not going out all the time. I’m not going out all the time,” Hailey said.
6. Bumble
The Bumble app created a buzz in the online dating world by encouraging women to make the first move and take control of their dating experiences. A former Tinder executive named Whitney Wolfe Herd launched Bumble in 2014, and it quickly became known as the world’s first feminist dating app.
Bumble’s swiping system is pretty standard — you see a profile and swipe right to like it and left to nix it — but its messaging system is unique because straight women have First Move privileges. Once a mutual match is created between a man and a woman, the woman has 24 hours to send a greeting, or the chat window will disappear.
Thanks to its progressive policies and innovative features, Bumble remains one of the most successful independent dating apps in the world.
7. OkCupid
Four Harvard math majors created OkCupid to solve the problem of love, and their data-driven approach to dating has led to millions of smart matches across the globe. Every year, OkCupid creates over 91 million connections between singles seeking similar things in life.
OkCupid has always operated under the motto, “Dating deserves better.” The team puts in a lot of effort to make sure singles can express themselves and find compatible dates without putting in a lot of effort or paying a single cent.
OkCupid added a swiping interface called DoubleTake in 2017, and it became an instant hit among daters. Now, in addition to searching for profiles by interests, demographics, and keywords, singles can swipe through dating profiles to see what grabs their attention and make something happen.
Only singles who have liked each other can send unlimited messages to each other’s inboxes. However, OkCupid gives free members the chance to send an initial greeting to grab someone’s attention and make that special someone more likely to click the heart button on your profile.
8. Plenty of Fish
Plenty of Fish is a free dating site and app with over 150 million members in its database. A day in the life in the POF community is full of flirtatious activity. On an average day, over 70,000 singles create profiles, 4 million people browse for matches, and over 17 million chats are exchanged.
According to POF’s internal stats, singles receive the most attention within their first 24 hours online, so be sure to make every swipe count.
Plenty of Fish offers a fun personality quiz, original icebreakers, and match recommendations to help singles navigate the local dating scene. You can swipe on profiles in the Meet Me tab and send likes or hearts to your favorite ones. You can also view who’s liked you in the They Said Yes tab. Finally, you can take things to the next level by sending messages to your mutual matches on Plenty of Fish.
“You are able to look at individual profiles. You don’t have to endlessly swipe. You can pick the people you want to view,” said Thomas Y. in a Google Play review.
9. HER
HER is a popular dating app designed to suit womxn in the LGTBQ+ community. Over 15 million women have joined the fun so far, and you won’t find any bots, scammers, or men in this mix.
Professional HER moderators screen all new profiles and require them to have real photos, verified identities, and a genuine interest in dating lesbian, bisexual, and queer womxn. These moderators work around the clock to create a safe, friendly, and trustworthy dating space.
HER has the traditional swiping features of a dating app, but it also encourages users to get more involved in the LGBTQ+ dating scene by commenting on public posts or photos and RSVPing to local queer events.
“Acknowledge each other, comment, have discussions, and pay it forward,” the HER team says. “These communities are for LGBTQ+ womxn, trans and non-binary people to be able to discuss and share in a space that is exclusively for them. Respect is absolutely required when engaging with other HER Community Members.”
10. Grindr
In 2009, Grindr pioneered location-based matching between gay singles, and swiping technology has been a natural ally to its fast-paced networking ability. The Grindr app prioritizes the profiles of men who are online and near you, and that often leads to flirty chats and steamy encounters.
Some users say Grindr is only good for local hookups, but we’ve heard plenty of stories about couples who got into long-term relationships after meeting on the app.
In fact, 84% of surveyed Grindr users said they’ve fallen in love with someone on the app, and 56.5% said they think they can find a lasting partner here.
11. Hinge
Hinge is a free dating app known for creating authentic relationships with every swipe. The app boasts having a great first date success rate, and I can attest to its effectiveness because I met my boyfriend on Hinge.
The best part about Hinge is how it handles swiping. You’ll look through a personality-driven profile that includes six photos, three personal prompts, and a lot of demographic information, and then you’ll have the option to like or comment on a specific part of the profile — as in, “Nice photo. When did you visit Greece?” or “I agree, plain cheese pizza is the best.”
You can’t just blindly say Yes or No to Hinge profiles — instead, you’ll have to send a specific compliment that shows you like that person in particular.
When looking for matches on Hinge, singles can take their time and swipe based on true compatibility, and that can make all the difference once the conversation kicks off. According to internal stats, Hinge users who leave a comment are three times more likely to get a response from their online crushes.
13. Happn
The Happn dating app has turned serendipity into a match algorithm by showing singles where they cross paths with potential dates in their everyday routines. Maybe your online crush frequents the same coffee shop or public park, but you’ve never gotten acquainted. Happn can make that introduction and open people up to a world of romantic possibilities.
Happn relies on the smartphone’s GPS data to put singles in touch with dates who share similar habits, interests, and lifestyles, but it never gives away a person’s real-time location.
“Better than Tinder in my opinion,” wrote a Happn user in a review. “Location showing up where you crossed paths is a really big win.”
14. Coffee Meets Bagel
Coffee Meets Bagel is the passion project of three women who take issue with today’s swiping culture and want to prioritize quality over quantity in the online dating scene.
“The experience can be seedy. It can be overwhelming,” said CMB Co-Founder Dawoon Kang. “We care about safety and quality. And that was the genesis of Coffee Meets Bagel.”
Coffee Meets Bagel limits the number of matches and likes a user has each day, and that keeps people from carelessly swiping through profiles as if they’re a dime a dozen.
The CMB team has developed a smart algorithm that can pick out the most compatible profiles for you and help swipe-weary singles “rediscover dating.”
15. The League
The League is a premier dating app where singles with high standards and big ambitions feel right at home. The app attracts executives, doctors, engineers, and highly capable professionals seeking an escape from the mainstream dating scene.
Settling is not an option on The League. The intelligent app pre-screens all incoming members to ensure they belong among the dating elite. Only the most attractive and successful individuals can browse and swipe on The League.
The League has a 4.2-star rating in the App Store, and many users say it has exceeded their expectations with its high-quality membership base.
“This isn’t your average dating app,” Docmom21 said. “Thankfully, for those of us who have been uncomfortable on quick-match dating sites, The League is here.”
16. Badoo
Badoo launched in Moscow in 2006, and it has grown into a global dating phenomenon. In 2016, it was the most downloaded dating app in 21 countries, including Spain, Italy, Mexico, and Brazil.
Today, Badoo has over 46o million users all over the world, and it sees over 350 million messages sent per day.
Badoo offers a straightforward swiping and chatting system where singles heart photos to connect with people online. Once you’ve both liked each other, you can send messages, voicemails, or video chats to nurture the relationship. Read our full review of Badoo to learn more about the app’s membership and matching process.
What is the #1 Dating App?
In terms of sheer size and popularity, Tinder is undeniably the king of all dating apps. Tinder has created over 100 billion matches since 2012, and it sees more than 2 billion views per day.
Tinder has convinced a generation of young singles to embrace #SwipeLife, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down or losing traction. If anything, more Tinder relationships seem to crop up all the time.
“It is possible to find intensely sweet and true rom-com love on Tinder,” said Lane Moore, host of the “Tinder Live” comedy show. “Lately, everywhere I look, people are finding those lasting matches on dating apps. Which gives hope to us all.”
Which Dating App is Best for Hookups?
NaughtyCharm is our top-rated hookup platform because it has simple search filters, straightforward swiping, and free communication options. It takes only a couple minutes to set up a NaughtyCharm profile (photos are optional but encouraged), and you can start browsing for dates immediately.
- Relationships: Casual Encounters
- Match System: Sort profiles by ZIP code, appearance, more
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About the App:
On NaughtyCharm, everyone is interested in finding sexual encounters with no strings attached. Within a couple of minutes, you can get a profile up for $0. Free membership includes unlimited photos, browsing, and reading chats. NaughtyCharm also has an anti-fraud system to ensure your personal information stays private while you flirt online.
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Anyone over 18 can join NaughtyCharm and start searching for a sexy playmate by age, gender, and distance. If you’re in a hurry, the Like Gallery offers a fast-paced matching system where singles can swipe on profile pictures and create matches on the spot.
What is the Best Dating App for Long-Term Relationships?
Some long-term daters see swiping as the enemy — they say it encourages snap decisions and superficial connections — but the Hinge dating app has turned swiping into the relationship seeker’s best friend.
Hinge has brought greater quality to the matching process by beefing up dating profiles and requiring users to comment or like something specific to create a new connection. No more thoughtless swiping. No more jumping into conversations without knowing who the other person is.
When you look at a Hinge profile, you can learn a lot about another person. The basic demographic categories include age, height, education, job title, religious views, political views, smoking habits, and whether they have children or want to have children. The profile also includes six photos and three prompts, all of which make great icebreakers.
By focusing on building meaningful relationships, Hinge has positioned itself as a quality-driven alternative to superficial swiping apps, and it has offered serious daters a place where they can be themselves and meet someone on their level.
Is Match or eharmony better?
Match and eharmony are two of the oldest dating sites around, so it makes sense to compare what they have to offer singles and why they’ve stuck around so long. We’ve actually written an entire article about the pros and cons of eharmony vs Match.com, and we named Match.com as the better of the two.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review. Our Review »
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Although it’s a close match-up, we consider Match to be the superior dating site (and app) because it has more testimonials to its name, and it has better search filters and more affordable communication features than eharmony does.
We Give These Swiping Dating Apps Two Thumbs Up
Swiping puts you in the driver’s seat, and you have to trust your gut, know what you want, and make smart decisions to find a match in today’s competitive and flirtatious dating scene.
In just a few decades, online dating has lost its stigma and become one of the most common ways to meet a significant other, and it has changed the lives of people seeking love and romance.
Not every swipe will lead to a match, but the beauty of swiping is that you get to focus on the people who like you back, and that makes it much easier to turn those online conversations into real-life dates. Just be authentic, kind, and persistent, and you’ll come out ahead. Happy swiping!
