Starting online dating can be tricky for anyone — even Gen Zers like me may feel some anxiety jumping into the apps and sites. But for seniors, online dating has a bit of a steeper 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 apps and sites 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.
OurTime: Recommended by Julie Spira & 2 Other Experts
Sometimes it makes the most sense to go on dating sites that specifically fit your niche rather than trying your luck on a general site. This is certainly true for seniors, and OurTime is a fan-favorite and expert-favorite in senior dating.
- 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
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.”
Social Worker Jenni Jacobsen
OurTime is only for singles over 50, so you won’t be stuck scrolling through endless profiles of twenty-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. It’s also nice that it’s cheap.”
Matchmaker Sophy Singer
Sophy Singer, a seasoned relationship expert and chief matchmaker at Sophy Love, also emphasized OurTime’s focus on verification and local matches. “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.”
Meet the Experts:
- 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 over the last eight years.
Match: Recommended By Matt and Orna Walters +2 Experts
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, making it the easiest place to meet your peers.
And given its popularity with singles 30-49 as well, you won’t be cutting off the possibility of meeting someone a bit younger, too.
- 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
Matchmaker Sophy Singer
Sophy emphasized that with Match, singles get the best of both worlds: a general dating pool and a senior-focused section to connect better with their age group. It also allows for seniors who might want different types of relationships at different points in their dating journeys. “It’s flexible, offering options for both casual and serious dating, but with a strong focus on long-term relationships.”
Senior Dating Coach Lisa Copeland
Lisa told us a paid subscription to 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.
Soulmate Coaches Matt and Orna Walters
Dating experts Matt and Orna Walters shared the story of a client of theirs 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.
Meet the Experts:
- Sophy Singer has personally paired over 1,500 dates and runs a 10-person matchmaking team.
- Lisa Copeland is a senior dating expert, love coach, and author of “The Winning Dating Formula For Women Over 50.”
- Matt and Orna Walters are a married couple who cofounded the coaching service Creating Love on Purpose.
Silver Singles: Recommended by 2 Experts (Sophy & Jenni)
SilverSingles is another great age-focused site for seniors. The site prioritizes high-quality matches, so it’s a better bet for singles looking for long-term love than a quick hookup.
Matchmaker Sophy Singer
“This app requires users to take a personality test and uses the results to match people with similar values and interests,” Sophy told us. “Personality matching helps ensure that your potential connections are serious about long-term relationships.”
SilverSingles’ straightforward design is perfect for those who may not be comfortable with complex websites. “Its streamlined interface makes it easy to navigate without feeling lost,” Sophy noted.
Social Worker Jenni Jacobsen
Jenni has also seen positive results from SilverSingles, and she emphasized how the site allows singles to retain some privacy. SilverSingles “lets people stay private until they’re ready,” she said. “Even though it can take a while to see results, clients say they appreciate how careful it is to only introduce possible partners who are a good match for them in ways that are harder to tell from a quick profile scan.”
eharmony: Recommended by Jenni Jacobsen
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, which helps lead to matches based on true compatibility.
- 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
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 make them more connected. Members want to find long-term partners and feel like they are being heard.”
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.”
Zoosk: Recommended by Lisa Copeland
Zoosk is a great option for social-media-savvy seniors. Available through both a web browser version and a smartphone app, Zoosk connects your Facebook profile to your dating profile to help create the fullest picture of who you are, online and offline. For Facebook-active singles, Zoosk may be the place to turn.
Senior Dating Coach Lisa Copeland
Some sites may be better suited for singles in some areas, but not others. Lisa Copeland of Find a Quality Man found that Zoosk is a great option for singles in California and Oregon. “On the West Coast, a lot of women like Zoosk,” she said. “I always think those free ones are great.”
Zoosk only sends you one match a day, which can be positive or negative, depending on how you see it. If you want to limit your time on dating platforms, Zoosk is a great way to build in some of that restriction. But if you want more options, you may need to expand your active profiles.
Meet the Experts:
- Lisa Copeland is an experienced dating coach who started a business in 2012 to help women over 50.
FAQs: How Do You Choose the Best Dating Site?
Not only do senior daters deal with the general 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 good options.
- Seeking hookups? Go with Ashley Madison or a casual site such as NaughtyCharm.
- Are you hoping for a senior friend? Try the Stitch community.
DatingAdvice.com Editor-in-Chief Amber Brooks recommends trying the social network Stitch. “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.
Senior singles should also consider the cost. If paying nothing ever is most important to you, then free dating sites like OkCupid should be on your radar.
OkCupid has a freemium model, meaning singles can use a functional free version and pay for a premium version if they so choose. Lisa recommends the free version for senior singles looking to try out online dating for the first time.
“I always think free sites are great when you’re trying to dip your toe in the dating pool,” Lisa 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.
“Upgrading to Tinder Plus gives members access to unlimited swiping,” Julia explains. “For many, it’s worth the price to stay in the game.”
Perhaps the trickiest part of online dating for seniors is knowing where to start. I hope these recommendations have helped, but you can always ask your friends and family members what has worked for them. Sometimes experiences vary in different cities.
What Is 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, but if I had to make a blanket recommendation to the typical single person over 50 — I’d say go with Match.
As mentioned earlier, survey data from the Pew Research Center backs up that this dating site is pretty popular with an older crowd.
Match has a sizable following, and a good portion of it is on the older side, so it’s a good, 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, consider sticking with one dating platform for a while to avoid dating burnout. Until you run out of good profiles, there’s no reason to divide up your time immediately instead of focusing your energy on one app.
According to Sophy, it may be best to start with one app that can help you find all the profiles you think you need. “I recommend starting with one app,” she said. “This allows you to ease into the online dating world without getting overwhelmed by too many profiles or conversations.”
Still, 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.
Does Online Dating Really Work for Senior People?
It sure does! Plenty of seniors are finding love online, and sometimes they may even be more successful than young people. Seniors pursuing online dating tend to take it more seriously than younger adults, so they’re more likely to put more effort into moving their connections offline.
“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
Lisa told us she’s seen many clients meet their partners on Match and OurTime, which she wholeheartedly endorses for older singles.
To speed things along, she 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. “It’s worth just getting there, so you’re not spending time on someone who’s not right for you.”
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, the dating platform you select becomes more crucial. You want to ensure it has genuine people in your age group who share your relationship goals.
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.”
