Best Dating Sites
Looking for a dating site you can trust? Search no more.
Here at DatingAdvice.com we aim to be the authority on all things dating, so creating an online dating guide seemed right up our alley.
Online dating can be tricky, and it’s natural to feel a little uncertain or to want to get some pointers as you get started. Lucky for you, our dating experts have been through it all already and can offer advice to make the swiping scene a little less stressful and a little more enjoyable.
If you want to meet friends, dates, lovers, or long-term partners on a dating site or app, then you’d better listen up. We’ve come up with 12 online dating tips to help you navigate every step — from creating your profile to meeting someone special online.
1. Know What Your Goals Are
It’s good to go into online dating knowing what your end goals are — just like you would probably do if you’re applying for college or starting a big project at work. Are you looking for a casual hookup? A friendly date? A serious relationship? Marriage? Any or all of the above? Once you answer these questions, picking the right dating site out of the thousands of options will be much easier because certain dating sites cater to certain types of daters.
2. Choose the Site That Can Help You Accomplish Your Goals
One of the most important decisions you’ll make in online dating scene is which dating site or app to use, and we want you to be as informed as possible when making your selection. You should consider which platforms have your best interest in mind and use a top-rated site or app that has successfully paired up couples for many years.
And remember: you don’t have to choose just one — most dating websites have a free trial or account that lets you mix and mingle without paying anything. You’ve got nothing to lose by signing up for several dating sites and seeing what happens. The average online dater maintains at least two active dating profiles on two different sites or apps because it just ups their odds of meeting the right person.
Match: For the All-Around Best Experience
Match.com is a longstanding dating site that excels in pretty much every category. It’s been the preferred service for singles since 1995, and it’s easy to see why when you become a free member. Here’s a quick glance at what Match has going for it:
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
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
All Singles*
49%*
51%*
39.7 Million*
Try Match FREE
As you can see, Match has the size, the affordability, the inclusiveness, and the reputation behind it. Plus, whether you’re looking for a fun night out or a long-term commitment, Match can connect you like-minded people who share similar interests, backgrounds, and relationship goals.
Zoosk: For On-the-Go Daters
We say that Zoosk is a top pick for young singles because it has one of the best mobile experiences, and that’s because it’s integrated with Facebook and Google+. Just sync up your dating profile with one of your existing social profiles, and you’re good to go.
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
No matter where you are (at a bar with friends, waiting for the bus, shopping at the mall, etc.), Zoosk can match you with date prospects in your area. The dating app has been downloaded more than 30 million times on Google Play and the App store, and its 40 million members exchange more than 3 million messages a day.
eharmony: For Serious Relationships
If it’s a serious relationship you want, it’s a serious relationship you’ll get if you use eharmony. The site was created by couples counselor Dr. Neil Clark Warren (who is also a clinical psychologist, Christian theologian, and seminary professor). And its mission is to help singles on their way to true love by offering reliable match ratings and profile recommendations based on a thorough personality test.
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
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
All Singles*
48%*
52%*
4.1 Million*
View Profiles FREE
With 4% of marriages in the United States coming from people meeting on the dating website, eharmony is also clearly very good at what it does. You can trust this algorithm to lead you to intelligent and relationship-minded matches — and that is great if marriage and family is your ultimate goal.
BeNaughty: For Hookups
People like sex — it’s no secret. That’s why hookup sites like BeNaughty exist. Hookup buddies abound here (13.3 million a month to be exact), and you can browse and flirt with all of them without having to pay for a premium subscription.
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 isn’t one of those sketchy sex dating websites either. The hookup site verifies every member and uses SSL encryption to make sure your private information stays private.
3. Put Time Into Your Profile & Photos
Now that you’ve chosen a dating site or two, you don’t want to throw up a half-completed dating profile, which will blow your chances of success before you’ve even started. By half-assed, we mean only uploading one photo and saying a couple of sentences about yourself.
Studies show it only takes one-tenth of a second for people to form an opinion about someone else. Terrifying, right? Don’t panic — if you follow just a few tips, you’ll capture their attention and maybe even receive a message.
One, upload a handful of different photos (e.g., different types, different outfits, different poses, and different environments). Second, be unique, detailed, yet concise, and honest about your characteristics and wants. For more in-depth advice, you can read more about how to write a good dating profile here.
4. Know What the Dating Site’s Features Are For
It seems like technology, in general, is getting more advanced every day, and the same is true for the technology dating websites use. In the ’90s, dating websites only had a couple of features in their tool belts. Now it’s dozens, and it’s all to improve the experience for you.
You’ll want to understand how the features and tools work on the dating site you’ve signed up for because it’ll help streamline the process. For example, eHarmony doesn’t have any kind of browsing functionality, which means the site finds and delivers all the matches to you. If that’s a turnoff for you, we suggest picking another one.
Understanding the features a dating site has will make a big difference in your overall experience. For example, Zoosk’s Carousel allows you to quickly yay or nay potential matches — kinda like Tinder.
Another example is Tinder. We’ve all heard that you swipe right if you like someone and left if you don’t, but it’s worth stating again because many a single has swiped the wrong way. (And you can only take that swipe back if you’re a paying member.)
Before you start searching, get familiar with the dating site’s layout and all the different sections and buttons. Most of the time, there’s a little question mark you can hover over that will explain what something does, or you can always read the site’s FAQ or Help pages.
5. Have Certain Safety Precautions in Place
It’s a fact that there are some horrible people on the internet, and, similar to other industries, scams in online dating can and will happen. However, there are tons of safety steps you can take to prevent being taken advantage of.
The dating websites themselves take care of most of the security for you — with SSL encryption and member verification, as we mentioned earlier, as well as Block and Report buttons and 24/7 customer support.
A lot of the power is in your hands as well. Some of the basic precautions to keep in mind are to never give out your address, family members’ full names, and things like that until you’re 100% comfortable with someone, and never, ever give out your financial information. For the first couple of offline dates, we also recommend meeting at the venue instead of having him or her pick you up or meeting at their place.
6. Look Beyond Your “Type” Every Now & Then
The beauty of online dating is you can be as specific about your likes and dislikes as you want. But the beast of online dating is also that you can be as specific about your likes and dislikes as you want.
Try not to pigeonhole yourself or the people you’re going to encounter. Focus on the dealbreakers (doesn’t want kids, but you do) instead of the non-dealbreakers (hates Bill Murray movies, but you don’t). It can be fun getting to know someone who’s a total or somewhat of a total opposite, and it’s not guaranteed who we’re going to fall for.
7. Make a Genuine Effort to Send Unique Messages
This might seem like an obvious tip that doesn’t need to be said, but you should avoid copying, pasting, and sending the same or similar messages to a bunch of people. It can be common for disingenuous online daters to do this because they’re just hoping for a yes. However, it’s probably the quickest way for them to get a no or be ignored entirely.
The most it takes is a minute or two of reading someone’s profile, finding something that catches your eye or that you have in common, and mentioning that in your message. We go into more detail about the do’s and don’ts for messaging in this article.
8. Get Your Friends’ Opinions
Your closest confidantes know you the best, so they can offer some good tips when creating your profile. From setting your match criteria and reaching out to someone, to choosing an outfit and following up after the first date — a fresh pair of eyes can really make you see things differently.
Also, I don’t know about you, but my friends are super upfront when they have a good feeling about someone I’m interested in and when they don’t, and I wholeheartedly trust their feedback.
9. Arrange the Date in a Public Place
Congrats, you found a match and are planning the first date! However, you still want to take some precautions. Arranging this date at a public place is another piece of safety advice that we believe is non-negotiable.
Just so both parties are totally comfortable, you shouldn’t pick them up, and they shouldn’t pick you up. You truly never know who the person on the other side of the screen is. There’s plenty of time to do that once you’ve gotten to know each other.
10. Hide Your Profile If You Want to Be Exclusive
A majority of dating websites have the option to hide your profile if you want to take a break from online dating — either because you want to clear your head, you met someone and want to see where things go, or any other reason. Your profile will no longer show up in searches, and you can enjoy some Me Time without being bothered by matches and messages.
You should be able to deactivate or hide your profile by going into your settings, but if you can’t, contact the dating site to see if they offer that or if they can freeze your account. You never know until you ask!
11. Take Breaks as Needed
Speaking of taking breaks, we know online dating can be frustrating if you can’t seem to get it right. Online dating burnout has become an unfortunate trend with the average dater giving up within a few months of failed dates.
There’s no shame in going cold turkey for a week or however long you need to get back into the necessary mindset. Use this break as an opportunity to hang out with your loved ones more, take on more challenges at work, take up a new hobby, or whatever else you’ve been putting off since you started online dating.
12. Most Importantly, Have Fun!
An online dating guide can give you a million steps to follow, but the one that really matters is to enjoy the experience. If you choose a dating website or app you trust and put effort into every potential match and new conversation, you’ll be on your way to romance in no time.
The online dating world offers a world of opportunity to connect, flirt, and fall in love, but it’s up to you to take action to make something happen — even the best dating site can’t do all the work for you.
We stand behind the dating sites in this guide, but we recognize that they’re not right for everyone. Test them out, see what they do for you, and if you’re not happy with the way things are going, change up your strategy and try something else. You’ll find your groove in no time!
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