About 30% of American adults told Pew Research they have used a dating app. Like it or not, online dating is part of our culture and here to stay. Even as stock in Bumble decreases, dozens of new apps launch every year. Despite the crowded market, some platforms stand out against the competition.
These dating apps have seen the most downloads in the U.S., making them plentiful hunting grounds for mainstream daters. If you want the most choices possible, these apps are the place to be.
1. Tinder: 630 Million Downloads
It’s not exactly a secret that Tinder is the one to beat when it comes to dating apps. The app launched in 2012 and achieved viral success.
According to Tinder’s statistics, the app has over 630 million downloads and 97 billion matches. That’s right, billion, with a B.
The secret to Tinder’s success lies in its ease of use. There’s no need to spend an hour setting up your account because all you have to do is download the app, use your Facebook credentials or provide your email address and phone number, and add some photos.
You can include as much or as little detail in your bio as you want, and you can get to swiping right away. Right to match, left to pass. It’s a system that continues to inspire countless copycats, although Tinder still reigns supreme.
2. Happn: 140 Million Downloads
With 140 million downloads and counting, Happn continues to provide proof that spontaneity and planning can coexist in online dating. The France-based app is popular around the world and boasts 10 million active monthly users.
Happn takes a different approach to online dating than do most of the sites and apps in the industry. Instead of just setting up a profile and browsing people at random, Happn works in the background on your phone, tracking user movements.
Each user receives suggested matches based on the other users whose paths they have crossed throughout the day.
Unsurprisingly, Happn is most popular in major cities, where there’s a greater probability of crossing paths with matches every day. The premise behind Happn is that you’re more likely to share interests with people who are in the same places you go to regularly, and the app’s popularity shows it’s a valid approach.
For users who still like to swipe, Happn offers Crush Time: the platform presents you with four matches, and you guess which one has already liked your profile.
3. Bumble: 100 Million Downloads
Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Heard took what she learned from her previous gig founding Tinder to build the women-first dating app. It made headlines when it launched in 2014 and grew popular for its progressive approach.
Bumble is among the most downloaded apps with over 100 million downloads as of 2020. Fewer than 800 apps have crossed that threshold on the Google Play store.
Bumble’s quick growth isn’t just good for singles looking for a safe platform to pursue romance without harassment. Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz launched in 2016 and 2017 respectively, as platonic platforms for people to connect.
A major selling point for Bumble is the woman-first approach: After finding a mutual match, the woman must make first contact with the man (for same-sex matches this isn’t a requirement).
The woman-led dating approach isn’t restricted to matching and conversations. It also plays a role in the app’s strong content moderation policies. Bumble has promised to “do better” for users, and it holds itself to high standards.
4. Ashley Madison: 80 Million Downloads
Not every marriage is happily ever after, so the fact that the Ashley Madison app boasts 80 million downloads makes sense.
The app is a companion to the popular site, and it offers all the same benefits in a mobile package. Users have access to features like photo blurring, password-protected picture vaults, and the panic button to keep their dating lives discreet, whether they’re married or not.
Ashley Madison’s scandalous reputation suffered in the wake of a major hack in 2015, but the site and app both doubled down on security and discretion as a result. This includes encryption, flexible billing options for Ashley Madison credits, and other measures to keep user identities a secret.
5. OkCupid: 70 Million Downloads
Although 70 million downloads feels like a low number for a dating app with OkCupid’s lengthy history, keep in mind that the platform started life as a dating site, with the app only coming along in 2012. In addition, OkCupid’s browser format is mobile-friendly, so a lot of users stick with the browser.
The app includes all of the same features, including forever-free messaging between members, along with all of the other core tools. OkCupid remains a popular platform in online dating, with 7 million daily messages exchanged between members and a constantly growing supply of success stories.
The app includes a swipe-based matching option for browsing profiles. The mobile format also offers a user-friendly experience to answer one of the 5,000 compatibility questions (all optional) to further refine matches and spark conversations.
6. Plenty of Fish: 50 Million Downloads
Although Plenty of Fish isn’t at the top, 50 million downloads is still an impressive number. The platform plays host to more than 150 million users around the world, most of them on the site.
Launched in 2003, POF remains one of a small number of completely free digital dating platforms, with no required membership fee to access key features you need to find your next date or your next relationship. Users even get access to unlimited messages without paying a single penny.
According to the platform’s data, Plenty of Fish makes an average of 57 million matches per week across 20 different countries, which makes it a powerhouse of matchmaking.
The platform saw a major uptick in membership following the site’s appearance in the Lady Gaga and Beyoncé “Telephone” music video, and Plenty of Fish continues to use that popularity thanks to its free offerings.
7. Grindr: 30 Million Downloads
With 30 million downloads, Grindr’s status as the most popular gay dating app in the world continues to prove hard to beat. The app has the benefit of years at the top, thanks to being one of the first dating apps to cater specifically to the gay community.
More than just a hookup app, Grindr is a touchstone for queer men seeking friendship and community.
Grindr dominates the LGBTQ+ dating world not just because of its seniority but also because the CEO and development team constantly look for ways to improve the platform. Grindr gives back to the community through charitable donations, partnerships, and events.
Although Grindr isn’t immune to criticism from the broader LGBTQ+ community, it remains a popular platform for men looking for hookups and community with other men.
8. Hinge: 23 Million Downloads
Although Hinge positions itself as the quality-over-quantity dating app, the platform boasts having 23 million downloads, making it a strong contender in popularity. Another interesting statistic is that an average of 5.5 million active users are active on the platform at any given time.
The dating app’s popularity is due in no small part to its “designed to be deleted” mission. This goal plays into all of the decisions the Hinge team makes, including the push to get matched users on a date as quickly as possible and solicit first-date feedback to see how each match goes.
Hinge users don’t just swipe on pictures and get to messaging. Instead, the app pushes users to start a real conversation by looking over more detailed profiles and choosing a post or picture to comment on. To take the stress out of first contact, Hinge even supplies ready-made icebreaker prompts.
9. eharmony: 10 Million Downloads
With well over 20 years in the industry, it may come as a surprise that eharmony only boasts about 10 million app downloads. Although it’s a strong showing, that number is a far cry from its total membership of over 33 million members.
Users on eharmony seem to prefer the site to the app thanks to a combination of the mobile-friendly design of the main platform and the somewhat older user base. Still, the app continues to grow in popularity, especially as millennials and Gen Zers start looking in earnest for relationships.
The app experience offers everything you can get from the dating site, including access to icebreaker quizzes, pre-written conversation starters, and video chat, so it’s easy to switch between formats whether you’re at home or on the go.
Although the dating platform also comes with a higher price tag, the focus on quality over volume means that singles on eharmony are more likely to find The One.
FAQs: Do Dating Apps Really Work?
Yes! Although there are some frustrated and disgruntled reviews out there, the statistics speak for themselves. From niche dating sites like JWed to more mainstream platforms, dating sites continue to rack up a many success stories every year.
Studies indicate that marriages that begin with online dating tend to be stronger because having clear information and intentions at the start makes for a solid foundation for a relationship.
Compatibility-based matching plays a big role too, but a more significant factor is probably that you can meet people that you might never encounter any other way.
Unlike the traditional methods of meeting a partner at a local bar, through friends and family, or through your social circle and the places you go, online dating makes it easy to identify who shares your interests and goals.
Those people might be in your city or might be in the next town. They might even be on the other side of the world.
As digital dating platforms continue to stay in business and pair couples, more and more people accept them as a valid way for people to connect and get to know each other — and perhaps even fall in love.
Is Tinder the Best Dating App for Seeking Relationships?
Unfortunately, if you’re looking for your happily ever after, Tinder is not the most likely place to get serious. The app’s swipe-based approach to matching doesn’t encourage people to get very deep. There’s a good reason that Tinder has a reputation as a hookup app.
Although Tinder has many success stories from singles who found The One, it’s definitely not the go-to platform for people seeking a long-term relationship. If you want something more serious, our dating experts recommend an app like Matchh or eharmony.
Match is a heavyweight in the online dating world since the site’s launch in 1995. For busy singles on the go, the platform also offers a dating app for your phone or tablet, with all the same features you can find on the original version.
That means you’re more likely to find your perfect match because you have actual information and compatibility factors to consider — not just a photo or two.
Which Dating App Has the Most Real Users?
This is a tricky question because active user numbers wax and wane, not just monthly but daily, so it’s hard to get a good lock on the real stats.
But our dating experts have some tried-and-true methods to gain an idea of general trends.
According to our research, the Match Group network of sites includes some of the most reliable platforms for weeding out fake and inactive profiles. Its sites, which include Tinder, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and Match.com, offer a high proportion of real people online.
Although you should still do your due diligence when it comes to any profile you encounter on a dating platform, Match Group sites tend to deter fake users and encourage the real deal.
If you want my winner pick, it’s got to be Tinder — you might recall the name from the top of this list. This app has a particularly robust and real swiping pool because it uses a two-factor system, including text verification, to ensure users are authentic. Duplicate profiles and catfish won’t fly on this app.
Just Remember: Numbers Aren’t Everything in Online Dating
Although the dating apps on this list are indisputably some of the most popular platforms for online dating, keep in mind that popularity isn’t everything.
There’s a tradeoff at play: More users means that there are more chances of meeting someone you like, but it also means you’ll spend more time weeding out people who aren’t what you’re looking for. If you have very specific tastes, it may be worth your while to look for a niche dating site to find the right fit.
But if you’re looking to cast your net wide and take your chances, the most popular dating apps are a great place to meet new people and see what sparks.
