For years, online dating experts have been saying that dating sites with video calls are the future. It just took a pandemic for most singles to get on board.
Online dating traffic exploded in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted nationwide lockdowns in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Many dating sites and apps saw an initial uptick in online engagement, but it soon became clear that singles needed more than online texting to get them through the coronavirus crisis.
One by one, the major dating sites and apps began releasing video call, voice messaging, and other virtual dating features to help singles date while respecting social distancing guidelines. Thanks to the following dating sites and apps, you don’t have to go anywhere to meet new people. Ain’t technology grand?
DateMyAge
- Relationships: Serious Dating, Long-term Relationships, Pen Pals
- Match System: Search filters, Suggested matches
- Our Experts Say: DateMyAge provides local and international matches for singles who are over 50 and hoping to entertain a long-term love interest. Our Review »
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DateMyAge got in business over a decade ago to support mature relationships in the over-40 age group. Its international dating pool doesn’t set location limits, and it has helpful translation services to help facilitate cross-cultural and long-distance relationships.
Members can send private videos or voice notes to one another, but members must pay for credits to unlock these enhanced communication methods.
The secret to DateMyAge’s staying power is no secret at all. Its team is constantly assessing the dating scene and coming up with solutions to meet online daters where they’re at. The video and voice technology on the site helps bridge distances and create real connections online.
- 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 »
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Adult Friend Finder started out as a straightforward sex chat room in 1996, and now it entertains and tantalizes over 102 million singles and swingers worldwide. The hookup site offers an abundance of communication tools, including video web cam chat.
You don’t need a credit card to have fun on Adult Friend Finder. As we detail in our full review, free members can view dating profiles, post in the discussion forum, and exchange limited messages on the AFF platform. However, the live video content is for VIP members only.
Sexually active adults can let go of their inhibitions and get intimate with someone by sending videos, chatting in a video broadcast, or engaging in a private video call. Private text messaging is also an option.
- 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 »
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FriendFinder-X is another longstanding adult hookup site where singles, swingers, and polyamorous groups seeking sexual encounters. Members can use the search filters to find a potential date in their area, or they can view live model shows, dating forums, and X-rated photo galleries to satisfy their desires.
Members can click on the Live Chat option to get instant access to the network’s sexiest members. The video chat feature makes it easy to build a romantic connection with someone — no matter where in the world they are — and you can also record private videos to send in the chat box.
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 sexy playground for gay, bisexual, and queer men in the U.S. and abroad. This hookup website offers straightforward options for landing a date in the local gay dating scene, and it also has voyeuristic opportunities for guys who’d like to stay anonymous behind their computer screen.
The sexy atmosphere on MenNation is ideal for guys looking to explore their sexuality in private. A random stranger can send texts and private photos with no mutual matching required, and they can also engage in a video chat with hotties on demand.
We consistently rank MenNation as one of the best gay hookup sites because it has a huge database and a lot of communication options that can lead to sexy dates.
5. Tinder
Tinder is the dating app that invented swipe-based matching, so it’s a popular option for singles hoping to land a hot date quickly.
The 2020 pandemic has changed some aspects of dating, but it hasn’t knocked Tinder off its pedestal as the go-to wingman for 630 million singles in 190 countries.
Tinder conversations increased by as much as 30% during the height of coronavirus lockdowns in 2020. But singles can subsist on text messages alone, so the dating app’s team got to work on virtual date options. By the summertime, Tinder had added one-on-one video chats to its repertoire.
The Face-to-Face option started a slow rollout in July 2020 and is still in the beta testing phase, which means it is only available to Tinder users in certain areas.
6. Bumble
In 2014, Bumble launched with the revolutionary premise that women should come first in the online dating scene, and it has been busting gender norms and collecting success stories ever since.
This dating app has become a leader in the industry thanks to its high standards and quality-driven matching features. In 2020, Bumble became more popular than ever and surpassed 100 million users.
The Bumble team pioneered its video and voice chat feature in June 2019, but it didn’t gain widespread popularity until singles were stuck at home and hankering to take their romances beyond just texting.
Bumble immediately deletes video and voice content, and it does not keep a record of such interactions, so online daters can enjoy a private moment with their matches on the app.
7. Hinge
Hinge is an online dating app that was “designed to be deleted,” which means its main purpose is to get singles off the app and into real relationships ASAP.
Before the pandemic, Hinge had one of the best first-date success rates in the industry, and now it has one of the best track records when it comes to video chatting.
In April 2020, Hinge unveiled its Date From Home feature. This facilitates a virtual date experience by prompting mutual matches to accept a video call invite or phone call invite. Users will input their email address or phone number to kick off a call through Facetime or Zoom. About 70% of Hinge users have said they’re open to virtual dating, and the video call feature has been taking off in recent months.
8. Coffee Meets Bagel
Three sisters from California created Coffee Meets Bagel to provide single women with a better experience meeting men online. Since launching in 2012, the dating app has fostered over 55 million love connections.
Coffee Meets Bagel released a video feature in 2018 to make online dating more exciting and personalized. The team saw that posting videos increased a dating profile’s likelihood of making a match, and it has since expanded that capability to include video chat exchanges.
Now, CMB Community Virtual Meetups give high-caliber members the chance to engage in video chats with up to seven people.
9. Badoo
Badoo is one of the most widely used dating apps of all time. More than 420–500 million people have joined the Badoo network, and its members send over 350 million messages per day.
Our full review goes into more detail about how Badoo works and how much it costs.
From its earliest days, Badoo has integrated videos into the online dating experience. Badoo dating profiles feature video clips shared by users, and the dating app enables live video chats between users. Just click the camera icon in your chat window to initiate a video call with your match. Note that the user must be online to accept your video chat invitation.
10. Happn
Happn is a dating app that sparks relationships based on convenience and reciprocity. Only mutual matches can chat on the app, and only people who are in close proximity with one another have the chance to send a like and make a match (the app calls it a Crush).
The Happn app facilitates real-time chats and video calls between singles who live near each other but may never have had the opportunity to say hello. Happn users can only start one video call per Crush, and they will not be able to text message or swipe on the app while the call is taking place.
Over 90 million members have browsed Happn in search of a local date, and the app has a 4-star rating on Google Play.
11. Grindr
Grindr became famous in the gay dating scene in 2009 because it was one of the first dating app’s to use a smartphone’s location data to spark romantic connections. The app now has over 27 million male users and has developed high-tech tools that foster real-time matching and dating.
Over the years, Grindr has fooled around with video chat features and seen varied success. Some users have complained that the video lags or glitches often. Others have found it’s a good way to verify that their date is a real guy and enjoy some flirtatious action on their phone.
Grindr users can click the camera icon to record and send a video to their online crushes. There is also an option to get GIFs, photos, and website links in the chat.
12. HER
HER is a wonderful social networking and dating app for women who are tired of matching with men in the mainstream dating scene. Over 15 million women have joined HER in hopes of connecting with lesbian, bisexual, and queer women in their area.
HER gives women plenty of opportunities to connect with one another online and offline. They can join a community group based on shared interests or RSVP to public events hosted by LGBTQ+ members.
The dating app also allows women to post videos and photos on their dating profile. That way, it’s easier for individuals to let their personality shine.
13. The League
The League provides an exclusive dating club where new users must apply for entry, and only the most attractive and successful singles will make the cut. This dating app encourages singles to be selective in the dating scene and never settle for second-rate dates.
Single professionals have joined The League because they put quality over quantity and want to receive more personalized match recommendations based on their standards.
The League Live offers a unique matchmaking experience that’s part speed dating and video chatting. Users simply set their match preferences, push the start button, and then enjoy three two-minute video dates back to back to back. These mini-dating marathons take place on Sundays and Wednesdays, and The League sends out notifications to remind singles to join in the fun.
What’s a Video Call?
A video call is a type of communication that uses a computer’s webcam or smartphone camera to record live video and send it to another person. You’ll see that person’s video feed on your screen, and you can chat in real time — just make sure not to hit the mute button by accident!
What’s a VoIP Call?
A Voice Over Internet Protocol Call, aka VoIP call, is a private way to chat with someone you met online without exchanging phone numbers or using video. It’s a voice-to-voice communication, similar to a phone call, but supported by IP technology. All you need is a voice-enabled computer and an internet connection.
Making VoIP calls can give online daters a way to build intimacy and trust without entangling their personal lives too much.
How Do Video Calls Work on Dating Sites?
Dating sites and apps that allow video calls do so to make the online dating experience that much easier. It’s pretty simple to use. You click the video button on a profile or in a chat box, and that will send a video chat invite to the other person. You must both be online for the video chat window to open, so it’s best to arrange a day and time to enjoy your video date.
Sometimes you can leave a video message for your online crush if he or she is not currently online. These messages are typically private and cannot be deleted or viewed by you once sent.
Be sure to look at a dating company’s privacy policy to see how it stores or deletes private messaging data, including video calls. In most cases, the platform shouldn’t keep a record of your video chat, but you should verify that before getting intimate in such a public forum.
How Do I Go About Choosing the Best Dating Site With Video Calls?
If you want to go on video dates, any of the dating sites and apps on this list can help. The only difficult part is deciding which one is right for you. Be sure to look up reviews and ask your friends what they think before choosing a specific dating service.
You should take into account the dating site’s reputation, features, costs, and success stories, and remember that your location can also determine which dating platform is most popular and effective.
What Services Can You Use to Make Video Calls?
If the dating site or app doesn’t directly provide video call functionalities, singles can always find a way to do it themselves by using third-party services. Zoom, Skype, and Facetime can all facilitate video dates with very little hassle or personal information exchanged.
The HouseParty app is another good option for singles seeking a fun dating experience. This app provides games such as UNO and Heads Up for users to play while they chat.
Are Video Calls on Dating Sites Safe?
The whole point of online dating is to meet a random stranger and find a potential date, so it’s natural to feel nervous. But it is relatively safe as long as you keep your wits about you and don’t fall for a Nigerian Prince or Russian fembot.
Online daters should always take their time when getting to know new people and keep their personal information (full name, address, birthdate, etc.) to themselves to avoid compromising themselves. They can also arrange video calls to make sure the person they’re chatting with is genuine.
Most dating sites have reporting tools to keep unsavory characters from causing trouble. In a survey, about 28% of online daters said they had felt harassed or uncomfortable at some point during their online chats. Fortunately, all they have to do to sever contact is hit the block button.
Romance scammers will make up different stories to fool people, and some can be quite convincing, but they all boil down to the same plea for money and favors. Be on your guard if an online crush asks for money and has not yet met you in person or even been on a video call or phone call. That person is most likely a group of people running a scam.
It’s wise to arrange a phone call or video date before meeting someone in person. That way, you can ensure you’re not being catfished.
Video Dating Is the New Normal For Modern Singles
The 2020 pandemic has brought new and unparalleled challenges to many industries. Social distancing demands have prompted professionals to come up with innovative solutions to a range of problems, including how to connect singles when IRL date venues are off the table.
Online dating sites and apps have had the capacity to enable video chats for years, but it took a crisis to create a demand for such features. Now singles have adapted to a new way of getting to know each other — and some find it’s a much more convenient way to date.
Instead of getting dressed up to troll the bar or club scene, singles can stay locked down at home and enjoy meeting people on dating sites with video calls to break the ice. Be safe and have fun out there!
