Best Dating Sites
Looking for a dating site you can trust? Search no more.
Statistics Canada estimates that the LGBTQ+ population in the great white north numbers over 1 million people, so it makes sense that Canadian dating platforms increasingly cater to queer singles. But even as more LGBTQ+ singles turn to dating sites and apps to connect and find sex and love, finding the right platform out of so many choices can be tricky.
The best LGBTQ dating sites in Canada offer safety and security for queer singles, making it easy to be out and proud or to seek out understanding company even if you’re still in the closet.
1. Match
Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
Our Experts Say: “More than a million lesbian women in the U.S. are looking for dates and relationships on Match, making it the best site for this audience…” Full Review »
Browse Free: View Photos Now
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today’s Deal
|
| All Singles* |
49%*
51%*
|
39.7 Million* | Try Match FREE |
Match.com is a mainstream dating site, but the platform began making room for anyone to join regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity many years ago. It’s simple to set up your profile, and Match offers several options for self-identification so you can be upfront and honest about who you are and what you’re looking for.
Beyond the suggestions for a potential partner, you can browse Match user profiles and filter results based on location, age, and other factors, which Match then takes into consideration to suggest better quality prospects. Basic members can communicate freely with Top Picks, but if you want the freedom to message anyone you find on the site at any time, you’ll need a premium membership.
2. EliteSingles
Relationships: Serious Relationships
Match System: Search, Receive Partner Suggestions
Our Experts Say: “Not only is EliteSingles exclusively for educated professionals, but it also has a diverse user base made up of millions of gay and bisexual men…” Full Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today’s Deal
|
| All Singles* |
44%*
56%*
|
2 Million* | Browse Profiles Free |
Elite Singles doesn’t cater specifically to the LGBTQ+ community, but the dating site for high-value singles does attract a sizable number of queer singles looking for long-term love. Once your profile is approved, Elite Singles suggests matches based on your personality profile and the preferences you set, so you won’t have to filter potential matches yourself.
If you want to expand your dating pool, you can check out the Have You Met section, which features potential match candidates that the algorithm doesn’t think are perfect enough to suggest. Basic members can “like” profiles and read messages, but you’ll want the premium membership to send unlimited messages to other users.
Relationships: Hookups, Casual Dates, Affairs
Match System: Search by age, location, appearance, and more
Our Experts Say: “With its massive user base and advanced privacy features, Ashley Madison is the #1 site for discreet hookups, dates, or relationships…” Full Review »
Browse Free: View Photos Now
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Free Trial
|
| All Singles & Attached* |
71%*
29%*
|
65 Million* | Browse FREE |
It sometimes surprises straight affair seekers to discover how many gay men are on a platform like Ashley Madison. It’s a great tool for a closeted gay person to seek relief because the name of the game is discretion. Ashley Madison offers tools like photo blurring and picture “vaults” that you can protect with a password, and the team behind the site checks every new profile to make sure there are no readily identifiable pieces of information present.
Additional features like discreet billing and the panic button, which instantly navigates you away from the site, make it obvious why gay men on the down-low tend to prefer Ashley Madison for satisfying their needs.
4. Grindr
Grindr is a classic choice for gay men, but the platform welcomes men of any sexual orientation, so it’s a great choice for basically any man who wants to hook up with other men. The online dating app is more than just a hookup tool, too: Grindr gives back to the gay community, and the forums and other tools on the platform help gay men organize and build connections.
You don’t need a premium membership on Grindr to connect with other men, make contact, and set up a hookup since those tools are available to all members. Grindr Xtra has a few different perks like the ad-free feature that make it worthwhile if you plan to spend a lot of time on the platform.
5. SCRUFF
SCRUFF initially launched as a social media platform for man-loving men, but the matchmaking options quickly rose to prominence. Although it’s a go-to option for gay hookups, the app still allows gay, bisexual, pansexual, and transgender men to connect and find community online from anywhere in the world.
Another aspect that sets SCRUFF apart is the fact that the app is geared toward travel. You can send out a message to all of the singles in an area you plan to travel to, and set up dates or even find a safe place to stay while you’re away from home.
6. HER
Whether you’re looking for a hookup or curious about your sexual orientation, the team behind HER wants you to choose the lesbian dating app as your safe space to explore. The lesbian-owned company welcomes all femme-identified people who want to explore sex and intimacy with women, whatever that looks like for them.
HER CEO Robyn Exeter started the app with the goal of creating a social space as much as a dating space, and the welcoming atmosphere makes it easy for women and femmes to open up without worrying about harassment or stigmas. HER even functions as a space for organizing local, in-person events, so you can meet queer femmes and women wherever you are.
7. Taimi
One of the largest LGBTQ+ networks in the world, Taimi is about much more than just dating. Members find each other based on a shared interest or goal, and the features on the app are as much about interacting socially as they are about finding a date. The low-pressure atmosphere and casual approach make it easier for any young queer person to get comfortable and explore identity and sexual orientation.
Taimi also sets itself apart from the dating app pack by offering unique features, like live streaming and live duet video options. The team behind the app constantly seeks out feedback and ideas from the community that uses the increasingly popular platform, making it a favorite for young queer singles.
8. Facebook Dating
Facebook Dating is not the most popular dating app in the world (yet!), but for queer singles, it makes sense as a tool to connect within the community. Unlimited messaging and the use of extended friend networks to generate matches means that LGBTQ+ users can interact and develop community without having to pay membership fees or risk being outed before they’re ready.
Facebook Dating uses your details from your main profile, but it doesn’t post to your Facebook account, or share your details directly with your friends, so you can investigate the local queer dating scene without risk or worry.
FAQs: Is It Hard for Queer Singles to Meet People in Canada?
Overall, Canada continues to improve in acceptance of queer communities, but the specific experiences of a given queer person depend a lot on where in Canada they live. In more isolated and rural parts of the country, LGBTQ+ people encounter more harassment and find fewer people who share their experiences, so it can still be a struggle.
Meeting new people doesn’t have to be just about finding a date. If you want a more social approach, apps like The Bro App and HER are as much about community as they are about finding love or sex. Especially for rural Canadians, social sites and apps like these can be a major lifeline to explore gender and sexuality without stigma or harassment.
Is Tinder Worth Trying if You’re Seeking LGBTQ+ Matches?
Although it’s a mainstream dating app, Tinder welcomes all singles regardless of sexual orientation. In fact, the swiping app has generated over 145 million queer matches to date, so overall Tinder is worth checking out as an option to find hookups or casual dates.
One great upside is that Tinder is a free dating app with swiping and chat features available to users. So the only reason to upgrade to Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold would be to unlock unlimited swiping and view matches in areas outside your city.
But while Tinder hosts more LGBTQ+ profiles than it did before, it’s not exactly a bastion of the queer community. Most straight users who have paid for Tinder Plus say it’s not worth the monthly subscription fee because it doesn’t boost visibility enough to make a big difference. For queer singles, who have a smaller presence on the platform, it’s even less likely to be of much help.
Does eharmony Allow Gay & Lesbian Singles to Join?
Yes, eharmony allows gay and lesbian singles to join the platform. Initially, the dating site only catered to heterosexual singles seeking a meaningful connection, but a combination of lawsuits, bad press, and a change in leadership led to the acceptance of gay and lesbian users. But despite the fact that it now welcomes all types of daters and facilitates same-sex matches, eharmony doesn’t have the best reputation in the LGBTQ+ community.
Relationships: Casual Dates, Deep Relationships
Match System: Personality test suggests matches
Our Experts Say: “eharmony has opened its registration to same-sex couples, including lesbian singles, so everyone can benefit from its psychology matching system…” Full Review »
Browse Free: View Photos Now
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today’s Deal
|
| All Singles* |
48%*
52%*
|
4.1 Million* | View Profiles FREE |
While it has come a long way, eharmony still isn’t the most rainbow dating app you’ll find. First of all, the service only provides binary gender identity options, male and female, which excludes nonbinary members. In addition, fluid, pan, and bisexual singles who want to look for love on eharmony must create two separate profiles if they want to match with both male and female eharmony members.
All in all, while it’s an option for gay and lesbian singles, there are better choices for members of the LGBTQ+ community who want to find the perfect match for long-term love.
LGBTQ+ People Can Find Their Tribe by Going Online
Dating sites and apps serve a much bigger purpose in the LGBTQ+ community than just finding a hookup or a date. LGBTQ dating sites in Canada are a massive resource for organizing and finding safety, even as attitudes toward the queer community continue to improve.
Find your people by finding the right dating site!
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