Best Dating Sites
Looking for a dating site you can trust? Search no more.
So many dating platforms compete for attention that it can be hard for singles to decide on the right one, and the problem gets trickier every year. Figuring out which online dating site or app is the perfect fit for your relationship goals can take a lot of research — but you don’t have do all the work alone. Online dating coaches regularly take the time to explore dating platforms, and the best coaches can tell you which platforms offer the best combination of tools, features, and value.
Whether you’re looking for casual dates or the love of your life, seeing the popular dating sites that dating coaches recommend can take the stress out of the process, so you can spend more time actually meeting new people.
1. Match — Recommended by Rachel DeAlto
Match offers members access to an online dating coach to help make sense of the process, which can be a valuable tool. Rachel DeAlto is Match’s Chief Dating Expert, so it’s not surprising that she recommends the platform. Rachel’s advice doesn’t just extend to the choice of platform, but also how to best use the tools that Match provides.
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:
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★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today’s Deal
All Singles*
49%*
51%*
39.7 Million*
Try Match FREE
Match also has a blog that offers advice for singles looking for long-term love. Its blog posts tackle tricky topics in the dating world, and the online dating platform also has individual coaching packages to improve dating profiles and success rate for premium members. If you have a premium Match membership, Rachel says that taking advantage of the one-on-one coaching can be a big help.
“Professional coaching is extremely helpful for daters. Often we’ve had to rely on our friends listening to us and guiding us while dating, but having a professional who is there to lend an ear and an unbiased opinion can be a great asset for those feeling overwhelmed by dating,” Rachel said.
Even if you don’t have a premium membership, you can benefit from the expert advice Match offers, including learning how to identify when to take a break, or how to figure out what you’re really looking for in a relationship or a romantic partner.
2. eharmony — Recommended by Profile Helper Coaches
Profile Helper is a popular dating profile ghostwriting service, which helps dating site users build a profile that attracts the right potential partner. Single men tend to have a hard time with dating platforms, and a lot of that comes down to the profiles men write for themselves, and the dating platforms they choose. Profile Helper Lead Advisor Eric Resnick recommends eharmony for people who want a long-term relationship, especially those looking for marriage.
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 »
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★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today’s Deal
All Singles*
48%*
52%*
4.1 Million*
View Profiles FREE
Resnick points out that eharmony caters to users seeking the person they want to marry, rather than just finding a partner for any relationship. Resnick also advises potential eharmony users to consider how they present themselves on the platform to get desirable results. Moreso than other dating sites and apps, your profile on eharmony is directly tied to your success.
Resnick and his team offer a variety of services to help singles with different confidence levels. If you’re completely new to online dating, you can get a full package, including one-on-one coaching to help you set up the best profile possible and navigate first dates and the early days of a budding relationship. If you’re an old hand at online dating, but not getting the results you want, you can attend a bootcamp session. These sessions provide basic advice on how to tweak your existing profile, or you can let Profile Helper write you a new one.
3. OurTime — Recommended by Eddie Hernandez
Dating Expert Eddie Hernandez understands that mature daters have different needs when it comes to online dating. Not only are senior daters more likely to be targeted by scammers and bots, but many older singles just aren’t as comfortable with mainstream dating sites and apps. He recommends OurTime for senior singles, because the site and app both keep things simple.
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:
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★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today’s Deal
Mature Singles (50+)*
48%*
52%*
8.9 Million*
Over 50? Try It FREE
“You can see all the profiles at once, rather than one by one like with other swipe-first apps,” Eddie explained when asked about his recommendation. He also likes the fact that users can sort information by activity date, and check for people who are currently online rather than just scrolling through endless profiles and sending messages at random without knowing when you’re likely to get a response. His final verdict on the site is that, “OurTime can be a helpful, low-risk service for seniors, but depending on age, location and demographics, it might be best as a training ground for other sites.”
4. Christian Mingle — Recommended by Brian Rzepczynski
Dating Expert Brian Rzepcynski understands the difficulties that gay Christian singles go through trying to find love while remaining true to their faith. He recommends Christian Mingle as a top choice for men who want to find lasting love within their faith.
As Brian puts it, if you want to find the right match in the gay community as a Christian, “You can make life easier by frequenting venues where other Christian singles go,” and Christian Mingle fits that bill. The platform is by far the most popular Christian dating site in the world, with more than 3.5 million monthly visits.
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:
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★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today’s Deal
Christian Singles*
44%*
56%*
3.5 Million*
Try Now for $19.99/Month
Brian recommends getting specific about what you want and being honest in your profile. Christian Mingle focuses on quality matchmaking between singles instead of amassing as many matches as possible, so Christian singles of all sexual orientations are in good hands.
5. Silver Singles — Recommended by April Braswell
April Braswell understands that dating sites can be intimidating for seniors, which is why she recommends Silver Singles as one of her top picks for senior dating sites. As Gen X increasingly joins the ranks of mature daters, senior dating apps and sites continue to grow in popularity. While Gen X is no stranger to the digital world, many singles still don’t have the same level of comfort with online dating as younger generations.
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
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today’s Deal
Mature Singles (50+)*
41%*
59%*
800,000*
Sign up for FREE
April recommends Silver Singles because the platform focuses on quality matches based on personality. She also notes that the dating site and app recommend matches to users instead of expecting members to browse and search for potential matches themselves. If you want to strike off on your own, Silver Singles still gives you that freedom while keeping its tools and features simple.
6. Bumble — Recommended by Annie Das
Annie Das, Dating Coach for Millennial Women, can’t recommend Bumble enough. She knows what the environment on most dating sites and apps is like for women, and believes that Bumble checks all the boxes for keeping women safe and comfortable in the online dating world.
“My number one app recommendation is Bumble,” she told us in the interview. “This is where I and many of my clients have met their significant others. I love Bumble because the woman is 100% in control of her app experience.”
Annie said she’s a fan of women sending the first message in the online dating scene because it helps build confidence and starts new relationships on equal footing. She added, “Bumble is the best app to avoid dating app burnout because women spend energy only on the matches they are interested in and don’t have to dread opening their inboxes anymore!”
FAQs: Which Apps Do Dating Coaches Recommend Avoiding?
Dating coaches have different opinions when it comes to the best and worst platforms for online dating. However, there’s some consensus when you get more specific, and there are some platforms that many dating coaches don’t think are worth the effort, depending on your goals.
Evan Marc Katz is not a big fan of online dating in general. The dating coach’s blog features plenty of critiques of dating apps, and he doesn’t have much good to say about dating sites as a method of finding lasting love. But he’s especially frustrated with Tinder. In Evan’s view, Tinder isn’t worth it, and he said he considers online dating through sites like Match and JDate to be shallow.
He’s not alone in his sharp critique of shallow dating sites. Many coaches feel that swipe-based dating apps offer a superficial approach to finding a potential partner, and their hookup-heavy reputations also run contrary to what many coaches try to steer clients toward.
Which Dating App Works Best for Casual Hookups?
If you’re not looking for anything serious, and you want to keep your dating life and hookups discreet, Ashley Madison is the way to go. Although the dating app caters to married people seeking affairs, anyone over 18 can join, and singles can sign up for Ashley Madison to find hookups in their area.
Relationships:
Hookups, Casual Dates, Affairs
Match System:
Search by age, location, appearance, and more
Our Experts Say:
“With its massive user base and advanced privacy features, Ashley Madison is the #1 site for discreet hookups, dates, or relationships…”
Full Review »
Browse Free:
View Photos Now
★★★★★
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today’s Deal
All Singles & Attached*
71%*
29%*
65 Million*
Start Now for FREE
Ashley Madison includes unique tools aimed at keeping user affairs private as part of its basic functioning. Photo blurring and masking, along with a detailed review of your profile information to ensure no identifiable details, keep you anonymous. Discreet billing codes and flexible payment options keep your transactions a secret. Finally, automatic browser history clearing and a panic help thide your electronic trail, even if someone walks into the room suddenly.
How Does Dating & Relationship Coaching Help Singles?
Dating coaching and relationship coaching can help to singles who find themselves stuck when it comes to navigating relationships. Coaches provide a support system for their clients, offering advice based on research and experience. Dating coaches also act as a sounding board for concerns and issues that come up in the dating world.
Good dating coaches, like life coaches, don’t just provide dating advice. They can help you sharpen your dating skills and build self-confidence, whether you’re struggling to approach a potential partner or don’t know how to answer questions that come up on a first date.
The goal of dating coaches is to build your confidence and help you identify and achieve your goals and formulate a dating strategy.
Dating coaches can help you tweak your online dating profiles or find ways to process the anxiety of a first date. They can also teach you tricks and exercises for making dates more fun. Some dating coaches even specialize in helping marginalized groups who navigate additional obstacles and social issues in their dating lives.
The goal of dating coaches is to build your confidence and help you identify and achieve your dating goals and formulate a dating strategy. Dating coaches can play many different roles, from counselor to expert advisor to sounding board. The right dating coach may steer you to do the work to make a good first impression and develop lasting, satisfying relationships.
Does Online Dating Work in Real Life?
Despite the lackluster experiences that some people have with online dating, there is no question that it works. A study by The Knot found that nearly a quarter of new spouses met online — a larger proportion than those who met through friends.
There are plenty of success stories to back up that claim, too. While many online dating platforms have slowed down or stopped publishing specific stories from users, platforms like Bumble and Match continue to provide statistics showing that it’s possible to find a perfect match online. Many independent success story collections also exist on sites like Reddit, where people who found long-lasting love online not only share their happiness but also provide the secrets of their successes.
Getting results in the online dating scene can take a lot of work, but that’s true of most methods of finding and maintaining relationships. Our advice is to focus on the steps you can take to move forward and give it your best shot. That means finding the right dating platform, setting up your profile to attract prospective partners, and following up with the people who spark your interest.
Improve Your Love Life by Taking Advice From the Experts
If you’re struggling to get the results you want from online dating platforms, some tips and tricks from dating coaches can make a big difference! Their recommendations help singles identify the right dating site or dating app to find like-minded people with shared interests and goals. Plus, dating coaches can offer tips for improving your dating profile to make the right impression.
So you can choose a great dating site and start looking for your perfect match!
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