There’s a dating app for everyone, whether you’re seeking a long-term commitment or a brief booty call. From the hyper-specific—FarmersOnly, JDate, 3Fun—to the general ones we examine here, which cast a wider net, what do you need to know to find the love of your life…or just your love for the night? Bars, nightclubs, and other traditional gathering spots may be reopening, but are they safe? With new services popping up all the time, dating sites and apps are the way to go these days. Is it possible to have a dating app that only functions on Thursdays? What an idea! As we’ll see later, several have dedicated video services designed expressly to deal with dating in a post-COVID environment. How do you find your perfect, loving match with so many options?
How to Begin Using Dating Apps
The first thing you must determine is your level of commitment. As in, how much would you be willing to spend to make your heart skip a beat? Plenty of Fish, for example, allows you to view profiles and send messages for free. Most others will enable you to examine your possible matches for free, but you’ll have to pay to reach out to them without limits if you want to communicate with them without limits—especially if the interest is one-sided. While the monthly fees for the apps we examine here range from $10 to more than $40, most of them provide a discount if you sign up for a more extended period of time, such as six months or a year.
Bumble: For the Daring
Women are the ones that begin communication on Bumble. Of course, which gender makes the first move is less of an issue for LGBTQ+ women, but it may be a breath of fresh air for females looking for dudes. It has been established that most of its users are between the ages of 26 and 35; thus, younger daters may enjoy it.
Tinder: For Casting the Net Wide
Tinder is undoubtedly familiar to everyone who has spent any time online. According to research, the app has the most users of any dating app currently available. While many Tinder users use the app for casual hookups, others have discovered long-term love.
Plenty of Fish: For Young Adults Fresh Out of College
After Bumble, this app had the youngest user base among the applications profiled here, with more than half of its users being under 36. The site also promises to be one of the world’s largest dating platforms, as its name suggests.
OkCupid: Ideal for In-Depth Profiles
OkCupid, which has been operating since 2004, is presumably familiar to anyone who has been in the dating game for a while. The OG has released an app with its signature questions on anything from religion to peanut butter vs. jelly to assist you in finding your ideal companion.
Happn: For Girls Looking for Boys
In addition to having a large user base, Happn, a location-based dating app, is downloaded by far more males than women. May the chances be ever in your favor, ladies looking for gentlemen.
Her: For Ladies After Ladies
Her was built by and for queer women as both a dating app and an LGBTQ+ social media platform. Her is a fantastic choice for both cisgender and nonbinary persons who want to go on a fun date, find eternal love, or attend local queer events.
Grindr: For LGBTQ Daters
“The world’s largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people,” according to Grindr. According to rumors, even Fleabag’s “hot priest” uses Grindr, indicating that the site has at least one dreamboat. While it’s most popular among cis guys looking for cis men, it’s open to people of all genders.
MeetMe: For Dating After 40
Users with a few extra laugh lines and silver strands might find common ground on an app with a larger demography. According to our research, most MeetMe’s users are between the ages of 46 and 55, with the 55 to 65 age group following closely after.
Lumen: For Dating After 50
Lumen caters to daters in their fifties and sixties, so you won’t have to go through many new graduates to find your match. The service also verifies the images on every single profile, which must have at least three photos and a bio to keep the catfish away.
BLK: For Black Singles
Try BLK to meet other Black singles in your area and create a meaningful connection with someone who shares your life experiences. It offers a swipe feature similar to Tinder, but premium members can “rewind” to give someone a second chance if you were too quick the first time.
Loosid: For the Sober
At Loosid, dating does not have to be a booze-centric affair. The app, which is a community of people living a sober lifestyle, can help you locate like-minded people, treatment alternatives, and support for sustaining your recovery, as well as dates with others who are living a sober lifestyle.
