Today’s singles have a ton of decisions to make every day. What are we going to wear? What are we going to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks? What music are we going to listen to during the morning commute? What goals do we need to accomplish at work? What bills do we need to pay? What areas do we need to focus on at the gym? What time will we be able to finish chores once we get home? What show do we need to catch up on? And the list goes on.
If you’re single and thinking about online dating, you may also be wondering “What dating site should I use?” With almost 8,000 dating sites on the web, that decision can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve researched a lot of dating sites (not all 8,000, but we’re working on it) and have narrowed down the choices to what we believe are top of the line.
No matter what you’re looking for, you should be able to find it on one of the dating sites below.
1. Match: The Best Overall
For the site that has anything and everything, you’ll want to turn to Match.com. Founded in 1995, this was the first dating site ever created, and it’s been showing the others the right way to do online dating ever since. Here are some other big takeaways about Match:
- 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
As you can see, Match.com is responsible for more romantic connections, including casual dates, serious relationships, and marriages, than any of its competitors. In addition to seeing 13.5 million visitors a month, the site has 30 million total users and counting. Whatever your interests, Match will bring that compatible person to you — for free to boot.
2. Zoosk: For a Great App Experience
We like to tell singles to turn to Zoosk if they are looking for a smooth and intuitive dating app. Zoosk was one of the first dating sites to expand to a mobile app, and today it’s seen more than 30 million downloads via iTunes and Google Play.
A couple of other things you’ll want to know about Zoosk is that the site has a free membership that never expires and an exclusive matchmaking system that tracks your behavior (e.g., who you search for, like and dislike, and message) to deliver you SmartPick™ matches.
3. eharmony: For Relationship-Minded Men & Women
Most of us have probably seen the eharmony commercials with the catchy jingle and the charming Dr. Neil Clark Warren, a clinical psychologist, Christian theologian, and seminary professor as well as the site’s co-founder. The site is a household name. Similar to Zoosk, eharmony.com also has its own matchmaking process — this one using 32 dimensions of compatibility (e.g., character, vitality, spirituality, communication style, and emotion management) to pair singles.
- 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
In our opinion, eharmony is a go-to for finding a long-term commitment — as that’s what a majority, if not all, of the members are looking for and the site is responsible for more than 2 million love connections worldwide.
4. Christian Mingle: For Religious Daters
You can tell by the name what Christian Mingle is all about — helping Christians to mingle and possibly fall in love. With more than 2.4 million singles visiting the site every month, Christian Mingle is a large community of people whose beliefs, values, and views on life align with yours.
It doesn’t cost anything to register, create a profile, upload and view photos, and know who’s looked at your profile. Free registration also entitles you to browse for and receive matches, see their match percentage, and communicate with them in certain ways (e.g., send a virtual smile or add them to your Favorites page).
5. OurTime: For Seniors Over 50
OurTime is specifically dedicated to singles who are aged 50 or older, but anyone over 18 can join. So, if you happen to be into younger or older men and women, you’ll be able to connect with them here. If you’re not, you can definitely set your preferred age range so you won’t have to see anyone who’s incompatible.
- 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
Launched in 2000, OurTime is part of People Media, a leading technology company in the online personals market. Sister sites include SeniorsMeet, so when you sign up for one site, you’ll automatically become a member on all three sites — at no cost.
6. BlackPeopleMeet: For Black & Biracial Singles
Another brand belonging to the People Media network, BlackPeopleMeet is a popular online dating destination for, you guessed it, black and biracial singles. However, those of other ethnicities are more than welcome to join, and it only takes a few steps to do so.
First, you’ll choose your gender and the gender you’re looking for. Then you’ll select your height, ethnicity, body type, marital status, religion, location, birth date, lifestyle habits, and the number of children you have who are living with you. Last, you’ll input a username and valid email address.
- 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
Some key facts from the graph above are that the gender ratio on BlackPeopleMeet is 53% female compared to 47% male, but both men and women shouldn’t have any trouble meeting that special someone. Also, the site’s free trial is more like a free account in that it lasts forever.
7. NaughtyCharm: For Hookups
Last but certainly not least is NaughtyCharm — a top recommendation for horny singles who are straight or gay. Here, you don’t have to feel awkward about putting your desires on your profile or in a message because everyone is on the same page. NaughtyCharm has slightly more men than women, but, fellas, don’t let that discourage you from trying it out — it’s 100% free to do so, after all.
- 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
Hookup sites like this tend to be looked at as unsafe, but that’s not always true. NaughtyCharm has a lot of precautions in place to protect its members and their personal information. These include SSL encryption technology, identity verification, and 24/7 customer service via email (suppport@bemynaughty.com), telephone (1-800-489-6091), and mail (3766 SW Savona Boulevard, Port St. Lucie, FL 34593).
What Online Dating Site Should You Use? Try Two or Three
Our goal with this article is to profile the best dating sites out there and help take one decision off your plate so you can focus on the fun part — meeting attractive singles.
All of the dating sites we’ve highlighted on this list offer free online dating services that allow you to test them out before having to commit to a paying subscription. So play around with two or three of them and see which one works for you. We think you’ll be happy whichever route you take. Enjoy!
