Top 10 Best Sites
Looking for a dating site you can trust? Search no more.
Our experts have ranked the most popular dating sites by age to help singles young and old. Because age matters when you’re looking for romance.
Singles who are within the same age range can share common experiences, understand each other’s pop culture references, and have similar interests in life. That’s a solid starting point for any type of relationship.
The online dating scene is rife with opportunities for singles of all ages and backgrounds, and we’ve broken down the best dating sites by age group and popularity to make things clearer. Whether you’re looking for love, sex, or new friends, you can start your journey with an online dating profile and friendly chat.
Teens | 20s | 30s | 40s | Over 50
Most Popular Dating Sites for Teens
We’ll start by addressing the youngins in the online dating scene. Single teenagers tend to be eager to try anything and everything to meet new people and have adventures. But not all dating sites allow teenagers to mingle freely.
The best teenager dating sites were created with young people in mind, have a great vibe for dating, and are completely free to join. So go get it!
1. Zoosk
★★★★★
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
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
| All Singles* |
48%*
52%*
|
28.9 Million* | Start Zoosk for FREE |
First of all, Zoosk is an old-school dating site that has embraced new-school techniques. The Silicon Valley startup company drew inspiration from social media and implemented smart matchmaking based on user activity rather than dating profile information.
Zoosk uses an algorithm to intuitively match users based on their previous likes, swipes, and chats. The more singles use Zoosk, the more it learns about their dating preferences.
Our experts recommend Zoosk to older teenagers (it’s 18 and up only) because it has a variety of communication tools to play with, and over 40 million dating profiles to browse. Hard to get bored in such a flirtatious environment!
2. My LOL
is among the few dating sites that welcome teenagers under 18 to join. The online dating service is 100% free and has over 300,000 active members in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
Teenage daters should note that MY LOL is currently available as a dating website only. The dating app has been removed from the App Store and Google Play due to security concerns.
MY LOL offers private teen chat rooms where young people can feel safe, heard, and appreciated.
My LOL has put measures in place to make sure adults do not infiltrate its teenage ranks. All new users must verify that they are in their teenage years when they sign up, and the moderators will permanently ban anyone caught lying about their age, posting sexually explicit content, or soliciting sex from a minor.
3. TeenDatingSite.net
is a top choice for high schoolers who want to give online dating a try without lying about their age or meeting older singles with creepy intentions. This teen dating service has over 1 million users who have identified as teenagers and uploaded photos to prove it.
A young person can basically enjoy free rein on TeenDatingSite.net. It’s a fun hangout where conversations are always flowing. Just be aware that the dating website does not run background checks or verify ages through social media, so you will need to keep an eye out for unsavory characters.
If you see any suspicious activity online, report it to TeenDatingSite.net immediately.
In 2016, TeenDatingSite.net launched a teen dating app to augment its networking ability. However, the app has not proven as popular as the dating website so far. Teen Dating has been downloaded over 100,000 times, but fewer than 2,000 members have rated the app, which only has a 2.2-star rating on Google Play.
Most Popular Dating Sites for Singles in Their 20s
Your 20s can be anything you want them to be. It’s an age for putting away childish things and embarking on new adventures in young adulthood. Some people see their 20s as a time to play the field, while others are looking for a serious, lifelong connection.
Whatever your intentions are, online dating sites and apps can provide great networking opportunities for singles in their 20s. Take your pick!
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
4. Match
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
All Singles*
49%*
51%*
39.7 Million*
Try Match FREE
Match has the statistics to back up its success in the online dating scene. Since its launch in 1995, the dating website has led to more relationships and marriages than any other dating service. The website and app boast having over 35 million members in 50 countries.
The 20-somethings on Match.com enjoy having a mature dating space where they can write more than two sentences per message and really get to know potential dates. If you’re looking for a serious relationship, it’s worth investing some time, energy, and maybe even some cash in Match. The premier dating site has some free communication options (between Top Picks only), but only paid members can send unlimited messages to anyone they fancy.
5. Tinder
became famous in 2012 by giving college-aged singles the chance to date on their terms. And the dating app has been making inroads among 20-somethings ever since. According to the app’s internal stats, over 50% of Tinder users are under 25, and their matches inspire about 1.5 million dates every week.
The Tinder app can introduce a young person to many desirable date prospects.
The numbers speak to Tinder’s dominance in the modern dating scene. In less than a decade, Tinder has been downloaded approximately 400 million times and created more than 55 billion matches. It’s been translated into 40 languages and has members in 190 countries.
If you’re looking for a hot date, then Tinder can be your wingman. Most Tinder chats lead to a casual date or a hookup; however, we’ve heard of some Tinder love stories that show it’s possible to find love anywhere — including on an infamous hookup app.
6. Grindr
launched in 2009 when smartphones were still in their infancy — and today’s 20-somethings were just schoolchildren. The gay dating app has come a long way since then. It has pioneered location-based matching and won over young gay men with all sorts of romantic notions in their heads and hearts.
Today, Grindr boasts being among the most popular gay dating apps in the world. The network has over 27 million users and is available in every country of the world.
Grindr is a gay app that appeals to flirtatious young men in their 20s.
Youthful LGBTQ+ singles can find their perfect match on Grindr. The app gives them an avenue to explore new relationships and pursue sexual partners without outing themselves in public.
Grindr users send over 855 million photos a month on average, and the most used emoji is an eggplant. So don’t be surprised if chatting quickly becomes sexting on this all-male hookup app.
7. OkCupid
Young singles love OkCupid because it’s a completely free dating site where they can explore local and international date options without paying a dime. OkCupid offers its messaging and matching features for the reasonable price of $0, so it won’t break the budget of a college student or newly employed professional.
OkCupid inspires over 91 million matches every year.
OkCupid is a tech-savvy dating service that uses data to drive its matches. Age is just one of the factors that can come into play. The dating platform asks new members to provide a plethora of details — including choosing from 22 gender options and 12 sexual orientation options — to help it calculate compatibility ratings that accurately predict relationship success.
8. Happn
is a free dating app that uses real-time GPS data to find its users a potential date that’s down the block or around the corner. The app shows singles where they have crossed paths with a new match, so they can literally find common ground.
The Happn app is most popular in large cities in the U.S. and Europe.
If you’re in your 20s and living in a big city, Happn can help you navigate the local dating scene and find someone who can fit seamlessly into your lifestyle. Maybe you’ve been going to the same coffee shop or attend the same church but just never met. Happn provides that opportunity, and it doesn’t charge anything for the favor.
Most Popular Dating Sites for Singles in Their 30s
Singles in their 30s often mean serious business. Their biological clock can be a big factor in the dating decisions of some single adults, particularly single women.
Online daters over 30 typically don’t want to waste time keeping things casual or “just seeing where things go.” These 30-somethings already have a pretty good idea where they want to go. And the following dating sites can help them get there.
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 »
Browse Free:
View Photos Now
9. EliteSingles
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
All Singles*
44%*
56%*
2 Million*
Browse Profiles Free
Elite Singles is easily the best dating site for young professionals who want to meet someone on their level — and hopefully form a lasting partnership. Over 80% of Elite Singles members are 30 or older, and most of them say they are looking for a long-term relationship rather than a hookup.
This dating network caters to well-educated and successful singles. More than 381,000 people join Elite Singles every month, and they tend to see fast results, especially if they upgrade to a paid membership.
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
10. eharmony
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
All Singles*
48%*
52%*
4.1 Million*
View Profiles FREE
Since 2000, eharmony has become a trusted name in the online dating industry. The dating website and app offers quality matchmaking to single people who are serious about finding their future husband or wife.
The eharmony match algorithm draws from psychology to identify innate compatibility in communication styles, family values, intimacy, and other important factors. It’s completely free to create an eharmony profile and take the Compatibility Quiz. However, free members are limited when it comes to messaging, so single professionals have an advantage because they can afford eharmony’s premium services.
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
11. BlackPeopleMeet
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
Black Singles*
47%*
53%*
5.7 Million*
FREE Trial for New Users
BlackPeopleMeet is a niche dating site that supports interracial dating and multiculturalism in North America. The platform has been around since 2002, and it has built some serious street cred in the Black community.
Millions of people have given BPM a try and broadened their dating horizons. BlackPeopleMeet is free to join, but it’s not free to chat with everyone. The BPM membership base tends to be in the 30-and-up age group because they’re more likely to be serious enough (and financially stable enough) to afford to spend money on a monthly subscription.
12. Hinge
is a dating app where adult singles can strike up deep conversations and develop strong emotional connections. The dating profile has three prompts, six photos, and a lot of good information to break the ice. Plus, members have to like or comment on something specific to create a match.
Hinge boasts a high first date success rate, and it operates with the motto “designed to be deleted” to let relationship-driven singles know they’re in good hands here.
Hinge supports a quality dating pool full of 30-something singles.
The Hinge team is with online daters every step of the way. Its quality matchmaking process has proven successful, and the app constantly collects user feedback to see how it can be improved.
In 2020, Hinge teamed up with mental health at Headspace to develop online meditation exercises that help calm pre-date jitters and online dating anxiety.
13. Bumble
In 2014, Bumble caused a buzz by promoting interests of single women online. The online dating app has empowered women to take the lead in their matches with men and send the first message to unlock the chat.
Once a man and a woman match on Bumble, the woman has 24 hours to send a message. After that point, the chat will either disappear, or the man will use his Extend option (he only gets one per day) to add another 24 hours to the clock. A man cannot message a woman first on Bumble. The ball is firmly in her court.
The Bumble app puts women first and upholds staunchly progressive values.
Bumble has actually civilized online dating by allowing women to set the tone. The app has struck a chord with Millennials and Gen Z because these younger generations often buck gender norms and embrace feminist ideals.
A recent online dating survey showed where Bumble users stand in the dating scene. Over 85% of Bumble users in the survey characterized themselves as looking for a long-term relationship. Fewer than 4% said they only want a casual hookup.
Most Popular Dating Sites for Singles in Their 40s
Dating in your 40s can be complicated. Single adults in their 40s often have many heartbreaks behind them, and they may have children from prior relationships. Perhaps they carry more baggage than younger singles, but they also carry more wisdom and a clearer purpose.
Mature daters can come together online and prove it’s never too late for love to blossom. Dating sites for singles over 40 tend to focus more on building relationships than facilitating hookups, so you don’t have to hide your serious intentions.
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
14. ChristianMingle
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
Christian Singles*
44%*
56%*
3.5 Million*
Try Now for $19.99/Month
Since its launch 20 years ago, ChristianMingle has become a noteworthy Christian leader in the online dating world. The Christian dating website and app provide a wholesome sanctuary for single people whose faith is central to their life.
Christian Mingle has over 15 million users worldwide, and the vast majority of them identify as devout believers in God. In fact, over 70% of Christian Mingle members surveyed said they attend church at least once a week. A Christian single can create a free dating profile on Christian Mingle and look for a potential partner in this faith-driven dating pool.
15. Coffee Meets Bagel
launched around the same time as Tinder — but with a wholly different mission. While Tinder seeks to speed online dating up, the CMB app strives to slow it down and give singles the time and information they need to swipe with purpose and find that perfect match.
Coffee Meets Bagel helps mature daters make sense of their incoming matches and messages.
The way Coffee Meets Bagel works is simple and brilliant. Every day at noon, the online dating app drops a curated list of match suggestions into your inbox and invites singles to send a limited number of chat invites.
Three sisters developed Coffee Meets Bagel out of a desire to civilize online dating, and it has been hailed as one of the best dating apps for relationships and the original anti-swiping app. As such, singles over 40 tend to have an easier time landing a date here than on more superficial hookup apps.
16. Plenty of Fish
characterizes itself as a “dating site for grown ups.” It’s a good option if you’re in your 40s and hoping to avoid the casual swiping scene. This free dating site has over 150 million users and sees about 4 million visitors per day, so you won’t be the only one looking for a date here.
It’s free to chat with anyone you fancy on Plenty of Fish.
Since its launch in 2003, Plenty of Fish has grown from a Canadian dating site to an international sensation. Why? Because it offers free messaging with enough security features to prevent spam and online harassment. The POF community is built on authenticity, and it can make dating as an adult much easier and more straightforward.
Most Popular Dating Sites for Singles Over 50
Older adults sometimes worry that their days of romance and nights of passion are over. But online dating can open the door to a new beginning. Senior dating sites have become particularly popular among singles in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. These sites cannot promise success, but they can forge promising connections between folks in the same age group and stage in life.
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 »
Browse Free:
View Photos Now
17. SilverSingles
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
Mature Singles (50+)*
41%*
59%*
800,000*
Sign up for FREE
Silver Singles may as well be called “senior singles” because that’s who the online dating site and app help. The dating service has a basic membership with free browsing and some communication tools. However, only paid members have the ability to view photos and send unlimited messages through the platform.
When you research the best ways to meet people over 50, Silver Singles often appears at the top of the lists, and that’s true here too.
Our reviewers heap praise on Silver Singles because it uses an advanced algorithm to inspire new matches, and it keeps fake profiles and scammers to an absolute minimum. After all, you have to pay your way just to say “hello.”
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
18. OurTime.com
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
Mature Singles (50+)*
48%*
52%*
8.9 Million*
Over 50? Try It FREE
OurTime is a senior dating site with a lot of manpower behind it. A longstanding online dating company called People Media launched this niche site along with dozens of others. This network encompasses over 1 million members and welcomes over 20,000 new members each day.
Senior singles who are in their 60s and up can find a potential match and enjoy friendly conversations on OurTime. The online dating site provides match recommendations, search filters, and dating profile advice to help older singles find their way.
19. Senior Match
is actually open to older adults who are 40 and up. But we’d say the majority of users are in their 50s or 60s. The online dating site and app have seen over 1 million signups completed since 2003, and it supports 1.6 million chats each month.
Whether you’re a single parent, an empty nester, or a retiree, you will feel at home in this mature dating atmosphere.
Senior Match supports online daters looking for mature companionship.
Senior Match can help an older woman or an older man make a fresh start and feel young again as they flirt online. The dating site has an open forum, match suggestions, and search filters to make it easy to join the fun, even if you’re not quite ready for a one-on-one chat just yet.
How Do the Most Popular Dating Sites by Age Work?
Popular dating sites start with a registration process that should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Honestly, the hardest part is finding some decent and recent selfies to post. Our experts recommend adding multiple photos to your dating profile to show different sides of your personality and prove you’re authentic.
After you’ve completed your dating profile, you can start browsing for potential matches in your area. Most online dating platforms will automatically prioritize matches within a certain mile radius and within a certain age range. You may have to go into your settings to adjust these filters if you’re using a swiping app.
All dating sites offer free profiles and browsing, but not all of them offer free chatting.
Dating sites with search filters tend to give users a lot of leeway to find the perfect match, whereas swiping apps do more of the matchmaking work and ask users to say yes or no to one dating profile at a time.
If two online daters both swipe right or click like on each other’s dating profile, that’s called a mutual match, and it can unlock a chat window. Dating apps like Tinder only allows mutual matches to chat with one another This system has proven effective at squashing imbalanced relationships.
Most dating sites are free to join, but they may offer bonus features (such as seeing who has liked your profile) for anyone willing to upgrade to a premium membership.
By the way, if you’re hoping for an age-gap relationship, try checking out cougar dating sites or sugar dating sites rather than the platforms on this list. Singles in the mainstream dating world tend to go for like-minded dates within a narrow age range, so the only hope of breaking out from that is going where cougars and sugar daddies are dominant.
Are Popular Dating Sites Safe?
Yes, online dating is a safe way to meet new people — as long as you exercise caution and use good judgment along the way. Dating sites and apps can only do so much to keep unsavory people out of the network, so you may run into some catfishing photos and fake profiles on occasion. If you run into trouble online, you can always hit the block button and report the profile to get it removed.
Here are some general guidelines to keep online daters from getting into unsafe situations. Never give money to a person you met online. Never agree to get in a car or meet in private on a first date. Never let a stranger dictate to you where your boundaries should be. You have the right to go at your own pace and stay in your comfort zone — don’t let anyone ever make you feel bad for that.
What Else Can You Search for on Dating Sites Besides Age?
Dating sites and apps typically have a lot of search filters or dating preferences beyond just age. Some allow singles to widen or narrow the dating pool by a certain mile radius, and others have gender-based filters that can be very helpful to bisexual and nonbinary singles.
Search filters by religion, education, income, and lifestyle can come into play on some quality-driven dating sites. Ethnicity filters and political filters are a little more controversial, but they still persist on some platforms.
Finding a person who is your type often takes a lot of searching, and dating sites can help with that.
Hookup sites tend to focus on appearance when it comes to search parameters. That means you’ll see things like height, weight, eye color, hair color, and even skin tone.
How Do I Choose the Best Dating Site by Age?
As you can see, the online dating scene has a lot of options available, and each premium dating website and free dating app can offer something unique to users. It can be hard to choose the best of the lot. The good news is you don’t have to choose just one. You can create profiles on multiple platforms to see how the online dating experience differs. Every profile is another opportunity to meet someone special, so it’s worth taking the time to put yourself out there.
Choose an online dating site based on your standards and expectations. It’s not a test with a right or wrong answer! Go with your gut, and try different platforms until you find the perfect fit.
Our full reviews can help you figure out which dating sites and apps have your interests in mind. Just know that not all features will be free, and you may not be able to do more than look and like on some paid dating sites.
What are Some of the Best Hookup Sites by Age?
Hookup sites are not for everyone, but they are popular among some sexually active single adults. Free memberships on a hookup site can be a liberating way to find hotties who are local or international. It’s just easier when everyone is on the same horny page, and people don’t have to tiptoe around prudish sensibilities.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular hookup platforms for adult singles who are old enough to know what they want and how to get it.
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...”
Browse Free:
View Photos Now
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
All Singles*
65%*
35%*
25.5 Million*
3 Months @ $19.95/Mo
As the world’s largest hookup network, Adult Friend Finder can show singles under 30 a good time and create matches that lead to the bedroom.
The AFF community features many active forums, video streams, blogs, and discussion groups where single adults can get to know one another. It’s especially user-friendly to young singles who may not be ready to have a full-on sexting conversation but want to explore sexual content from the privacy of home.
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
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
All Singles*
48%*
52%*
13.3 Million*
Browse Profiles Free
BeNaughty is a free dating site where casual daters can arrange casual dates and hookups at their leisure. The basic membership includes search filters, mass texting, and some free communication options for young women.
Female users can chat on BeNaughty for free — no questions asked. All they need to do is complete their dating profile by uploading a profile picture, and they’ll be able to message any guy (or gal) in the online network.
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...”
Browse Free:
View Photos Now
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
Singles & Couples*
64%*
36%*
1.2 Million*
Browse Members Free
Last of all, FriendFinder-X would be our pick for older adults who are looking for a sexual partner and don’t want to search very far outside their city limits. The local sex site organizes its personal ads by ZIP code, which makes for easy browsing and matching.
FriendFinder-X has search filters by age, appearance, and background to help a single person narrow the sexy dating pool to a few viable candidates. Of course, if you’re not sure what you’re looking for, you can view the Hotlist to see if anyone catches your eye and merits further contact.
No Matter Your Age, Online Dating is the Fastest Way to Meet People
You don’t have to stick with one dating app for your entire life. In fact, that’s actually a terrible strategy. Different dating sites can take care of your needs at different stages of life. Go ahead take a look at the dating sites that have worked for people in your age bracket and join your generation online.
Online daters are not a monolithic group. Some are teenage guys with sex on the brain, and others are 60-something widows hoping to meet a new friend. The online dating scene is diverse enough to meet people where they are and give them the opportunity to strike up conversations.
By ranking the most popular dating sites by age, we hope to give online daters the insider’s tips they need to meet compatible dates within a certain age bracket. That way, they can make savvy decisions about where to go, who to date, and when to fall in love.
Advertiser Disclosure
DatingAdvice.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation from many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across the site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). DatingAdvice.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.
Our Editorial Review Policy
Our site is committed to publishing independent, accurate content guided by strict editorial guidelines. Before articles and reviews are published on our site, they undergo a thorough review process performed by a team of independent editors and subject-matter experts to ensure the content’s accuracy, timeliness, and impartiality. Our editorial team is separate and independent of our site’s advertisers, and the opinions they express on our site are their own. To read more about our team members and their editorial backgrounds, please visit our site’s About page.
Discuss This!