Key Takeaways
I interviewed dating coaches, matchmakes, and psychologists to see which senior dating sites they recommend.
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OurTime.com came out on top, praised for its profile verification and senior-focused mission.
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For relationship seekers, our experts recommend Match due to its high success rate.
I know a lot of people talk about Tinder as the most famous (notorious) dating app, but it isn’t right for everyone. A senior person on the app is going to be disappointed to find most of the members are under 30…and most of them aren’t exactly looking for serious conversations and deep connections.
The best senior dating sites help singles over 50 skip the superficial swiping scene and find romance with people in their generation.
No matter your age, online dating comes with a learning curve. That’s why an army of experts have dedicated their careers to making sense of the swiping scene.
I’ve enlisted some big names in the online dating space — including author Julie Spira — to point senior folks to the dating services that really work. Here is a list of the best dating sites for seniors — each one backed by recommendations from top experts in the dating field.
1. OurTime: Overall Best Senior Dating Site
OurTime is a fan-favorite and expert-favorite in senior dating. Four of the nine experts I talked to recommended OurTime for daters over 50. And I can’t say I’m surprised. Not only does OurTime offer free chatting between matches, it also verifies all profiles as real before allowing them to engage on the site.
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: “OurTime offers singles over 50 a welcoming dating pool, straightforward search tools, and an easy-to-navigate experience designed around senior dating.” Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Recommended by Author Julie Spira
Online dating expert Julie Spira told our team that OurTime “is designed to ensure that messages and matches come from age-appropriate singles. This unique feature makes it an ideal platform for seniors in the dating world.”
“I believe distance and ZIP codes aren’t barriers for singles looking for a second chance at love,” she added. “With many singles who are retired or who are now able to work remotely, relocation is also on the rise, resulting in high-quality matches.”
Recommended by Sexologist Dr. Gloria Brame
Dr. Gloria Brame has written extensively about human attraction and sexual preferences, and she jumped at our invitation to put OurTime to the test for herself.
Her profile on OurTime received 200 views and 28 likes in a span of about three weeks. She concluded that the site is full of eligible bachelors in their senior years.
Dr. Gloria also noted that many of her clients have used OurTime and had good experiences as well.
“For mature daters who know what they want and can navigate the subscription maze wisely, OurTime provides a huge source of hope for finding long-term love and companionship for this stage of life,” she said.
Recommended by Social Worker Jenni Jacobsen
OurTime is only for singles over 50, so you won’t be stuck scrolling through profiles of 20-somethings. “The targeted audience lowers the chances of misunderstandings or bad interactions, which some older clients have said happen on more general platforms,” Jenni Jacobsen, Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Marriage.com, told us.
“Dealbreaker preferences and other features help people find suitable matches who are in the same stage of life or have had similar experiences,” she said. “It’s also nice that it’s cheap.”
Recommended by Matchmaker Sophy Singer
Sophy Singer, a seasoned relationship expert and chief matchmaker at Sophy Love, emphasized OurTime’s focus on verification and offline interactions. “It provides simple features like profile verification to ensure you’re connecting with real people,” she said. “It emphasizes local matches, encouraging in-person dates, which aligns with keeping online interaction minimal.”
2. Match: Best Dating Site for Serious Relationships
Match is truly a great dating site for any demographic, but seniors may find it particularly useful. According to the Pew Research Center, Match is the most popular dating site or app for adults over 50, beating out Tinder, eharmony, and Hinge.
Since its launch in 1995, Match has been totally clear that its purpose is to spark real relationships based on innate compatibility. The profiles are detailed, the user base is mature, and all messaging between matches is free.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: “Match lets senior daters search by interests and hobbies, so shared passions do the matching instead of just age.” Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Recommended by Matchmaker Sophy Singer
Sophy said that with Match, singles get the best of both worlds: a general dating pool and a senior-focused section to connect with their age group.
The dating site is versatile to different dating styles, but the quality-first approach certainly favors relationship seekers. As Sohpy said, “It’s flexible, offering options for both casual and serious dating, but with a strong focus on long-term relationships.”
Recommended by Senior Dating Coach Lisa Copeland
Lisa told us a free membership on Match is absolutely worth it because she’s seen it work for her clients time and time again. “On the East Coast, Match.com is great,” she told us. “I always think those free ones are great.”
Recommended by Dating Expert Julie Spira
Julie Spira actually created a profile on Match to review the ins and outs for us. As a dating expert in her 60s, she brings unique perspective and decades of experience in online dating.
“The quality of singles on Match is excellent for my demographic (suburban woman over 60),” she explained. “I received promising matches, and I believed they wanted to chat with me.”
Julie discovered that the free membership was worthwhile, and the paid upgrades took things to another level by allowing her to boost her profile in search results and see who had viewed and liked her profile.
“If a premium membership is in your budget, I strongly suggest going that route to get more visibility and options,” she said.
Recommended by Soulmate Coaches Matt and Orna Walters
Dating experts Matt and Orna Walters shared the story of their former client who met her husband at age 67 on Match. Though she thought she didn’t want to date someone who had the same ethnic background as herself, her now-husband did.
“The fact that they share the same culture and heritage has been a foundation of their relationship.” They never would have met without the high-quality pairing from Match.
3. eharmony: Best Dating Site for Compatibility Matches
eharmony has always been a pioneer in the world of personality-based matching. The old-school dating service requires users to take an in-depth personality test, developed by their team of psychologists, identity key aspects of relationship compatibility.
- Relationships: Casual Dates, Deep Relationships
- Match System: Personality test suggests matches
- Our Experts Say: “eharmony helps senior singles explore whether a match shares the beliefs, priorities, and relationship expectations that matter most to them.” Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Recommended by Social Worker Jenni Jacobsen
Jenni is a big fan of eharmony, especially for seniors. “I often recommend eharmony as the first one to try. As a values-based site, eharmony knows that as people get older, they have different relationship needs,” she said. “Their in-depth compatibility quiz is based on science and does a great job of matching people who are compatible in important ways.”
She went on to explain that eharmony’s personality test “finds things like communication styles, family views, and spiritual beliefs that people share, in addition to their obvious hobbies” that connect people.
Something that makes eharmony unique is the serious dating pool. As Jenni said, “Members want to find long-term partners and feel like they are being heard.”
Recommended by Married Coaches Matt and Orna Walters
Matt and Orna Walters said, “Because eharmony has an extensive questionnaire that needs to be filled out before you begin, it filters out people who aren’t seriously dating making it great for seniors who are truly interested in a relationship.”
Recommended by Relationship Expert Dr. Wendy Walsh
Acclaimed psychologist Dr. Wendy Walsh argues that one of the biggest benefits of eharmony is that it puts quality over quantity. It’s not about making as many matches as soon as possible. It’s about carefully curating a list of compatible individuals.
She told us, “eharmony eliminates users who aren’t prepared to at least invest 20 minutes taking a personality test. It also, because it’s based on personality profiles, will offer fewer, but more like-minded, matches.”
4. DateMyAge: Best Dating Site for Mature Profile Browsing
DateMyAge is an international dating site geared toward singles over 40 seeking love matches. The site prioritizes personality compatibility over proximity, so it’s a good bet for singles who feel they’ve run out of local date options.
The site’s straightforward design is perfect for those who may not be comfortable with complex websites. It only has three tabs: Search, Inbox, and Upgrade.
- Relationships: Serious Dating, Long-term Relationships, Pen Pals
- Match System: Search filters, Suggested matches
- Our Experts Say: “DateMyAge offers a mature space for conversation and connection. Its time-tested tools allow for citywide, statewide, and even nationwide searches for a good match. Seniors have simple ways to get in touch, and the profiles focus on shared values and common goals.” Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Recommended by Dr. Wendy Walsh
Dr. Wendy Walsh praised the safety features on DateMyAge, noting that senior singles are often more prone to falling victim to online scams.
“DateMyAge promises to reduce romance scams by using AI technology to screen profiles and delete as many fake ones as they can. They also provide a real human to contact for support 24 hours a day!”
Recommended by Dating Editor Amber Brooks
Our own editor-in-chief Amber Brooks has been rating and reviewing dating sites since 2015, so I had to ask for her insights on the best senior dating sites she’s encountered. She mentioned DateMyAge as a simple way for newcomers to online dating to get a feel for it.
“DateMyAge lets users see multiple profiles in a grid and use filters to figure out what they want,” she told me. “Free members are not penned in by location, so they can browse in other cities or countries if they like.”
Joining DateMyAge is free, but not all communication features are included. The site has a credits system to ensure users only pay for features they actually intend on using. No endlessly renewing subscriptions. You buy a bundle and use them to send video chats, voice notes, or instant messages.
FAQs: How Do You Choose the Best Dating Site?
Not only do senior daters deal with the stress of looking for love, but they also have to navigate an online landscape that may feel strange to them. If you approach it methodically, you can get into a good place.
First of all, consider what you’re looking for:
- Do you want a relationship? Then eharmony and Match are the best options.
- Seeking hookups? Go with Ashley Madison.
- Are you hoping for a senior friend? Try the Stitch community.
DatingAdvice.com Editor-in-Chief Amber Brooks highly recommends the Stitch social network for making senior friends. “I have interviewed the team behind Stitch multiple times, and I’m always struck by how passionate they are about helping older people connect,” she told me.
It’s also a good idea to look into user statistics and demographic details to get a feel for what type of people you’ll meet on a given platform.
Our team designed a quiz to point individuals toward personalized site recommendations. Take the quiz and see which dating site is right for you:
This interactive tool needs JavaScript to run. See our top-rated dating apps instead.
Are Senior Dating Sites Worth Paying For?
Pretty much all dating sites start with a $0 membership, so paying is an optional but potentially useful lever to apply. Sometimes a premium membership unlocks full communication or video features, and other times it’s more about greater visibility and added search parameters.
OurTime and Match both offer free messaging with mutual matches, which is a great value for seniors who don’t want to pay to meet people.
“I always think free sites are great when you’re trying to dip your toe in the dating pool,” Lisa Copeland said. “It helps you see who you attract so you can go back and tweak your profile if it’s not working.”
On the other hand, opting for a premium subscription can be worthwhile if you’re aiming to find quality matches faster. Or if you’re itching to use filters by religion or politics. Paid members typically also have the restraints lifted on daily likes and profile views.
“Upgrading to Tinder Plus gives members access to unlimited swiping,” Julia explains. “For many, it’s worth the price to stay in the game.”
Now, if you’re hurting for cash, a free experience can still work well on the right apps. But if you have the budget for about $20-30 a month, you should consider upgrading to get those extra perks and remove any roadblocks in your way.
Is OurTime Better Than SilverSingles?
Yes! OurTime has a bigger membership, more useful search filters, and free messaging with matches. That makes it superior in our estimation.
SilverSingles is a popular name in the senior dating niche, and Dr. Gloria did land a date with a man she met there. BUT SilverSingles doesn’t offer free messaging, and the local matches are pretty limited for users in a small town. We also don’t like that SilverSingles blurs photos when you’re a free member and only lets premium members see profile pics.
What’s the Most Successful Dating Site for People Over 50?
The most successful dating site will vary based on where you are and what you want (quick matches, first dates, long-term love, etc.), but if I had to make a blanket recommendation to the typical single person over 50 — I’d say Match is the most successful dating platform in online dating history.
Match has a sizable following, and a good portion of it is on the older side. It’s a mature place to look for meaningful connections of all types. Plus, Match has been in business for longer than any of its competitors, and I think senior daters would agree that experience counts for something!
Should I Join More Than One App at a Time?
If you’re new to online dating, I’d say stick with one dating platform at a time to avoid dating burnout. Unless you’re not seeing any compatible profiles, there’s no reason to divide up your time immediately.
Matchmaker Sophy agrees. She told me, “I recommend starting with one app. This allows you to ease into the online dating world without getting overwhelmed by too many profiles or conversations.”
Of course, depending on your area or how much you’ve dated, you might run out of profiles on one app. “Once you’re comfortable, you can consider adding a second app if you feel the need for more options,” Sophy said.
How Can Seniors Avoid Online Dating Scams?
Knowledge is power in online dating. Romance scammers seek to take advantage of the unaware, and more often than not it’s an older lonely person who falls into the trap. But you can avoid the liars and fakes by staying skeptical, verifying match details, and asking follow-up questions.
Keep an eye out for the red flags of scam: Trying to move the chat to Whatsapp, showering you with compliments, giving vague answers to personal questions, claiming to work overseas, and asking for money, gift cards, or favors.
Romance scammers will try to escalate a simple chat into an ardent love story. They’ll say they’ve never met anyone like you, meanwhile they barely know anything about you. This is called love bombing, and it’s a tactic that used to get your guard down so you won’t notice or will quickly forgive any red flags.
What’s the quickest way to see if an online match is legit? Ask to meet in person or chat via video or phone call. If they try to make excuses or say their camera isn’t working, you should go ahead and block that suspicious person so you can focus on matches that are actually serious.
The safest dating sites (like the ones on this list) will back you up with verification tools and content moderation, and they all have block and reporting mechanisms so you can remove any unwanted person from your contacts list. They won’t even be able to see your dating profile after you’ve blocked them.
Does Online Dating Really Work for Senior People?
It sure does! Plenty of seniors are finding love online, and sometimes their success rates even outpace that of their younger counterparts. Seniors tend to take the dating life more seriously than younger adults, so they’re more likely to put effort into moving their connections offline.
Lisa told us she’s seen many clients meet their partners on Match and OurTime, which she wholeheartedly endorses for older singles.
Heather Greenwood, an experienced matchmaker at It’s Just Lunch, emphasized the importance of getting off the app and going on an actual date to move things forward. “We always say that chemistry happens face-to-face,” she explained. “It’s really about their presence and how you feel when you’re with them.”
Lisa advises meeting online matches within two weeks of the first message. “Do maybe five to ten short emails, one phone call if you think you need to—and then meet. And you do not need to do the phone call,” she said.
Dr. Wendy Walsh backs up this advice, saying, “Make sure you have a reality check by meeting the person fairly quickly in the real world. And if they won’t meet you in the real world, then, sadly, they’re probably not real.”
Methodology
We’ve tested, ranked, and reviewed the best dating sites for niche interests many times over. Our dating experts have been at this day in and day out since 2012. So for this list, we decided to do something a little different and rely on expert testimony in addition to our own research and testing.
Our team sent queries out to matchmakers, dating coaches, psychologists, and other senior dating experts to determine which apps have the best overall reputation. We also asked our in-house experts to create test accounts and report on their experience on the sites.
We determined the order of ranking based on how many experts named that app among their recommendations.
Meet the Experts:
- Dr. Wendy Walsh is a relationship psychologist and university professor who holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
- Dr. Gloria Brame is a Board-certified sexologist and author with a Ph.D. in Human Sexuality.
- Julie Spira is a bestselling author, dating coach, and founder of CyberDatingExpert.com. She has over 20 years experience working in the dating industry.
- Jenni Jacobsen, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker, professor, and behavioral health consultant. She has a master’s degree in social work and a PhD in clinical psychology.
- Sophy Singer is the chief matchmaker at Sophy Love, which has arranged more than 2,300 dates and has an 85% success rate.
- Lisa Copeland is a senior dating expert, love coach, and author of “The Winning Dating Formula For Women Over 50.”
- Amber Brooks is editor-in-chief at DatingAdvice.com and has been reviewing dating sites since 2015. She’s been quoted as a dating expert by Cosmopolitan, Salon, and The New York Post.
- Matt and Orna Walters are a married couple who cofounded the coaching service Creating Love on Purpose.
Mature Singles Need a Mature Platform to Mingle
If you’re over 50 and looking for love, getting online is the best way to go about it. Online dating is the most reliable place to find singles, and it gets rid of the awkwardness of asking out your neighbor or a lady from church.
As you get older, Tinder just stops doing it for you, and it’s time to get serious on dating sites and apps that put substance over style. If you’re looking for real dates, the sites recommended by experts on this list won’t let you down.
“Once you hit midlife, being on a dating site is your best bet to meet singles who are also looking for a relationship.” —Matt and Orna Walters
Make sure to use dating platforms in a way that serves you, not the other way around. “I’m a strong advocate for using apps only as a bridge to meet people, keeping your conversations brief, and transitioning to in-person meetings as soon as possible,” Sophy said. “Spending too much time on these platforms can distract from the real goal — finding a genuine connection.”
