Dating Sites Reviews

Online Dating

20 Best Dating Site Reviews (2024)

Amber Brooks

Written by: Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks is the Editor-in-Chief at DatingAdvice.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being "boy crazy," but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. As an English major at the University of Florida, Amber honed her communication skills to write clearly, knowledgeably, and passionately about a variety of subjects. Now with over 1,800 lifestyle articles to her name, Amber brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to DatingAdvice.com.

See full bio »

Edited by: Lillian Castro

Lillian Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of journalism experience to ensure DatingAdvice articles have been edited for overall clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement. She has worked at The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, The Gwinnett Daily News, and The Gainesville Sun covering lifestyle topics.

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Most people wouldn’t see a movie, hire a handyman, or try a new restaurant without checking out some reviews first, and our dating experts think it should be the same way with joining a dating site. By reading dating site reviews, singles can learn the ins and outs of online dating and better understand their options.

Here at DatingAdvice.com, we’ve spent countless hours reviewing popular dating sites and featuring the up-and-comers in the space. Our dating experts are in the trenches alongside today’s singles, and we understand how important it is to choose a trustworthy dating site with authentic and active members.

As a free online dating resource, our goal is to help singles date smarter by giving them the information they need right from the start. So, without any further ado, here’s our expert reviews of the top-tier dating sites that have great features, many success stories, and free membership plans.

Best Overall | Free | Senior | Christian | LGBT | Black | Professionals |
Hookups | FAQs

Top Dating Sites Reviews (#1-2)

The online dating scene is huge, popular, and kind of strange — like, did you know there’s a dating site for clowns? — and it can be intimidating to go online and discover there are over 8,000 dating sites to choose from, and they all cater to different types of singles.

Lucky for you, our team has tested and reviewed hundreds of dating sites, so you don’t have to do any legwork to find the best of the best. Here are our top picks in the online dating scene:

1. Match

★★★★★
4.9/5.0

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...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

Since launching in 1995, Match has built its reputation as the #1 dating site for singles of all ages, races, orientations, and backgrounds. There’s something for everyone here. You have a free basic membership for budget-conscious singles, advanced search tools for choosy singles, and instant messaging for chatty singles.

A free Match membership includes unlimited profile browsing, so you can get a feel for the date prospects in your area, but only paid subscribers can send messages to anyone they want. Free members can like profiles and send responses to some premium members who message them first — and sometimes that’s enough to exchange contact information and set up a date.

Match is a personality-driven dating site where members can add up to 26 photos and write about themselves in their own words. That facilitates getting to know someone before you even say “hello” on the site or app. To learn more, check out our full review of Match here.

2. Bumble

In 2014, tech entrepreneur Whitney Wolfe-Herd decided she’d had enough. She was tired of seeing women being objectified and bombarded with creepy messages on traditional swipe-crazed dating apps, and she decided to do something to make the process a little more civil and female-friendly. Her solution was Bumble, the first feminist dating app on the market.

On Bumble, straight women are in control of their inboxes and can set the tone for every new conversation. It works like this: once a match has been formed between a man and a woman, the woman has 24 hours to send the first message or the match will disappear permanently. Bumble men cannot send a first message — unless it’s a same-sex match.

Screenshot of Bumble

Bumble supports a respectful and authentic community of singles seeking connections.

From the beginning, Bumble has taken a quality-first approach to online dating that appeals to relationship-minded daters with progressive viewpoints.

Bumble’s blog, aka The Buzz, has featured some touching love stories created on the app. “We were messaging that day and knew we were out around the same area that night, so just decided to meet up,” said Ivana about her first date with the boyfriend she met on Bumble. “We managed to have the most random night ever. It was good fun.”

Top “Free” Dating Sites Reviews (#3-4)

Many singles don’t want to pay an entrance fee to chat, flirt, and pick up dates online, so they seek out free dating sites and apps where they can have a successful experience without shelling out their hard-earned cash. The following dating sites offer enough free features to help singles mingle and meet people, but you can also upgrade to premium memberships to make the process go a little faster.

3. Zoosk

★★★★★
4.7/5.0

Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships

Match System: Search and get match recommendations

Our Experts Say: “Zoosk is integrated with social media sites, like Facebook and Google+, so it's very popular with singles on the go...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

Zoosk has been a mover and shaker in the online dating space since 2007 when it launched as a social media-inspired dating site. An innovative team in Silicon Valley designed Zoosk as an online social hangout where people could chat and match without putting undue pressure on themselves.

Today, Zoosk has over 40 million members in 80 countries, and it continues to grow as word spreads about this proactive online dating solution.

Zoosk uses behavioral matchmaking to identify compatibility between singles. The learning algorithm takes note of which dating profiles you view, like, and message, and then it recommends similar profiles in the Carousel and SmartPicks sections. That means the more you use Zoosk, the more accurate your matches will become.

4. Tinder

No list of the best free dating platforms would be complete without Tinder. This acclaimed dating app invented swiping in 2012, and its mutual matching system has led to over 70 billion matches in 190 countries. What’s more, the app is responsible for inspiring more than 1.5 million dates every week, and it sees over 2 billion views per day.

Tinder is free to download on the App Store or Google Play, and you can message any of your mutual matches without paying a cent. You can upgrade to Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold to get some extra perks, including unlimited likes, a profile Boost, and an ad-free experience.

Screenshot of Tinder's homepage

Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold membership plans can take the swiping experience to the next level.

While Tinder has the reputation of a hookup app, plenty of singles use it to find long-term relationships as well. The swiping feature puts you in control of your dating experience, and you can decide how serious or casual you want to be with it.

“Tinder was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” said Kensiekensie in a five-star review. “Without it, I never would have found the love of my life.”

Top “Senior” Dating Sites Reviews (#5-6)

Senior singles can feel out of touch with the modern dating scene because it’s so different from what they’re used to. Many seniors haven’t dated in decades, and they need an online dating crash course or at least safety guidelines to help them find their footing.

Senior-friendly dating sites, like the ones listed below, can offer a fun tutorial and friendly database to make newcomers feel right at home.

★★★★★
4.6/5.0

Relationships: Friendship, Casual Dates, Serious Relationships

Match System: Search by age, location, height, education, ethnicity, and religion

Our Experts Say: “SilverSingles is a fast-growing, easy-to-use niche dating site exclusively for active daters over the age of 50...” Full Review »

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It’s easier to date when surrounded by people your own age, and that’s the aim of SilverSingles, which is a seniors-only dating site.

The SilverSingles site and app appeals to singles who have some silver in their hair and want a date or partner to keep them company in their golden years. SilverSingles has fostered friendships and relationships of all types with its customizable match settings.

Only premium members can view photos and send messages on SilverSingles, so you don’t have to worry about jeopardizing your safety or privacy by setting up a free dating profile.

★★★★★
4.6/5.0

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...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

OurTime is one of the most popular senior dating sites around, with more than 8.9 monthly visitors. The online dating service works as a matchmaker for silver singles seeking love, companionship, or even just a single friend.

As a People Media site, OurTime has access to a vast and diverse database of singles. It also uses a time-tested interface with lots of search options, match suggestions, event invitations, and premium features available at the click of a button.

Over the years, OurTime has collected success stories from couples who found love on the senior dating site. These testimonials are encouraging reminders of the life-changing impact OurTime can have.

“My husband and I met on OurTime,” said Sharyn in a Consumer Affairs review. “We’ve been married now three years, and I’m so happy.”

Top “Christian” Dating Sites Reviews (#7-8)

Devout Christians often want to date religious people who share similar beliefs, traditions, and backgrounds because it just makes life simpler that way. When you’re in a committed relationship with a Christian, you don’t have to argue about going to church on Sunday or celebrating Christmas or Easter.

Christian couples are on the same page about the important things in life, and that’s a wonderful blessing in a relationship and family. If you’re looking for a potential partner in faith, we recommend using these two Christian-friendly dating sites as your spiritual and romantic guide.

★★★★★
4.5/5.0

Relationships: Dates and Serious Relationships

Match System: Search by gender, age, education, more

Our Experts Say: “ChristianMingle is among the largest dating sites in the industry that only caters to single Christian men and women, and the site has some of the best search filters and safety features...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

ChristianMingle is a Christian dating site designed to answer the prayers of singles hoping to find a good Christian date. The site’s motto is, “Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is here.”

At its heart, ChristianMingle is about inspiring people to grow in love and build God-centered relationships. People of all Christian denominations are welcome here, and the site even has room for singles who are not Christian but want to explore that lifestyle.

ChristianMingle is pretty straightforward in terms of its setup. You can search for profiles based on distance, online activity, or match percentage, and you can also review one profile at a time in the LookBook. If you see anyone you like, click the heart icon to let them know you’re interested. Have any questions or concerns? Then look to the FAQs page for advice and the testimonials page for inspiration.

“Some advice we would provide for current ChristianMingle members would to first be patient,” said Katherine and Mark in their success story. “Additionally, it cannot be overstated that we all need to submit our trust to the Lord in every area of our lives, including our romantic relationships.”

★★★★★
4.8/5.0

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...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

A Christian theologian and clinical psychologist named Dr. Neil Clark Warren designed eharmony to be an all-encompassing solution for singles seeking love and marriage. This premium dating site launched in 2000, and it has created over 2 million love connections — and counting.

Every 14 minutes, someone finds love on eharmony. The site’s networking power may seem miraculous, but it’s actually grounded in psychology and science. The signature eharmony matchmaking system relies on an in-depth, 80-question Compatibility Quiz that measures 32 important characteristics, including intellect, inner energy, pragmatism, introversion, adventurousness, desire for structure, and assertiveness.

While the Compatibility Quiz doesn’t ask outright about religion, it does delve into a person’s values, motivations, and priorities, and it can identify when two heartfelt individuals are in sync. Premium eharmony members can set match preferences for religion, education, and income, but all members can see this information on the other person’s dating profile.

Top “LGBT” Dating Sites Reviews (#9-13)

One of the greatest benefits of online dating is that you can find your type of date very quickly, and you don’t have to play a series of guessing games to figure out if that person is single and attracted to you. Dating sites put it all out there and let singles pursue dates without having to leave home. That’s been great news for LGBTQ+ singles who are tired of bar hopping and using gaydar to pick up dates.

Gay-friendly dating sites can make a difference by giving singles a safe space to explore their sexuality and discover common interests. It’s an easy way to reach out beyond your typical social circle and find people who click with you. Today, about 65% of same-sex couples meet online, and you could be one of them.

9. OkCupid

OkCupid

has been around for a long time, and it has racked up plenty of positive reviews from singles who love the free matching and messaging. The dating site started building its database and honing its matchmaking system in 2004, and the app launched in 2012 to a lot of fanfare.

Then, in 2014, OkCupid came out as a staunch ally to the LGBTQ+ community by creating 22 gender options and 13 orientation options for its profiles. Now you can come out to date prospects as a non-binary sapiosexual or a genderfluid bisexual. “Questioning” is also an option if you’re still not sure where you fit along the spectrum.

Screenshot from OkCupid

OkCupid features lengthy profiles, interest-based matches, and advanced search tools.

With open-ended prompts and thousands of fun personal questions, OkCupid gives singles the freedom and flexibility to express their personalities and define themselves in their own way.

It’s free to create an account, browse profiles, send likes, and chat with anyone on OkCupid, so you really have nothing to lose by joining the online community. Who knows? You could end up featured in its success stories one day.

“I’ll never be able to thank OkCupid enough for bringing us together,” said Justin and Jake. “I’ve met the man that I’ve been looking for online, and you brought him to me!”

10. HER

As Martina McBride says, this one’s for the girls. HER is a female-only dating space where women can be themselves and make authentic connections. The dating app supports over 10 million lesbian, bisexual, trans, and queer women — and not a single dude.

HER’s moderators police its membership base and removes all male profiles immediately and permanently. They also do not tolerate hate speech, bullying, or disrespectful behavior, so mind your manners while on the app.

It’s free to download HER and begin sending comments and likes to the profiles that catch your eye. You can also go into the Queer Events section to find local meetups and parties happening near you.

HER is commonly referred to as the best dating app for LGBTQ+ ladies. The app has led to many loving relationships over the years, and its #WeMetOnHER stories feature womxn of all ages and backgrounds. As the HER Community Guidelines says, “We want to encourage love, open minds, and comfort.”

11. Grindr

We can’t review the top gay dating apps without mentioning Grindr. It’s pretty much the godfather of the gay dating scene. In 2009, Grindr launched an all-male dating network and became an unrivaled leader in the space.

Today, Grindr has over 27 million members in 192 countries. The app is the go-to wingman for gay and bisexual men on the prowl, and it uses the smartphone’s location data to find the closest date prospects.

Screenshot of Grindr's homepage

Grindr sees over 3 million daily active users, and it uses location-based matches to hook them up.

Grindr has received mixed reviews from its users. Some men say they have found hot dates and soul mates here, and others share cringeworthy stories about failed pickup lines and creepy dudes. Personally, we prefer to focus on the Grindr success stories — not just because they’re cuter — and let guys know it is possible to get out of the casual hookup scene and find something real on Grindr.

12. MenNation

★★★★
4.0/5.0

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...”

Browse Free: View Photos Now

MenNation is a gay hookup site for men who want to date the down low.

MenNation is an all-male site where singles and couples can let their freak flags fly. Closeted gay men can enjoy using this anonymous space to flirt, and gay couples can enjoy picking up dates who are up for threesomes, orgies, or polyamorous relationships.

Since 1996, MenNation has promoted millions of dating personals and led to countless casual connections between sexually active guys.

★★★★
4.0/5.0

Relationships: Hookups Only

Match System: Search by location, interest, more

Our Experts Say: “LesbianPersonals provides a fun, quick, and easy experience for gay and bisexual women looking for sex online. Join for free, and you'll be able to search and communicate immediately...”

Browse Free: View Photos Now

LesbianPersonals has made a name for itself as a female-friendly hookup site with millions of active profiles. It’s easily one of the most popular options for ladies interested in skipping the small talk and getting intimate with single women, couples, and groups.

In this judgment-free zone, lesbian women can follow their lust and live out their fantasies in a safe environment. They can exchange racy photos and sexually charged texts online, and then see where the conversation leads them. LesbianPersonals is a fast-paced, sex-positive dating site, so there’s no need to hold back or play coy when chatting with a local hottie.

Top “Black” Dating Sites Reviews (#14-15)

Dating as a minority can be difficult. From 2009 to 2014, OkCupid conducted an internal study of race and attraction, and its data revealed that OkCupid members tend to be most attracted to people of their own race, and non-Black singles were less likely to start conversations with black singles on the dating site.

However, it’s not all bad news. Some studies show that online dating has actually bolstered interracial marriages, and many diverse dating sites can help black singles come into their own and find people who are attracted to them.

★★★★
4.1/5.0

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...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

As a niche dating site, BlackPeopleMeet isn’t as large as some of the mainstream dating sites and apps on this list, but it boasts having the largest Black singles community in the U.S. and Canada, so it’s worth checking out if that’s your type.

Thousands of Black and biracial singles have found love and romance on BlackPeopleMeet, and the team frequently receives positive reviews from current and former members.

“Thanks so much for the ease and flexibility of the BlackPeopleMeet site,” said a BPM user in a testimonial. “I met a wonderful man named Eric on this site only a few days after subscribing.”

15. BLK

BLK

invites Black singles to “slide, connect, and see where it takes you.” The Black dating app launched in early 2019 and immediately attracted attention with its sleek and user-friendly design.

After over 30,000 user reviews, the app currently boasts a 4.2-star rating on Google Play and a 4.4-star rating in the App Store.

Screenshot of BLK

BLK maintains an exclusive dating community for Black men and women.

BLK promotes sliding — not swiping — on profiles, but it’s essentially the same matching process you’ll find on traditional dating apps. The difference is that you’ll see many more Black, biracial, and multiracial faces on this popular dating site.

“If you’re honest, kind, and respectful to others, you’ll always be welcome here,” the BLK team promises. “Our goal is to allow users to express themselves freely as long as it doesn’t offend others.”

Top Dating Sites Reviews for “Professionals” (#16-18)

Single professionals don’t have a lot of free time to spend swiping to infinity. The average millennial spends about 10 hours a week on dating apps, and that’s just not doable for people working 60, 70, or 80 hours in the average week.

We could write an entire list of dating sites for professionals — in fact, we have — but maybe you don’t have the time to sort through them all.  To make things quick, here’s three of the best dating apps for professionals who have a steady career, a high income, big ambitions, and are looking for someone on the same level.

★★★★★
4.8/5.0

Relationships: Serious Relationships

Match System: Search, Receive Partner Suggestions

Our Experts Say: “EliteSingles is a leading dating site just for busy, single professionals. More than 80% of members have earned a college degree, and most are looking for a serious commitment...” Full Review »

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EliteSingles is a highly efficient and upscale dating site designed to meet the needs of white-collar professionals. Its members include a lot of talented and successful individuals, including doctors, lawyers, and executives.

Just looking at the numbers, EliteSingles is pretty impressive. EliteSingles has over 13 million members in 20 countries, and they’re all quality folks. Over 80% of EliteSingles members have earned a college degree, and more than 90% say they want to get in a relationship.

By putting its members first, EliteSingles has set high standards for the online dating scene and become one of the most cost-efficient options for daters in the professional world. The matchmaking algorithm creates a new love match every 14 minutes, and more than 2,000 couples form here every month.

17. Hinge

Hinge

became known as “the relationship app” and “the anti-Tinder” because it consistently prioritized quality over quantity. The app doesn’t just throw matches at the wall to see what sticks. It carefully curates its daily recommendations and highlights dating profiles that show true promise.

While Hinge uses swiping to create matches, it adds a lot of useful features to make the system less about looks and more about common interests. It all starts with the Hinge profile, which includes six photos and three prompts (you can choose from things like “What’s your favorite Disney movie” or “What are your dealbreakers?”). Users have to like or comment on a specific prompt or photo to initiate a mutual match, and they can like up to 10 profiles a day for free.

Check out our full review of Hinge to learn more about its innovative matching process and unprecedented success.

Screenshot of Hinge

At Hinge, the main goal is to get users off the app and into serious relationships.

I can’t say enough good things about Hinge — and not just because I met my boyfriend there. The dating app makes it easy to get to know someone just by reading his or her profile, and it facilitates great conversations with its fun prompts and detail-rich profiles.

Hinge was also the first dating app to ask for post-date feedback from users. Singles can click the We Met button on a profile to tell the team how things went. So far, 90% of Hinge members say they enjoyed their first date, and 72% said they would go out with that person again.

18. CoffeeMeetsBagel

Three female entrepreneurs launched CoffeeMeetsBagel to encourage singles to “rediscover dating” by slowing down and putting more thought into each match. The dating app’s founding principle is authenticity, and it strives to help genuine singles connect with one another.

CoffeeMeetsBagel limits the number of likes and matches a user can have per day, and it carefully curates a list of dating profiles that have true relationship potential. The app measures compatibility based on shared characteristics, backgrounds, and lifestyles, and it has led to many deep connections.

A single named Kimmy struck gold on her first match (the app calls it a Bagel), and she ended up in an adorable relationship with a sporty Californian named Danny.

CoffeeMeetsBagel has seen over 165,000 reviews on Google Play and the App Store where it has earned 4 stars and 4.5 stars, respectively. Many CMB users say the app offers a welcome change of pace and has given them better quality matches than they found elsewhere.

For that reason, we’d say CoffeeMeetsBagel is a great option for busy professionals who don’t want to waste time on flaky dates and ghosted conversations.

Top Dating Sites Reviews for “Hookups” (#19-22)

Let’s be honest, sex is an important part of life, and sometimes it’s the only thing singles want from their online dates. More than half of young adults use online dating to find local hookups. They dive into a dating service with a hit-it-and-quit-it mentality, but sometimes they encounter obstacles on the road to romance. Some sites are crowded with relationship-minded folks who’ll outright reject someone for merely mentioning the idea of hooking up.

Fortunately, you don’t have to stay frustrated for long on the right casual dating platform. Hookup sites can remove the guessing games for both parties and allow sexually active daters to get what they want out of the online dating experience.

19. BeNaughty

★★★★
4.2/5.0

Relationships: Hookups, Chats

Match System: Search by encounter, location, and more

Our Experts Say: “BeNaughty is a premier hookup app where you can feel comfortable expressing your desires. Plus, it's free to join, browse, and flirt...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

As a popular casual dating site, BeNaughty can excite singles with its fast-paced, photo-centric matchmaking game, and it doesn’t cost a thing to join the fun. You can view members who are online now or who recently joined the site and then sort the virtually endless list of profile photos by popularity, age, distance, or recent activity.

If you see someone you like, you can send a quick like for free or type a brief message to get his or her attention. You don’t have to form a mutual match to send a message here, so it’s pretty much a sexy free-for-all.

BeNaughty also gives users the option to send a mass text message to anyone who fits their match criteria. The site will offer suggested greetings — “I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather survive the Zombie Apocalypse with” or “I love to work out. Maybe we can get together so I can give you the workout of your life!” — or you can write something original and flirty of your own.

★★★★
4.2/5.0

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...”

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Adult Friend Finder claims to support the world’s largest sex and swinger community because it has over 97 million profiles (not to mention nearly 98 million photos) in its database.

If that’s not enough to arouse your interest, then you should take a look at the X-rated discussion forum where members trade erotic stories and fantasies in over 14 million group chats.

Anyone looking for no-strings-attached sex is welcome to peruse this adult-friendly site. The AFF community is full of anonymous horny people who send flirty messages, exchange photos, share strip-tease videos, and engage in cybersexting 24/7.

★★★
3.4/5.0

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...”

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FriendFinder-X doesn’t fool around when it comes to fooling around. The casual sex site gets straight down to business and helps sexy singles, couples, and groups mingle in a discreet online setting.

After providing their gender, birthdate, country, ZIP code, and email address, FriendFinder-X members can conduct a local search for sexy playmates and send messages to anyone they find attractive. Everyone is on FriendFinder-X because they want to get laid, so it’s not very difficult to land a hot date in this adults-only network.

22. DOWN

DOWN

offers casual daters the chance to get down in secret. The privacy-conscious app delivers sexy match-ups and supports live chats that lead to real-life hookups. Over 4 million users have joined DOWN and used it to find local dates who are willing to go straight to bed.

The DOWN swiping system is flexible enough to accommodate casual dating and anonymous hookups. Singles can choose either “Get date” or “Get down” to let their matches know their intentions.

Screenshot from DOWN's website

DOWN is an independent dating app known for its discretion.

According to DOWN’s internal data, over half of its matches lead to flirtatious encounters in the real world. If you’re curious about how DOWN works and what its plans for the future are, then check out our full review of the app.

“We think singles want simple, honest dating with less time invested,” the DOWN team said. “Our aim is to provide a simpler experience with more user satisfaction from minute one.”

What is the Best Dating Site for a Serious Relationship?

If you look at the numbers, it’s pretty clear that eharmony is one of the best dating sites for relationship seekers. The dating website’s values-driven matchmaking attracts serious singles who are willing to invest their time, energy, and even money in the dating process.

★★★★★
4.8/5.0

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...” Full Review »

Browse Free: View Photos Now

Singles must enroll in a paid membership on eharmony to send unlimited messages or arrange a video chat. Some criticize paid dating sites for charging members for communication, but it’s an intentional strategy to keep fakes and casual daters out of the dating pool.

Every 14 minutes, someone falls in love on eharmony. When it was at its peak, the dating site was responsible for 2% of all U.S. marriages, and it still has an impressive number of success stories to its name.

Which Dating Sites Actually Work?

If a dating site introduces you to a lot of real date prospects and facilitates engaging conversations, then the site is doing its job. No site can guarantee it’ll lead to dates and relationships; all it can do is provide you with plenty of opportunities to meet viable dates.

Some people complain that online dating doesn’t work for them, but we’d chalk a lot of that up to user error. They could be using the wrong site or saying the wrong thing in their profiles or matches. Such issues are easy to fix, especially with dating site reviewers like us on your side.

Different dating sites will work for different types of daters. Relationship-minded folks often have success on Hinge, while casual daters tend to enjoy Tinder the most. Tinder is responsible for over 1 million first dates, but Hinge has a better success rate when it comes to turning first dates into second dates.

A pie chart of Tinder users' ages

About 83% of Tinder users are between 16 and 34 years old.

Tinder is dominated by young singles in their 20s and 30s, so more mature daters may want to seek a senior-friendly site like SeniorMatch or OurTime. These sites have testimonials to prove they have worked in the past and can work in the future.

Many dating sites really do work — as long as users are willing to put in some work to land the date or build the relationship. Remember, a dating site can only make the introduction, and the rest is up to you.

What is the Best and Safest Dating Site?

This is an easy one. Only one dating site has been around since 1995 and established itself as a trustworthy, safe, and effective dating resource for singles from all walks of life. In our estimation, Match is simply the best in the business, and we’re not the only ones who feel that way.

Over 1,000 users have given Match five stars on SiteJabber, and the dating site (and its app) received hundreds of positive reviews on ConsumerAffairs.com. “I had a great experience,” said Jessica, a Match user from Fort Worth, Texas. “I ended up going on one date from Match.com, and that date happened to turn into my husband.”

★★★★★
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Match comes out on top when it comes to user safety and satisfaction, so it’s no wonder many full reviews of the site give it a full endorsement.

Online dating experts can give you their two cents, but, ultimately, it’s up to you to judge for yourself if Match Group is a winner. You can join Match for free to see what all the fuss is about and decide if it can help you meet your relationship goals.

Are Dating Sites for Losers?

Absolutely not. Plenty of highly successful and desirable people have used online dating to find romance in their free time. No, I don’t just mean me. Dating sites are full of doctors, lawyers, teachers, CEOs, athletes, businessmen, and even some celebrities. Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg met his future husband on the Hinge dating app, comedian Amy Schumer got in a relationship thanks to a dating app, and actress Hillary Duff has confirmed she has used Tinder to meet people.

If you’re not online dating, you’re the one who’s losing out. Nearly 50 million Americans have used dating sites or apps, and it has become one of the most common ways to attract a date, get in a relationship, and even find The One. Today, 40% of straight couples and 65% of same-sex couples in the U.S. say they met each other online, and, according to a recent survey, 22% of newlyweds have a dating site or app to thank for their marriage.

Reviewing Dating Sites is What We Do Best

There you have it! Our dating site reviews can point you in the right direction the next time you’re looking for a hot date, a fast connection, or a fulfilling relationship. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what your orientation is, you can always find your tribe by conducting targeted searches online.

Many of these top-rated dating sites and apps have spent years satisfying singles and inspiring conversations that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. We’d recommend joining at least three dating platforms on this list to give yourself the best chance of meeting someone special and taking advantage of the romantic possibilities in your neighborhood. Good luck!

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