When looking for romance, I’d trust online dating over a bar or club any day. I can’t help but be a fan of online dating. Not all the time — certainly not after a bad date or a creepy message — but I always go back to the swiping arena because I know it can work. I’ve met many great guys through online dating and even fell in love with a guy in my matches.
The benefits far outweigh the costs, in my opinion at least. All that matching and chatting becomes worth it when you find someone who just gets it and when the relationship just clicks. Inspiring such a romance is what online dating is all about, but you may not get it right the first time.
I recommend that modern singles play the field a little and try out multiple dating websites until they find the one or ones that work best for them. You can use the links below to browse a curated list of niche dating sites that have earned our trust and admiration.
Best Overall | Free | LGBT | Black | Senior | Christian | Relationships |
Overall Best Online Dating Websites (#1-2)
You want the best of the best, huh? Then you’ve come to the right section of the article. We’ve put our favorites at the tippy top, so you don’t have to wait to have a great online dating experience. You can jump on board the following dating sites, create a free dating profile, and start matching with local singles who share your views, values, and relationship goals.
Match
- 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 »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Match is easily one of the all-time best dating sites out there. Not only has it been around the longest (launched in April 1995), but it also has more success stories to its name than any of its competitors. The dating site has become known as a place where serious singles can escape the swiping scene and find a relationship.
Over 74% of Match users have a college degree, and nearly half the membership base is between 30 and 50 years old. This group of mature singles is more interested in finding true love than fooling around, and the dating site has chat features to support online relationships that can become something more.
As a free member, you can browse profiles in the Discover section and use search filters for age, location, and background to find compatible people on the dating website or app, and you can upgrade your profile if you want to send messages to your crushes.
2. OkCupid
OkCupid operates under the motto “Dating deserves better,” and we couldn’t agree more with this philosophy. There’s a lot about this online dating website that is, in fact, better than the rest. For one thing, it’s completely free to send messages to anyone online. The only catch is that your message will only show up in his or her inbox if you both like each other’s profiles. Otherwise, it’ll appear just below your pictures when that person views your dating profile.
Personality drives all mutual matches on OkCupid. Starting in 2004, the dating platform has developed a sophisticated algorithm that identifies commonalities in lifestyles, beliefs, opinions, goals, and hobbies.
OkCupid has taken an information-rich approach to online dating with detailed profiles, extensive personal questions, and a compatibility rating that’s scary accurate.
If you take the time to complete your profile, send likes, and respond to messages, then OkCupid can help you scout the dating scene and meet tons of worthwhile singles. Over 91 million connections are made every year on OkCupid, and the next love story could be yours!
Top “Free” Online Dating Websites (#3)
According to a Match.com survey, 30% of millennials don’t feel they have enough money to go on dates. Wining and dining a love interest can get expensive, so it makes sense that singles are sitting on the sidelines until they build enough capital to capitalize on online dating. We want to help these budget-conscious singles find romance and go on affordable dates, so we’ve ranked our favorite free dating app.
3. Tinder
Just like love, Tinder don’t cost a thing. This online dating app is free to download, and free members can send as many messages as they want to their mutual matches. In 2012, Tinder pioneered the #SwipeLife that has gone viral and empowered singles to take control of their love lives and take action in the online dating scene.
Today, Tinder has created over 100 billion matches, and it claims responsibility for over 1.5 million dates each week. If you want to meet a lot of people without making a huge investment, then Tinder is it.
Every swipe on Tinder could bring you closer to a hot romance or a serious relationship. Tinder may have the reputation of being fast, easy, and casual, but this dating app has actually led to love and marriage for some lucky individuals. People download Tinder for all sorts of reasons, so you can always find someone who’s DTF or ready for love — all it takes is a little persistence.
Top “LGBTQ” Online Dating Websites (#4-7)
The LGBTQ+ community has taken to online dating like a fish to water. A 2017 survey found that 49% of gay and lesbian singles use dating apps, while only 28% of straight singles use dating apps. Its popularity isn’t a mystery. LGBTQ+ singles can have difficulty spotting one another in the real world, but a dating platform eliminates the guesswork and reservations by providing a safe space to express interest in same-sex dating.
The following gay-friendly dating sites and apps are wonderful resources for gay, lesbian, bi, trans, or queer daters seeking a date.
4. Bumble
In 2014, Bumble became world-famous as the feminist dating app that encourages women to make the first move, but it has also won over LGBTQ+ singles with its progressive policies. Gay and lesbian singles download this app to bring more quality to their date calendars.
The dating app’s ladies-first messaging rule doesn’t apply in same-sex matches, so anyone can send the first message and get the ball rolling. The conversation will disappear if neither individual initiates contact within 24 hours, so be sure to check the app frequently to ensure a good match doesn’t pass you by.
Although Bumble wasn’t designed specifically for LGBTQ+ users, the mobile app is inclusive of their dating needs and has the ability to match them with attractive men and women.
In a Bumble review, travel blogger Rocky said, “I think it is awesome that Bumble’s team recognized the reality that LGBT users would potentially download their app and they did their due diligence to incorporate these adjustments into their app’s design and functionality.”
5. HER
HER is the top dating app for womxn seeking womxn. The lesbian-run app supports an all-female community that’s over 15 million members strong — and still growing. Any womxn who identifies as lesbian, bisexual, queer, or trans is more than welcome here.
All HER members must treat one another with kindness and respect — or they won’t be HER members anymore. The Community Guidelines has set high standards and emphasized the importance of building relationships based on trust, identity, and community on the dating app. Any post or profile deemed inappropriate, harmful, or abusive will be removed by HER moderators. End of story.
“We are all different shapes, sizes, colors, identities and that’s pretty badass that we can share this space together,” the HER team says. “Treat people the way you want to be treated (as cheesy as it sounds, you know it’s true) and report those who aren’t following these guidelines in any way, shape or form.”
6. Grindr
If you’re gay, you’ve probably heard of Grindr. It’s one of the most popular gay dating apps out there — boasting over 27 million users worldwide. Since 2009, Grindr has offered gay and bisexual men a place where they can let their freak flags fly. The app is all dudes, so there’s no shame in your boy-crazy game.
Grindr uses location-based settings to introduce guys to the hottest dates in their neighborhoods. You could be at a bar thinking everyone is straight or taken, and then you take out Grindr and discover a world of romantic options at your fingertips.
Grindr encourages single guys to be honest about what they want, and, usually, that’s sex. “Grindr works amazingly — if you’re looking for sex,” said Hedonester in a Reddit thread. “In general, it’s easy to find sex with it.”
If you’re hesitant to dive into such a large and promiscuous dating pool, check out this first-timer’s guide or learn a few foolproof pickup lines to build you confidence on the app. Grindr can offer a safe community and effective tools to ensure you’re flirting with gay men in no time.
MenNation
- Relationships: Daters & Hookups
- Match System: Search by age, zip code, more
- Our Experts Say: MenNation is a well-established gay dating and hookup brand, having been founded in 1996. It's totally free to join, view profiles, receive matches, and flirt. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
MenNation is a hookup site where gay singles and couples can find attractive playmates and solicit sex online. This casual and discreet dating platform facilitates sexually explicit chats that lead to sexually charged affairs.
Whether you’re looking for casual sex, a threesome, or an orgy, you can express your fantasies without judgment here. MenNation lets guys be guys, and it offers tons of blogs, forums, profiles, and videos to set the imagination on fire. No other platform has so many horny guys in one space, and that makes this a pretty exciting resource for gay men around the world.
Top “Black” Online Dating Websites (#8-9)
Black dating sites empower singles to go after the type of dates that turn them on the most. Such diverse dating networks can broaden people’s horizons and facilitate interracial relationships. We’ve ranked a couple of our favorite black-friendly dating sites for singles who want to find a romantic partner in this community.
- Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
- Match System: Search by location, age, more
- Our Experts Say: BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
BlackPeopleMeet is an online dating website that has the matching tools to help local singles meet black and biracial dates. The search filters allow you to narrow the BlackPeopleMeet dating pool by age, distance, appearance, and lifestyle. You can even specify if you’re attracted to a particular ethnicity.
Since 2002, BlackPeopleMeet has attracted a large following throughout North America, and its success stories have come from all corners of the country.
“I found a wonderful man on this site,” said a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania resident who hit it off with someone living in Baltimore, Maryland. “If not for this site, we may never have crossed paths. Thank you so much.”
9. Plenty of Fish
Plenty of Fish has won over a lot of singles with its free chat features. The POF community includes over 150 million users around the world, and it creates over 57 million new connections every week. Those stats are pretty impressive, but even more impressive are the positive reviews coming from members who have used the site.
TeCora and Webster met on Plenty of Fish in 2016 and got married two years later. “I was nervous because I had never really done online dating before,” TeCora said. “Our first date was amazing. We had such a good time…Webster and I were inseparable.”
Plenty of Fish welcomes people of all faiths, backgrounds, and ethnicities, and it has smart matching tools to ensure you wind up with a compatible date. If you complete its Chemistry Test, you can gain insight into the dating scene and enjoy more curated match recommendations on the platform. We also recommend filling out your dating preferences and indicating any dealbreakers or dealmakers you may have when it comes to dating.
Top “Senior” Online Dating Websites (#10)
Loneliness is a major issue among seniors, but modern technology has given them more ways to connect than ever before. Online dating has given singles over 50 a chance to make a fresh start and find love again.
OurTime.com
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: OurTime is well-known in the over-50 dating crowd, particularly because it has a ton of helpful search features and an easy layout. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
As a People Media site, OurTime has a lot of authority in the online dating scene. Its database includes millions of users, and you can use its search features to find dates in your ideal location and age range.
OurTime offers a lot of ways to meet senior singles. The dating site delivers new match recommendations to your inbox all the time, and it gives singles the option to send a message, a flirt, or a virtual gift. Premium users can also choose to use the ConnectMe feature to exchange private texts and calls without revealing their real phone number.
Safety is a top priority for the OurTime team, and the senior dating platform goes to great lengths to ensure its members feel comfortable messaging, meeting, and falling for one another.
Top “Christian” Online Dating Websites (#11-12)
If your faith is important in your life and family, then you’ll probably want to find a potential partner who can understand and appreciate that. Christian dating sites give singles the opportunity to build relationships on shared values and embark on a blessed life together. The following two online dating websites could be the salvation of Christians seeking like-minded partners.
11. Christian Mingle
Christian Mingle launched in 2001 on a mission to reinforce Christian marriages, and it hasn’t wavered from that faithful endeavor. Some criticize the dating site for allowing people of all faiths to join the network, but the founders see that as the Christian thing to do.
As long as you’re open to being in a Christian relationship, you’re welcome to create a dating profile on ChristianMingle. You never know — it just may save your love life.
Tons of ChristianMingle success stories have proven the worth of this faith-driven dating community, especially to Christian singles who are true believers in true love.
12. CoffeeMeetsBagel
CoffeeMeetsBagel invites singles to “rediscover dating” by making authentic connections with people who share similar interests and values. The female-friendly dating app prioritizes quality over quantity, even limiting the number of daily matches users can view and like.
By turning online dating into a more curated experience, CoffeeMeetsBagel has given singles the space to truly consider what they want and give each profile a fair chance.
Every day at noon, CoffeeMeetsBagel sends out potential match suggestions that have been tailored to each user’s likes and dislikes. If you are looking for a Christian date, you can indicate that in your profile, and the learning algorithm will take that into account.
Once a match is formed, you can send an original message or a personalized Icebreaker to prompt an interesting conversation.
Top Online Dating Websites for “Relationships” (#13-16)
Some dating apps treat swiping and matching like it’s a game, and that can be frustrating for singles who are playing for keeps and want to find something real. Serious relationship seekers often want to leave the casual dating scene behind and get serious about someone special — but they need the right tools to meet people who are true relationship material.
Below, we’ve chosen a few high-caliber dating sites that have been known to inspire long-term connections and marriages.
eharmony
- Relationships: Casual Dates, Deep Relationships
- Match System: Personality test suggests matches
- Our Experts Say: Accounting for 2% of U.S. marriages, eharmony's compatibility-based system and commitment-minded user base are ideal for those seeking a serious relationship. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
The founding mission of eharmony was to strengthen marriages in the U.S., so it’s safe to say this is a good tool for relationship-oriented men and women. The dating site built its empire on sound psychological principles and designed a lengthy personality questionnaire to form the basis of its matchmaking.
Today, eharmony is world-renowned for its 32-dimension compatibility ratings, which highlight similarities in temperament, character, family values, intelligence, and other important qualities. You can see how you stack up against your online crush and build a relationship based on shared interests.
The eharmony team is so confident in its personality-driven matching system that it offers a guarantee on its subscription plans. If you do not make a meaningful connection within three months, your next three months are free.
14. Hinge
Hinge is a free dating app that’s “designed to be deleted.” Its ultimate goal is to get members to meet The One and then hang up their online dating hats for good. The dating app cares about the success of its users, even asking members how their first dates went and whether they’d like to see that person again. Such feedback goes a long way toward helping Hinge perfect its matchmaking system.
From its in-depth profiles to its engaging matching system, Hinge encourages singles to get to know each other and take a personal interest in the conversation. Hinge doesn’t allow singles to make generic swipes — instead, you have to comment or like something on the dating profile to create a mutual match.
Whether you’re asking a question about a photo or commenting on a particular prompt, you can show your personality and show appreciation for the other person’s personality all in one go. Hinge has been remarkably successful in the last few years, and its success stories include presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten.
15. Happn
Instead of waiting for love to just happen, you can take a more proactive step and join Happn. This dating app has turned serendipity into a sure thing by mapping out where singles cross paths. The GPS-driven system doesn’t reveal your exact location, but it does notify you when you’re in range of a local match.
Happn gives singles a chance to spark a connection in real life and discover the romantic possibilities around them as they stand in line for coffee or dance at a club.
Happn has gotten a lot of positive reviews from users looking for authentic dates. Gibran Kaleel said he found Happn’s set up really interesting. “I love the concept,” he said. “Can always be a great starter if you’re both interested and looking for some common ground.”
All in all, this dating app can give you the tools you need to get out there and make something happen.
Top Online Dating Websites for “Hookups” (#16-20)
Hookup sites have a whole different vibe from the rest of the dating scene. You won’t find any pretenses or prudes here. People know exactly what they’re getting into when they sign up for an adult-friendly site, and they’re not interested in playing hard to get. These hookup sites are full of sexy, horny, and thirsty singles (and swingers) who are interested in just one thing: sex.
NaughtyCharm
- Relationships: Hookups, Chats
- Match System: Search by encounter, location, and more
- Our Experts Say: NaughtyCharm is a premier hookup app where you can feel comfortable expressing your desires. Plus, it's free to join, browse, and flirt.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
NaughtyCharm supports a free-wheeling, sex-positive community where being naughty is a good thing. The hookup site has easy search tools for age, distance, appearance, and other characteristics, and it allows singles to send mass flirtatious messages to people who meet their standards.
You can stimulate interest by swiping through profiles in the Like Gallery. This fun section shows you a profile picture and asks “Cute or Not?” You have to decide on the spot if you’re interested and then wait to see if that person likes you back. This flirtatious game is a great way to sift through the dating scene if you’re not quite sure what you want.
NaughtyCharm offers free communication to all users with valid profile pictures, but you can always upgrade your profile with the Premium Dater, Extra Security, or Chataholic packages to get more bang for your buck.
- Relationships: Hookups Only
- Match System: Search by location, interest, more
- Our Experts Say: Make no mistake: this site isn't about making friends, it's about finding hookups and casual encounters. No adult site has a larger or more active user base of those seeking discreet fun. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Adult Friend Finder boasts having the largest network of singles and swingers in the world. The database has over 97 million profiles created by sexually active daters, and many of them are quite explicit about their sexual fantasies.
Unlike the bar or club, AdultFriendFinder is open for business 24 hours a day, and you can always find a sexy playmate to chat with you. The site also features live stripper teases and video broadcasts that arouse attention.
AFF users can explore a private world of erotic content and flirty users, and they can take things to the next level by arranging a no-strings-attached hookup on the platform.
FriendFinder-X
- Relationships: Hookups Only
- Match System: Search by location, interest, more
- Our Experts Say: A hookup site specializing in casual encounters, secret affairs, live chats, and member videos, FriendFinder-X skips the awkward "dating" stage of a relationship and fast-forwards straight to the sex. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Finally, FriendFinder-X is among the raunchiest hookup sites out there. Its motto is “where good girls do bad things,” and that’s the perfect way to describe what goes on here.
Free members can hunt for local dates who satisfy their fantasies on FriendFinder-X. The site is open to men and women of all orientations and desires, and it even allows couples and groups to create and share a profile. It’s taboo to ask for a threesome on most dating sites and apps, but FriendFinder-X encourages such dirty talk and lets daters pursue their pleasures without restraint.
Which Dating Sites are Completely Free?
Lots of dating sites offer some free features and privileges, but only a few are 100% completely forever free.
On OkCupid, all chatting is completely free. You can write a novel to your online crush if you want. You’ll never have to pay anything to use the live messaging tools. However, OkCupid does have an A-List subscription that gives users extra perks including ranking higher in search results and seeing all incoming profile likes.
PlentyOfFish is another completely free dating site with a good reputation. It facilitates millions of connections and conversations every week, and you’ll never run out of people to talk to in this global database.
Which Dating Website is the Most Successful?
That’s an easy one. It’s Match.com. The Match Group started in 1995, and it has become the biggest name in the industry by putting the needs of singles first.
Match.com is the most successful dating site because it has facilitated more first dates, relationships, and marriages than any other dating service.
Do Dating Sites Actually Work?
Yes, dating sites definitely work. I’m not just speaking from personal experience. I’m not the only one who has gotten into a relationship after creating a dating profile. These lovely success stories offer evidence that dating sites can work and lead to meaningful relationships.
Maybe reading a few cute stories isn’t enough to convince you. That’s fair enough. So let’s look at the numbers. According to The Knot, online dating is now the most popular way to meet a spouse, and around 40% of all American couples meet first online.
What’s more, almost 30% of Americans know a couple who met online, and over 40% know someone currently using dating sites or apps to meet dates.
Are Dating Sites for Losers?
Absolutely not. Online dating is a mainstream tool with lots of quality singles seeking dates. I’m not just saying that because I’m an active online dater. Pretty much all my single friends are currently using or have used dating sites or apps to meet people. Some have even gotten in relationships or gotten married as a result. None of them are losers.
Online dating has also been used by many celebrities, including Mariah Carey, Tiffany Haddish, Charlize Theron, Hillary Duff, Katy Perry, and Martha Stewart.
A 2015 survey found that 59% of Americans agreed that online dating is a good way to meet people, and only 23% saw it as desperate. The stigma against online dating is fast fading, and that’s good news for singles everywhere.
The Best Dating Sites Make Flirting More Fun for Everyone
Online dating has fundamentally changed the way singles meet love interests and dates, and some criticize it for being superficial, ineffective, or even unsafe, but we think it does a good job of bringing singles together and letting them explore the dating scene for themselves.
I’ve been using dating sites to meet guys for years now, and I’ve often been surprised by how many deep, authentic connections sprang from a simple swipe or match. Online dating isn’t a miracle worker, but the best online dating websites can open doors to first dates and relationships that would otherwise be closed to you. Joining a free dating network gives you the opportunity to meet new people and see what happens.
The dating sites on this list can guide you toward hot dates and compatible matches, but it’s up to you to build on that connection and take online flirtation into the real world. Good luck!
