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Best Dating Apps

Best Dating Apps

Quick overview of best dating apps
Best for Brand
Best dating app overall eharmony
Best for serious relationships OkCupid
Best for educated professionals EliteSingles
Best for over 50 OurTime
Best for singles SilverSingles

Finding the perfect match has never been easy. You need to have the same ideals, share similar goals, and find each other attractive – plus, the timing needs to be just right.

Dating apps have made the process easier, but it can still be difficult to find the person you’re looking for – be that for a serious relationship or something more casual.

Fortunately, you can improve your chances and have a higher success rate by choosing the right dating site where you can find like-minded people.

We have researched and reviewed more than 40 dating sites over the years, and these are the ones we consider to be the best.

Best dating apps of 2025

Editors' choice

eharmony

Editor's rating:
Innovative matchmaking system
Entertaining setup
Detailed compatibility information
In-depth personality test
Serious relationships
OkCupid logo

OkCupid

Editor's rating:
Free live chatting
Member-made dating quiz
Innovative matching system
Mobile app
Educated professionals

EliteSingles

Editor's rating:
Daily recommendations
Extensive personality test
Dating hints
Great design
Over 50

OurTime

Editor's rating:
Affordable pricing
Smartphone support
Versatile matchmaking options
Perk system
Seniors

SilverSingles

Editor's rating:
Well-implemented personality test
Stylish design
Fair prices
Smartphone app
Editors' choice

eharmony

Editor's rating:
Starting price: $17.90/mo
Main features
  • Innovative matchmaking system
  • Entertaining setup
  • Detailed compatibility information
  • In-depth personality test
  • Innovative matchmaking system
  • Entertaining setup
  • Detailed compatibility information
  • In-depth personality test
  • Limited free version
  • No free trial
Summary
View summary

Online dating site eharmony was founded in 2000 by professional psychologist Neil Clark Warren, who wanted to ensure high-quality matchmaking through a scientific approach. The first dating service to use algorithms, eharmony’s compatibility tests are perfect for users looking to find connections locally or abroad.

Although this scientific approach may be elaborate, the test and its results are clearly presented and easy to understand. The platform doesn’t overwhelm, offering up a couple of new matches daily.

Despite eharmony’s lack of features in its free plan, this still provides users with a taste of this dating service’s potential. The overall layout of profiles is attractive, and the whole experience is consistent across platforms.

Special offers
View offers
eharmony premium 50% welcome offer for new subscribers
Free dating profile with eharmony
Serious relationships
OkCupid logo

OkCupid

Editor's rating:
Starting price: $9.95/mo
Main features
  • Free live chatting
  • Member-made dating quiz
  • Innovative matching system
  • Mobile app
  • Free live chatting
  • Member-made dating quiz
  • Innovative matching system
  • Mobile app
  • Advanced search is premium feature
Summary
View summary

OkCupid is a U.S. based online dating site that caters to a worldwide community. The service earned its widespread popularity by being very open towards all singles, providing everyone a means to express their inner self. OkCupid is more than just a dating site, as it has extra social media features, thus members can use it to meet new people and develop friendships. Creating your profile is easy and doesn’t require an upfront payment. Furthermore, using the chat is possible for freemium members too, a rare feature in the online dating scene. OkCupid also breaks ties with the dull profiles, giving you plenty of quiz questions you can answer anytime, which would be used to determine the matching ratio with your partner. The site is available on smartphones as well; all you have to do is download the free application or browse to the mobile-friendly version of the site.

Educated professionals

EliteSingles

Editor's rating:
Starting price: $14.95/mo
Main features
  • Daily recommendations
  • Extensive personality test
  • Dating hints
  • Great design
  • Daily recommendations
  • Extensive personality test
  • Dating hints
  • Great design
  • Hefty 1-month plan
  • No Android App
Summary
View summary

EliteSingles is a serious dating site that promotes “truly like-minded relationships” between educated and successful people. The site is available only for the American audience, but being part of the Affinitas network means that there is a localized version for other countries as well. EliteSingles aids the attempt of professional men and women to find genuine love or a long-term relationship. For this purpose, the site boasts an advice section created by experts, and an intelligent matchmaking system that ensures 3-7 potential contacts each day. You can even partake in an insightful personality test that raises the odd for finding your significant other. EliteSingles is accessible from both your desktop browser and smartphone, thus being the perfect company for a long trip. The site allows you to take a sample from its service, as you are able to set up an account for free, but most features are kept for premium members.

Special offers
View offers
Just $14.95 per month for EliteSingles membership
Up to 75% discount on your subscription
Forever free dating account with EliteSingles
Over 50

OurTime

Editor's rating:
Starting price: $15/mo
Main features
  • Affordable pricing
  • Smartphone support
  • Versatile matchmaking options
  • Perk system
  • Affordable pricing
  • Smartphone support
  • Versatile matchmaking options
  • Perk system
  • Pushy sales tactics
  • Extra token system
  • Weak customer support
Summary
View summary

OurTime.com is an online dating site aimed at mature and senior singles. If you are over 50 and looking for a long-term relationship, marriage, companionship or simply a pen pal, OurTime will help you find that special someone.

The site was brought to life with the premise of serving the needs of aging daters, and has therefore developed features specifically for this niche audience. There are several matchmaking routes that users can take, whether that’s searching for partners near their location, browsing recommended profiles or mingling with random selections.

If you’ve found someone who meets your desires, then warm their heart with messages, virtual gifts or start chatting right away. The dating experience is also fully customizable with token-based perks and gold membership.

Special offers
View offers
50% discount with semi-annual subscription
Extra benefits with “Best Value” plan
Free dating account at OurTime
Seniors

SilverSingles

Editor's rating:
Starting price: $12.95/mo
Main features
  • Well-implemented personality test
  • Stylish design
  • Fair prices
  • Smartphone app
  • Well-implemented personality test
  • Stylish design
  • Fair prices
  • Smartphone app
  • Heavily restricted free content
  • Limited amount of search results
Summary
View summary

As part of its bid to cater to mature singles, SilverSingles has another trick card up its sleeve: a personality test. The registration process doubles as a quiz and your answers help to refine the matchmaking results. On top of all this, an account is free for everyone, although later on you will need to opt for premium membership since the online dating service will be blocked otherwise.

Special offers
View offers
Up to 21% Off on first semi-annual subscription
Free personality test with SilverSingles registration

Other dating apps

Key factors to consider when choosing a dating app

Even though dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge are the most popular, it doesn’t mean they’re the right ones for you.

So, when choosing the best dating site for yourself, consider the following factors before making a decision:

  • User demographics: The dating app should focus on people within your target age range who are looking for the same type of relationship as you (casual or serious) and live near the area where you can meet them.
  • Interface: The dating site should be easy to navigate and use. You want the experience to be pleasant and refreshing, not hard and frustrating.
  • Features: Check whether the app provides the communication tools you prefer (chat, voice, video, etc.). Plus, look up how daters can reach out and interact with each other.
  • Cost and premium upgrade: Many dating sites offer a freemium pricing plan. It’s free, but people who are serious about getting someone end up paying for the premium features sooner or later. Since some dating apps provide overly expensive (and somewhat shady) pricing plans, checking the cost and how much you’re willing to pay is essential.
  • Unique selling point: Every dating site has its own quirk. It can be personality tests, a different way of matching people, or even focusing on a smaller niche. Going for a dating app whose USP goes towards what you’re looking for is half the job done.

Best dating sites by demographics

How to create an effective dating profile

1

Choose the right photos

Your profile pic should be a clear and recent headshot. Avoid group photos for your main image, and take advantage of natural lighting. Also, a friendly smile goes a long way.

Include a variety of photos that provide a mix of full-body and headshots. Make the most of your gallery by showing your hobbies, interests, and the different facets of your life. This helps potential matches see your personality.

2

Write a killer bio

Your bio should be concise and positive. Aim for 2-3 short paragraphs or even just a few bullet points where you highlight your interests and values.

Use a friendly, conversational tone – a dash of good humor can be a great icebreaker and might help get the conversation rolling.

Reveal something personal but not overly private – just enough to spark some curiosity. Some examples include mentioning a favorite hobby, a dream travel destination, or a recent achievement.

3

Use the app’s features to your advantage

Make the most of the dating app’s features to enrich your profile. If the site provides personality tests or other types of questionnaires, include the ones that showcase your wit and character.

If you feel confident about it, share your social media profiles – but be careful! Avoid oversharing to maintain a level of privacy and security.

Verify your profile if there’s that option. This lets other people know you’re a real person, not a bot.

Online dating safety tips and best practices

Finding love is one of the best things in the world – but you need to stay safe. Unfortunately, there are plenty of ill-intentioned people on online dating sites trying to scam daters or even worse. So, make sure to:

  • Verify profiles: Use dating apps with profile verification, read user reviews, and run background checks on people you find interesting.
  • Don’t overshare: Keep private information private. Don’t share your last name, home address, and workplace in the initial stages, and never disclose your financial details.
  • Trust your gut: If something feels off, it likely is.
  • Stay alert to scams: Asking for money or bank details is a major red flag. Be wary of emotional manipulation, as scammers often use urgent financial pleas, such as a medical emergency. Be careful with in-app gifts as well, as some allow you to send money to the other person.
  • Plan safe dates: Meet in safe places for the first few in-real-life dates. Go to a public place with other people around, arrange your own way of transportation (do not enter their car), and tell a friend or a family member that you’re meeting this person.
  • Report suspicious activity: Help make the online dating world safer by reporting suspicious profiles through the app’s reporting tools or customer support.

Woman using dating app

The right app, the right match

Online dating can be a fulfilling and enjoyable experience – but you might need some patience. Even so, by using the best dating app for what you’re looking for and being up-front with what you want, it won’t take long until you find your match.

Be your authentic self and open-minded, and you’ll be halfway there already. We also recommend trying more than one dating site to cast a wider net.

Keep your profile authentic, your eyes open, and your heart hopeful. Not all that glitters is gold, but with the right approach, you’ll discover a gem before you know it.

Dating apps FAQ

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