Once I graduated college, I started thinking about settling down, finding love, and all that jazz, so I did what any millennial would do and looked on the internet. This was quite a few years ago, and it took some trial and error before I found my way.
I learned a lot from all that messaging and swiping. I learned to respond briefly to formulaic questions like “How are you?” and “What do you like to do for fun?” I learned not to add pictures showing cleavage, unless I wanted to attract sleazy “sup girl” messages. But, most of all, I learned that online dating isn’t actually as scary or intimidating as I’d imagined. And then I met my husband on Hinge.
Straight and bisexual women generally have an edge in the online dating world because men outnumber women on most popular dating apps, but women have to choose the right female-friendly dating platform first. So we’ve picked out our favorite dating apps to help women of all orientations have a great experience.
Best Dating Apps for Women (#1-2)
We don’t believe in delayed gratification or saving the best for last at DatingAdvice.com. We like to start strong with the best of the best right at the top of our lists. Below, you’ll find our picks for the most overall effective and successful dating apps for women.
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.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
When you think of a free dating site, you may not think of Match, which has long put up a paywall to keep undesirable people from spamming users. However, Match does give its users limited free communication. What that means is you can read some of your messages and even send replies without subscribing to Match.
Couples can meet on the dating site and become yet another Match success story without paying anything.
You won’t have access to everything on Match with a free membership, but it gives you enough leeway to have a great conversation and land a date. And, if you end up liking people on the dating site, you can always upgrade your account. Match’s monthly subscription costs less than dinner at a nice restaurant, so you don’t have to break open your piggy bank just to send a message.
2. Bumble
In 2014, Bumble launched on a mission to change the online dating scene and make it a better place for women everywhere. The dating app marketed itself as the female-friendly alternative to Tinder, and millions of singles jumped on board. The idea is pretty simple: 1) Give women the power to message first 2) Keep creepy guys from sending unsolicited… chats. That’s it. There is no step three.
Women on Bumble are in the driver’s seat. Always. They’re the ones who can decide if a match with a man turns into a conversation. If they don’t send a message within 24 hours of the match, it disappears forever.
Bumble’s motto is, “Life is short. Make the first move.” And its users live by that mantra. It may feel odd at first to always send that “hey, how are you?” message, but many single women enjoy having that power and no longer feeling like prey in the online dating scene.
In the last couple years, Bumble has expanded its reach beyond the dating world and given people a way to make new friends and network with potential colleagues on the app.
Top “Free” Dating Apps for Women (#3)
Dating can be an expensive pastime — the average American spends over $1,500 a year on dating-related costs– so it’s worth looking for ways to save anywhere you can. Your journey to keep dating costs down can start by finding a free dating site that has enough free features to help you meet someone.
3. Hinge
Hinge is a quality-driven dating app geared toward singles who want to find a relationship. The app has upgraded the traditional swiping functionality by adding more photos and personal details to every profile and requiring users to comment or like these posts to make a match.
Hinge’s game-changing interface encourages users to get to know one another on a deeper level right from the start. The profiles can include fun prompts like “two truths and a lie” and “favorite Disney movie,” or singles can choose to tell potential matches “what I’m looking for” and “my pet peeves.” The app allows singles to personalize their profiles, so you’re more than just a pretty face.
From the outset, Hinge has striven to support singles who want more than a meaningless chat and hookup. The app focuses on personality and compatibility to drive every new match. The app even has a We Met feature so it can learn which couples hit it off in person and suggest more dateworthy folks in the Discover section.
I met my significant other on Hinge, and so did presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, so you can rest assured this app works if you’re serious about finding someone.
Top Dating Apps for “LGBTQ” Women (#4)
Women in the LGBTQ+ community can sometimes feel neglected by the online dating scene. Lesbian and bisexual women can have a tough time avoiding the creeps and finding one another on some apps.
However, LGBTQ-friendly dating apps have made an effort to level the playing field and provide a safe, nonjudgmental space for women of all orientations.
4. HER
HER is a dating app created by women for women. The community includes over 15 million lesbian, bisexual, queer, and transgender womxn — and absolutely zero men. The moderators are quite strict about this rule, and verify all profiles through a social media-driven screening process.
Although HER is completely free to download, and you can also send messages for free, some members find they enjoy their time on the app more when they have certain premium features, including the ability to see who’s “online now.” The HER Premium Membership plans start at $14.99 per month.
HER is all about supporting the LGBTQ+ community, and it fosters a social atmosphere where members can discover events, share posts, and comment on photos. HER hosts social events in 15 cities worldwide, and it’s always coming up with new ways to increase engagement and show womxn they’re not alone.
Many couples use #WeMetOnHER to thank the team for bringing them together. “I can’t imagine my life without her ever again,” said Kelsey and Ashley, HER members who are now in a relationship.
Top Dating Apps for “Over-40” Women (#5-6)
Few people plan on being single in their 40s, 50s, and beyond, but then life happens. Relationships can end for all sorts of reasons, and then singles are left to start all over again. The only issue is that the dating scene has changed quite a bit in the last decade or so, and not everyone over 40 feels comfortable mingling in the online space.
Seniors are embracing online dating, slowly but surely, and many niche dating sites have cropped up to foster more mature dating spaces where people share similar values, experiences, and interests. Here are just two of the top dating sites for over-40 women.
OurTime
- 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.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
OurTime is technically for singles over 50, but the platform won’t turn away a 41-year-old single hoping for an elder match. OurTime was created to give mature daters a place they can call their own.
Most dating apps are dominated by 20- and 30-somethings — but not OurTime. The average OurTime user is over 55 and looking for companionship for their golden years. You can write in your profile if you’re looking for a friend, a casual date, or a relationship, and that can help compatible singles find you.
6. CoffeeMeetsBagel
CoffeeMeetsBagel invites single women to “rediscover dating” and create romantic connections by paying closer attention to each profile. This dating app limits how many dating profiles users can like and view, thus ensuring that people slow down and place more value on the profiles in their inboxes.
A group of single women founded CoffeeMeetsBagel in April 2012, and the app has made more than 50 million matches since then.
CoffeeMeetsBagel doesn’t throw singles together at random. Its curated match algorithm takes into account the individual’s dating preferences and past likes to identify the people who will pair well with one another. The goal is to introduce singles to their next boyfriend or girlfriend, and that’s a job the team takes seriously.
In the words of the team, “We create meaningful connections that spark hearts and inspire people to share themselves authentically and enthusiastically.”
Top Dating Apps for “Black” Women (#7-8)
Dating can be difficult if you’re looking for a particular type of person — but that doesn’t mean you should throw your standards out the window. You can find more targeted matches by exploring a niche dating site or using advanced search features on a general dating site.
If you’re a black or biracial woman, you can use the following two dating apps to diversify your date prospects and meet people who share similar backgrounds.
- 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.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Since 2002, BlackPeopleMeet has been the go-to dating site and app for black and biracial singles in the U.S. and Canada. It has a lot of street cred, and there’s a good reason for that.
If you read through BlackPeopleMeet’s success stories, you’ll see that a lot of couples have fallen in love on the platform, and some have overcome great distances to be together. BlackPeopleMeet welcomes users of all backgrounds. Anyone who wants to date black singles can create a free profile, reach out to the community, and see what happens.
8. OkCupid
OkCupid is a 100% free dating app (and site) where singles can send messages to anyone they like for as long as they like. The app welcomes singles of all ages, orientations, and ethnicities, and its team has actually studied how race impacts attraction so it can support greater inclusivity and diversity.
Originally, when it launched in 2004, OkCupid was an online dating free-for-all, and women quickly became buried under a pile of unanswered, unsolicited messages. That wasn’t a great situation for anyone, so the OkCupid team rectified this by making it so only messages from your mutual matches will show up in your inbox — the rest will appear as introductory messages on the person’s profile.
OkCupid puts its users first and operates under the mantra “Dating deserves better.” Many women praise the filtering features, compatibility ratings, and free chat tools on OkCupid.
“Honestly, this app is pretty cool,” said Scarlet Number, who had never tried online dating before OkCupid. “With the personal questions, you can choose to answer privately or publicly. I feel like they can accurately gauge the character behind the profile.”
Top Dating Apps for “Christian” Women (#9-10)
Religion is an important consideration when you’re dating someone. Interfaith marriage has become increasingly common in the U.S., but it’s not everyone’s first choice. Differences in faith can lead to conflict and compromise, and it’s just easier when you’re on the same page about things like going to church on Sunday.
Women seeking a good Christian relationship can look to the following dating apps for their salvation, at least where romance is concerned.
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.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Although it isn’t a Christian-only app, eharmony has attracted a strong Christian audience. The Founder of eharmony was a Christian theologian, and he made Christian values the foundation of the platform.
With its psychology-driven matchmaking system, eharmony seeks to strengthen marriages and lead men and women to their soul mates. Many Christian singles have put their faith in the app’s match recommendations and been rewarded, and you can read its success stories on the site.
10. Christian Mingle
Christian Mingle appeals to Christians in the online dating scene. Its members tend to be faith-driven individuals who believe in the power of God-centered relationships.
ChristianMingle used to serve a Christian-only community, but it has recently done the Christian thing and opened its doors to people of all faiths. Now anyone who wants to date or marry a Christian can create a free profile here.
Top “Hookup” Apps for Women (#11-12)
Not all daters download an app hoping to find The One. Some just want to find one-night stands. If that’s the case, a general-purpose dating app may not do it for you. Anyone who wants to be in the fast lane of the online dating scene can download a hookup app to take things up a notch. Hookup apps attract sexually active singles and give them plenty of room to mingle.
We’ve picked out two trustworthy hookup apps that can help single women explore their sexuality without restraint.
NaughtyCharm
- 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.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
NaughtyCharm offers sexually active singles a place where they can pursue their desires and hook up with local dates. The dating platform has safety features that help it spot scammers and that ensure individuals behave themselves, but, as long as they follow the terms of use, people have free rein to do as they please.
NaughtyCharm currently reaches a global audience with millions of horny members in the U.S., the U.K., Spain, France, Italy, Canada, Australia, and beyond.
12. Tinder
Tinder is one of the most well-known dating apps ever, so it may come as a surprise that it’s ranked 15th on our list. After all, it has made over 100 billion (yes, billion, with a B) matches since 2012, so it must be a great place to meet people, right?
Undeniably, you can meet a ton of singles on Tinder. The app has upwards of 57 million members. However, it’s not exactly a female-friendly environment. Tinder has the reputation of a hookup app, and a lot of guys hang out there hoping to score an easy date.
Tinder encourages what it calls #SwipeLife by highlighting photos over personal information and forcing singles to make split-second hot-or-not decisions on the app. This can lead to true emotional connections and relationships, but it’s more likely to lead to one-night stands and hookups.
If you’re into that, then that’s great, download Tinder and enjoy yourself, by all means. But women who are looking for something more than a flaky and superficial dating scene should consider the options further up on this list.
Is It Worth Signing Up for a Dating App?
If you’ve never tried online dating before, you may wonder how effective it’ll even be. Will anyone like you back? Will your matches lead to dates? Will it be a colossal waste of time? Those questions were in my head, too, when I took the plunge into the dating world. You can’t really know the answers — you just have to click download and hope for the best.
Dating apps can help singles meet a lot of new people in a short span of time, and that’s a valuable thing to carry around in your pocket. And it’s free. So, really, what do you have to lose?
We definitely think online dating is worth it, especially if you’re looking for a long-term relationship. The compatibility ratings, location-based matches, and instant chat features all reinforce strong romantic connections, and it’s honestly just fun to have so many options in the dating world.
Yes, swiping, matching, and meeting singles day after day can be a bit time-consuming. It can be nerve-wracking. It can even be emotionally draining. But it’s not all ghosting and catfishing out there. Lots of people have found their soul mates in the virtual world. You never know when you’ll find a spark and connect with someone on a deeper level, and that’s something worth signing up for.
Do Dating Sites and Apps Really Work?
Yes, dating sites and apps can work and help singles find dates, relationships, and even marriage. We’ve heard countless love stories from couples who met online, but online dating’s success goes beyond mere anecdotes.
In 2019, The Knot asked more than 14,000 engaged or recently married brides how they met their spouses and 19% said they met online, while only 12% met at work, 15% met in college, and 22% met through friends.
Couples who met online also report being happier with their relationships, and some evidence suggests that they are less likely to divorce as well. A majority of Americans now consider online dating to be a good way to meet people, and its stigma is all-but nonexistent.
Can Couples Use Tinder?
Yes, couples can use Tinder to look for a partner interested in a threeway, but Tinder was not designed for that purpose, so you may not have great luck. A lot of bisexual women dislike being approached by couples or “unicorn hunters” on apps geared toward singles. They’re not there for a threesome — they’re there for a relationship.
Couples can (and should) write in their shared Tinder profile that they’re looking for a threesome — definitely do not surprise someone with that information halfway through your match — but Tinder probably isn’t going to be the best dating ground for you and your partner. It just doesn’t work that way. It doesn’t attract the right open-minded crowd.
These dating apps for couples will better suit your needs and give you access to swingers who don’t mind mixing things up now and then.
Women Can Find Love & Romance on Top Dating Apps
Online dating was a game changer for my dating experience. Suddenly, all it took was a couple minutes of swiping and chatting, and — boom — I’d land a date for Saturday. That’s a powerful feeling, and it’s exciting to have so many date opportunities at your fingertips.
Of course, not all dating apps are going to give you such a lovely, stress-free experience. You’ve got to do your research and figure out which ones cater to your needs or demographics. Hopefully, giving you a breakdown of the top dating apps for women has helped clarify how these apps works and how you can make them work for you. Good luck!
