I’m guessing you wouldn’t buy a car, an outfit, a smartphone, or a laptop without reading reviews about the product and the seller first, right? You need to check to make sure previous buyers are satisfied — because that’s a good indicator that you’ll be satisfied too.
The same should go for online dating. Singles should read consumer and business reviews about popular dating sites before creating a profile or subscribing to a membership plan.
The good news is analyzing dating sites and gathering feedback from singles is the job of our experts, who have years of experience in the dating industry. We’ve plumbed the depths of the online dating scene to bring you the best of the best.
Below are their in-depth reviews of the nine best online dating sites, covering history, popularity, pricing, features, and success stories.
1. Match
Match is the only dating site that could kick off this kind of list because not only is it the oldest, but it’s also the best. Match was founded in 1995 and is responsible for more romantic matches than any other dating site.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Over the past 23+ years, more than 40 million people — and counting — have signed up for Match. Not to mention the company has launched numerous initiatives, like events, to improve the user experience even more. Here’s our full review of Match.
2. EliteSingles
This is like the indie film of dating sites — it cares more about quality than quantity. The site sees over 290,000 visitors a month, gets over 165,000 new signups a month, and helps over 2,500 members fall in love every month.
In addition, 8 out of 10 EliteSingles members are college educated, and practically 10 out of 10 are interested in finding a serious relationship. You can read more of our thoughts about EliteSingles here.
3. Zoosk
Most reviews of Zoosk, including ours, praise its mobile experience. You can download the app for free via the Apple Store or Google Play, and you can sign up via Facebook or Google+, which means you can get to browsing sooner.
Zoosk’s main feature is the Carousel, which shows you potential matches (e.g., their photo and age), and you can tap or click the X for no, check mark for yes, or Maybe if you can’t decide.
4. eharmony
Dr. Neil Clark Warren, a Christian theologian, clinical psychologist, and former seminary professor, co-founded eharmony in 2000 because he wanted a dating site for commitment-minded singles to make highly compatible connections.
- Relationships: Casual Dates, Deep Relationships
- Match System: Personality test suggests matches
- Our Experts Say: Accounting for 2% of U.S. marriages, eharmony's compatibility-based system and commitment-minded user base are ideal for those seeking a serious relationship. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
The site has a one-of-a-kind personality test that takes about an hour to complete (or 10 minutes if you want to come back to some questions later) and covers topics like emotional energy, sociability, curiosity, appearance, communication style, and openness. Learn more about eharmony here.
5. SilverSingles
Silver Singles was created in 2002, and, as you can probably tell by the name, it caters to mature daters. Here, you’ll meet people from all over the world and with different backgrounds and interests, but you know that they’re all within your preferred age range.
SilverSingles doesn’t charge you anything for registering, searching, receiving matches, and flirting with virtual smiles and other tools. The site is also SSL encrypted, so you shouldn’t have to worry about scammers or your information being jeopardized. See what else we have to say about SilverSingles.
6. Christian Mingle
Religion is non-negotiable for some daters, and if you feel that way and are Christian, you may want to turn to Christian Mingle. The site welcomes both straight and gay Christians and offers all the necessary features for $0, including daily match notifications and certain types of communication.
Don’t just take our word for it, though. Christian Mingle has 3 and 3.5 stars on Google Play and iTunes, respectively. Jashayla Brown called it a “great app,” and Stephon Ingram said, “It is just as advertised. They help save time looking for someone with similar beliefs.” Here’s our complete review of ChristianMingle.
7. OurTime
OurTime is a seniors-only dating site that’s owned by the same company as Match, so you know it’s trustworthy. According to the site, the team “not only understands what it is to be over 50, but also celebrates this exciting chapter of our lives.”
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: OurTime is well-known in the over-50 dating crowd, particularly because it has a ton of helpful search features and an easy layout. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
The free site/app allows you to view profiles and photos, see who’s viewed your profile and photos, and send and receive emails and flirts. Here’s everything else you need to know about OurTime.
8. BlackPeopleMeet
A Gallup study says 12.3% of the US population identifies as black, and 2.9% identifies as multiracial. For those interested in dating someone of the same race or of multiple races, BlackPeopleMeet is a fantastic choice.
- Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
- Match System: Search by location, age, more
- Our Experts Say: BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
One happy user wrote to the site: “I just want to say I have found true love and the most beautiful, amazing, and wonderful woman thanks to this site. I am terminating my membership on here, since I found the woman I am to share the rest of my life with.” Click here for more details about BlackPeopleMeet.
9. NaughtyCharm
A date, relationship, or marriage isn’t everyone’s end goal — some people just want to find someone special for the night. That’s where NaughtyCharm comes in. It’s one of the premier hookup sites and apps in the industry, with millions of members, free memberships, intuitive features, and SSL encryption.
- Relationships: Hookups, Chats
- Match System: Search by encounter, location, and more
- Our Experts Say: NaughtyCharm is a premier hookup app where you can feel comfortable expressing your desires. Plus, it's free to join, browse, and flirt.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
The folks at NaughtyCharm say 52% of members are women and that 89% of members are looking for casual encounters and sexual relationships. See what else our experts have to say about NaughtyCharm.
Do Your Research Before Signing Up
Reading reviews before you buy or do anything is just common sense — you don’t want any surprises once the product arrives, once you get to the destination, or once you join a site. While we can’t help you choose a car or cellphone, we can help you choose a dating site. We’ve spent years testing out dating sites and writing our assessments of them, so hopefully we’ve made it easier for you to make this decision.
